TeamViewer thinks I’m using the software commercially!

[pv7721]

@Ant1 : one must not forget that after all TV is nothing but a company, not a benefactor, and they answer only to their shareholder who want money in return for their investment. And of course you would ask any company that would you want to behave unethically, 100% of them would reply, via their PR, "No, of course not!" And in reality, as your example showed, it was borderline ethic (to use an euphemism).

What I don't understand about your use case: you said you use TV for a meeting, but normally there are quite a few products out there that are not direct TV competitor which do just that: audio and video meeting, even with screen sharing. Why didn't you use one of that, most of them are free of charge, no nagging whatsoever.

[Ant1]

The reason that I don't use another product was because I was originally using the free version of TeamViewer and then 10 minutes before a critical meeting when I tried to start TeamViewer it cut me off without notice saying I had to upgrade to the paid version to continue.

The meeting was really important and I didn't know of any other software so I just paid so I could attend the meeting. I am regretting that decision now.

[Kylian01]

with a credit card you shut be protected against those things. with a credit card you can force it to cancel to take money

[JackHK]

Please fill in the form and wait! Good luck!

[JackHK]

Totally agreed!

[QT-Pro]

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@da9el84 wrote:

as price/functionality is superior to all other alternatives.

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You obviously have not looked at all the alternatives. The one that most people who were victims of TeamViewer's false commercial use accusations have gone to has all the functions of TV, is still free for personal use, and is actually easier to use.

I have only been using it for a couple of weeks but I'm pleased to say that is has not dropped a connection so far and performance is good even in full screen mode.

[Kylian01]

i am curius in how many people have this problen and who gets help and who does not i made a poll for this

http://www.strawpoll.me/18113083

[Kylian01]

Hello I have noticed a ton of people have a problem with the "commercial use suspection error" and are not receiving any help what so ever (including myself) even after filling out the form where you explain the problem but you do not receive any reaction if they agree or not.

This poll includes the following questions

Yes Commercial Use Suspected! And no help was given
No "Commercial Use Suspected!" error
Yes Commercial Use Suspected! And help was given

Maybe we can get Teamviewers attention this way and I hope they will see they are destroying the personal user base
Don't get me wrong I love teamviewer I use it a lot for personal use but now I am stuck getting kicked out after 1min and have to way 15min so totally unusable

http://www.strawpoll.me/18113083

[Closed account]

@QT-Pro

Agree totally with your comments.  Bin TV and go to the popular alternative.

[pv7721]

@Kylian01 : I went to see your poll, but I'm afraid I didn't quite catch it, what is it that you want to know with it?

[Kylian01]

I made a new podt in the generel section here that will explain it

[da9el84]

If you are talking about **Third Party Product**, then I dont agree. Haven't had great results, unstable, sluggish and fullscreen doesn't work in a virtual machine apparently.

[Kylian01]

Still better then geting kicked out after 1min and need ti wait 15 to conect for 1min again

[pv7721]

well if you ask our big friend (brother?) you may find how to maybe alleviate your issue, I think it might be even shown in a YouTube video

[Kylian01]

there is a big problem with those called solution.

By chaning your MAC aderes you also change the teamviewer ID in my case i can not do this becouse it would mean i have to re add all my personal computters friens PC servers ETC

i have some personal servers with a cople of VMs i use to mess around with and there is no way i can change all those mac aderesses

[pv7721]

I just said it had the merit to exist, I haven't used it myself (as I've said it before, for a while I tried the workaround of using version 9, but it started receiving warnings there as well, then it has got obsoleted).

[Sam-redbeard]

Hi, it's great to have a supportive knowledgable team.
I use Teamviewer in a church context and as a volunteer, usually to fetch something off one machine to do something on another one e.g. if it's faster and to hand hold my friends in church, some of them quite old. But recently I keep being told that I am operating commercially, which I am definately not, as I get no remuneration for it.

I have filled in a very detailed form outlining exactly and for each machine what happens, but haven't had neither positive nor negative acknowledgement. As a volunteer e.g. to carry out some extra tweeks e.g. to OBS I can't spend hours down at the church, whereas with TV I could fit things around and from home.
I've tried phoning, both the English and the German office, but if you use the free version of TV there is no way to talk to anyone and explain, only the form and by all accounts by others on the internet it appears a pointless excercise. :-(
(my email: [email removed by moderator])

[LaBarata]

Out of nowhere yesterday, Teamviewer has decided that I'm only allowed a few minutes of use at a time, which is REALLY inconvenient if I'm trying to do something on any kind of time crunch (i.e. while I'm stopped somewhere on wifi)

What gives??

