free TeamViewer on macOS

Logician
Logician Posts: 10
edited July 2023 in General questions

I currently use the built-in screen share features of macOS to support my elderly parents (mainly dad, but mom too) who live a continent away and now have a hard time figuring out/following the steps to do so (open Messages and invite me to share their screen). So I'm looking for something simpler, and Team Viewer looks like a good option. It looks like I should be able to (technically, contractually and ethically) use the Free Version . (we're all macOS and iOS users, and I expect it'll be great to be able to control/see what's on their iPhones too!) (And we haven't seen any suspected commercial usage warnings yet - we haven't even installed the software yet. I just signed up for an account so I could post this question.)

But I can't figure out (short of trial and error) where to start. I don't want to walk them through creating an account, setting up 2FA and installing TeamViewer Host only to find out it's not the Free Version, or it's crippled.

Searching for info led me here and I read the whole original post (and a bunch of messages from users who clearly hadn't!) but I'm still stuck. I read the EULA too. But I'm still stuck. The download page for macOS (at teamviewer.com) lists 3 possibly relevant downloads.

TeamViewer QuickSupport

TeamViewer Full Client

TeamViewer Host

And I'm looking at Documents (page at teamviewer.com) but I still feel blind, as I can't find a Free Version download or list of features of the Free Version.


  • (Ok, this is reallllly silly: "You have to be around for a little while longer before you can post links." because
  • I'm being prevented from posting a post that only has links to YOUR WEBSITE! )


[Edit: So I see in the documentation, it refers to the TeamViewer Remote version, but that's not one of the 3 downloads above. I also see in the documentation:

Free license users have to install the Host manually, as described in the next chapter.

Okay...? So as part of that, the "TeamViewer account e-mail" - is that mine, or do we set up and use a TeamViewer account for my dad in addition to the one I just created for myself?]

Comments

  • AlenaC
    AlenaC Posts: 949 Senior Moderator ☑

    Hi @Logician

    Thank you very much for your post and interest in using TeamViewer to support your parents. 😃 (I do it often, too btw. 😉)

    TeamViewer offers a straightforward and quick way to support them but we know all information at once can be overwhelming.

    Let me help you to get a better overview.

    TeamViewer has different modules (all available for free users). Depending on your usage, you need to install one module or another. To summarize it:

    • TeamViewer Full Client makes connections from and to a computer (e.g., your computer).
    • TeamViewer Host will allow the device to receive connections (unattended) but not to make them (e.g., your dad´s computer since he only needs to be assisted).
    • TeamViewer QuickSupport is a module that allows also incoming connections but your dad or mum has to confirm the connection to be able to connect.

    My recommendation would be to install TeamViewer full version on your device and host modules in the devices you want to connect to.

    💡Download for Mac here: macOS.

    📌Please note that Iphone/Ipad only allows Screen sharing and not remote control.

    After choosing the module, the best start is this article:

    👉️Get started with TeamViewer Remote

    To answer your question "do we set up and use a TeamViewer account for my dad in addition to the one I just created for myself?]" --> If you assign your dad´s computer to your TeamViewer account, you do not need to create another one for your father.

    👉️Read here how to assign a device to your account: Sign in with your account

    Let us know, if this information answers your questions.

    Best, Alena

    Spanish Community Moderator :)

  • Logician
    Logician Posts: 10

    Ok, I've been doing other things and I'm back, trying to do this. Sharing as I found some important key/missing steps.

    Thanks for your help so far.

    On my machine, as a first step, I installed the full client and logged in successfully (after the req'd email confirmation).

    You wrote,

    >👉️Read here how to assign a device to your account: Sign in with your account

    I didn't see anything there about "how to assign a device to your account".


    But I was able to do a successful local setup and test.


    I followed the first link to  Connect to a remote device (unattended access)

    but the instructions were first for commercial users and second for PC users.


    So I just went ahead and downloaded and installed TeamViewer.dmg and logged in (and confirmed login was OK via email). (I figured better to set up once and have the option of attended and unattended.)

    I see I'll have to walk dad through allowing Screen Recording and Accessibility, including unlocking, app restarts, etc. - Which I noticed QuickSupport requires too, making it not so quick. But understandable, as it's because of macOS' good security system.

    I had to login with my credentials on the local test machine (an ancient semi-working Mac).

    Even after all that, it wouldn't work. Fortunately, I stumbled upon migrate at https://login.teamviewer.com/nav/device-update-status and migrating the device caused it to show up under my devices on my Mac, finally. Bug.

    It seems I may have to disclose my login credentials to my dad when I do this for real. Which is fine by me, but seems like bad practice. And the EULA even says "shared logins are prohibited". I will try to do the setup via the built-in screen share features of macOS (which don't always work) so I don't have to disclose 'em.

    But after all that, I find that unattended login is working on my test setup! :-)

    Next I'll try it for real. I'll report back.

  • Logician
    Logician Posts: 10

    Failed. I did try to do the setup via the built-in screen share features of macOS (which don't always work) so I don't have to disclose my credentials. With some struggles, as usual (the reason for trying TeamViewer) I got in, downloaded and installed TeamViewer.dmg on his Mac and logged in to TeamViewer. I added his machine, allowed Screen Recording and Accessibility, quit and reopened the app, and

    I wasn't able to migrate the device and now it appears as not connected even when he says it's on.

  • Logician
    Logician Posts: 10
    edited October 2023

    Migration migration in the app wasn't available, as the system was reported as not connected. Automated migration (via the web) kept hanging (and I submitted feedback about it), so I'm trying manual migration and it seems to be working better!

  • Logician
    Logician Posts: 10

    "MIGRATION COMPLETED

    1 devices migrated. You can now start exploring the improved device management and permission options for your devices.

    See Devices"

    But it still shows as un-migrated and offline in the Mac App. Weird.

  • Logician
    Logician Posts: 10
    edited October 2023

    Update: SUCCESS. I logged in one more time with the built-in screen share features of macOS and: The migration ACTUALLY completed. I rebooted the machine. Now TeamViewer works in unattended mode.


    Unattended mode only works if the remote machine is on; I don't have remote wake working (yet). Does TeamViewer have a way to have remote wake work even for a computer behind NAT? "Wake-on-LAN" makes me guess no.

    UPDATE: NO GO: https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/comment/147006#Comment_147006. Wake-on-LAN would need a paid license AND a third party app to work remotely for a computer without a public IP address.

  • Logician
    Logician Posts: 10

    Just an update to say that TV keeps working OK for me. 😁 ( Other than some minor problems others are having too: https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/132897/virtual-keys-stuck-macos-to-macos and often the remote needs a reboot or TV restart. ) Appreciate it.

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