[HCanevet]

Hello,

I had that some weeks ago, too.

Pay attention to what the dialog box says : you are suspected to use Teamviewer in a commercial context, which is not allowed with a free account.

There is a link somewhere to justify yourself, and ask the support to review your case. That took me some weeks, but eventually it was OK.

Was not it that ?

[LaBarata]

I was using it on mobile, and it opened Safari at one point to a page like that; I pleaded my case there.

Thank you!

[QT-Pro]

With over 2000 personal users complaining they still are unable to use the Teamviewer software due to being falsely accused of commercial use, and no solution from the company other than to upgrade to a commercial license, perhaps someone could tell me why this thread is marked as SOLVED?

[Kylian01]

Idk i would **bleep** ask teamviewer but oh wait they dont care....

[pv7721]

@QT-Pro: actually, for them it's "solved" meaning that whenever you get the warning / false accusation etc. all you have to do is to fill the form and wait, and wait, and wait... and wait some more, and maybe getting an answer back... or maybe not, or maybe being asked to sign and scan a form etc. etc.

[da9el84]

Could we please have a member of Teamviewer comment on the large part of the userbase being suspected of commercial activity on their private teamviewer?

I myself was hit by this last year, I sent in the form and my license was once again "private".

Then a month ago I was asked to start a new trial, even though I have probably had this private license for 10 years or so. Trial expired and I logged out from teamviewer, logged back in and my old "private" status was back. A few days later I started seeing notifications about commercial use suspected and my teamviewer sessions now was limited and hasn't been working since.

I sent in the form again. I sent logs. I sent a signed paper confirming that I am indeed only using my teamviewer license for non commercial use, primarily remote controlling my own devices, and occassionally helping a few friends and my grandmother.

I sent in the signed paper almost a month ago. No auto-reply from "form-service@teamviewer.com" to indicate whether or not it was received and what the expected timeline for handling it. Follow up emails have gone unanswered too.

I know this is a free edition - your free edition is what got me to get a paid edition when I started my own company nearly 10 years ago.

Idea: If you are worried about abuse, then offer a private paid version. Something like 10USD  per year and then restrict it to only be able to connect to 10 different devices per month.

Or you need better metrics to identify your commercial use parameters. Seeing the giant 3000+ replies thread in her about the subject, something would suggest that your parameters are due for a tuneup.

[QT-Pro]

With all due respect, that is NOT a solution.
Here is a list of potential solutions as an example:
1. Alter the algorithm so that it more accurately identifies commercial use and restore full functionality to personal users.
2. Remove the algorithm to prevent falsely accusing personal users of commercial use and restore full functionality.
3. Remove the personal use option from the website and move to a paid license only version.

The company is fully within its rights to not provide support services to free users but they are not within their rights to advertise a personal use version only to use it as clickbait by accusing the personal user as being dishonest due to commercial usage. To make such an accusation requires that they prove commercial use. While that may be possible for some users, it should prove very difficult, nigh impossible, for those adhering to the company's terms of service.

[pv7721]

@QT-Pro : I never said this was the solution, I just said it was theirs... 

[idiocracy]

And now i am getting the issue again, one the same machines as last time.

[pv7721]

@idiocracy : I'm not sure if you got that, but technically you have to fill the form for each and every TVID you're connecting to / from because one can be reset to free, but you might still get the warning for another one.

[QT-Pro]

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@pv7721 wrote:

@QT-Pro : I never said this was the solution, I just said it was theirs... 

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Don't worry, I'm talking out aloud in a vain attempt to get the company to revise its ridiculous and likely illegal, practices.

[pv7721]

@QT-Pro : please don't waste your precious time, it's futile. I mean come on, for how long this thread has been opened it has been said and resaid, on official and unofficial channels, but there's still no change. Posting every minute won't help, but I think that there were some suggestion that this issue be made more visible, maybe things will change then...

[lfitz]

I am getting the same error using the Google Extention. If I close the google tab for Teamviewer and type it in and start all over, I get connected again for about 5 minutes. When you are trying to help an 86 year old use a computer, that is not enough time. I need this for my elderly parents who still use a computer but very badly. 

[Grant837]

Futile?  What makes you say that?  I mean this thread is only 3000 posts long... ;-)

But seriously, I think it's about the priciple of it all, that a company starts out sounding like a good member of the community only to take its candy away and leave us in a dark hole with no reasonable way out...

I too do wish there was a good way to up the pressure on Teamviewer to improve their story, and interest in their free users..... I personally do not have the right social meda following to do so...

[pv7721]

@Grant837 : because nothing happens besides promptly censuring any competitor mention. If they were to put such an effort in fixing once and for all this issue, we wouldn't be discussing TV alternatives, correct?

[bazbsg]

@Ant1 

Just curious, was there something about your private meetings that might have led TV to think your use was commerical? 

Some people are getting blocked because the use Windows server software, even if not in a commercial environment. Some are getting blocked because their email address is a company address but that doesn't mean their home use of TV is commercial. I think I even read that even use by a charity is considered commercial.

[pv7721]

@bazbsg : and some are blocked because they're connecting over the Internet (so remote help), or if they open two or more simultaneous connexions, or if they use it for file transfer... pretty much random IMHO 

[JackHK]

What I observed is TV will block your account once you use it for 3-4 hours per day within a week, they will say you are commercially using and will block your account.

So, if you don't want them to block your account, you better use <1 hour per day and less than 3 times per week. 

[pv7721]

@JackHK : is the limit so low?!? I've been using it much longer lately... 

[Mazzo]

Hi,

Same here. Using TV about once a month just to help my old man, or connect to my android. However, a few weeks ago the free version has rendered useless for me as I get this annoying pop-up that commercial use was detected. This is 100% wrong. I don't own a business and connet to only a few machines.

Please let someone find out whats going on. The current algorythm for detection of commercial use will cost your company a lot of potential customers I think. 

[GoNz0]

Fed up with this, a company I do work for pays thousands for this and is used on my works laptop, I have it on my home one to control my home network and yet again this warning is back after helping a mate online, I have filled in the form a month ago and it went away after a few days (no reply) then came back a few days after. I fill in the online form and it is ignored, wth?

[pv7721]

Just noticed something interesting: I've just closed a TV connection and saw an ad for a promotion as they do from time to time. This time it said 20%. I clicked the Buy now and ended on a page where I say a new offer, something that I've never seen before: a TV Remote 3 end points for les than 10 euros / month (without vat) which gets to 145 euros with vat / year.

I'm wondering if this isn't what they would like to push us to eventually purchase.

[DevilishSkull]

I use TeamViewer my iPad to control my personal Windows 10 PC remotely, but in the end of April my account was blocked due to "commercial usage" (i don't really use TeamViewer for any commercial purposes) and now i just can't use remote control!

I applied the "commercial usage suspected" form but i didn't get a reply yet (after a month of waiting)! What should i do to resolve the problem as quick as possible? I'm so tired of this stupid 5 minutes limit! It looks like TeamViewer is absolutely not interested in supporting free users.

[al97729]

I keep getting, "Your Teamviewer session has timed out and will be closed" after a short period of time. I have been using TeamViewer for a good number of years and have always recommended it. However, I recently had to format and reinstall windows, therefore TeamViewer with it. Now I seem to be unable to use TeamViewer practically. I use it to connect to my pc via my mobile, typically when I'm feeling lazy, playing a game away from the computer or just don't want to be by my computer to have to do a simple task. I usually use it for extended periods (anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of hours). Unfortunately, that no longer seems to be possible if I am disconnecting every minute or so. Is there a way to prevent this? Does TeamViewer think I am using it professionally?
This wouldn't be an issue if it were every 30 minutes or so, but I can't stay on for more than a couple.

I am using TeamViewer 12 as my phone does not support higher versions, however, this is irrelevant as I have used these exact versions previously and have had no problems before.

[tripkj]

same **bleep**. 8 year old account, never used for commercial purpose.

same usage scheme,  most time took control  via android phone home pc-s.

since the end of previous year started to help my disabled relative with als diagnosed  through tw, the only connection to the outer world she has is her laptop, she can control it with eye tracking hardware, some things on pc are very hard to do using your eyes only, so she asks help from time to time.

so i got flagged too like 2 month ago.

time to search alternatives and say goodbye to team**bleep**.

[Rpmk]

been a month since I submitted the privtae use confirmation form but i am still not able to connect to my home pc

[JackHK]

That's normal! It's been 6 months since I submitted the form, my account still blocked!!!

Good luck!

[regchan]

i get an advert saying my connection partner or me is using this as comercial use that i am NOT

[Elongeg]

This is been going on for how long its june 9 here time to get a class action suit if its free and we use it as directed and they refuse to fix there problem we need to sue them .

[Elongeg]

yep i have the same problem i conect to two freinds in England and in Czech Republic  and desktop computers on land  it may be time for a class action suit  they do not or will not fix this issue i call around to find a lawyer that can look in to this 

[pv7721]

@Elongeg : I think this has been discussed before, the issue here is what's the prejudice if the license is free for personal use?!?

[Elongeg]

i saw at 99$ a mo not worth it for me to use it no comercal for that 

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