ScreenConnect, formerly known as ConnectWise Control, is a remote access and support platform built to help IT teams manage and troubleshoot systems without needing physical access. It is commonly used to support end users, maintain internal systems, and control access to sensitive environments.
Functionality is organised around three core areas: Remote Support, Remote Access, and Privileged Access. Remote Support focuses on live troubleshooting sessions between technicians and users, while Remote Access is designed for ongoing secure connections to machines across different locations. Privileged Access adds tighter control for sensitive systems, restricting access to authorised personnel only.
Rather than relying on a single deployment model, ScreenConnect can be used as a cloud service or installed on-premises. The SaaS option reduces setup overhead and is typically faster to deploy, while the on-premises version gives organisations more control over data handling and internal infrastructure.
At the core of the platform is a proprietary session system that creates a secure, interactive connection between two endpoints. It functions in a way that blends remote desktop control with live collaboration, allowing technicians to interact with systems in real time during support sessions.
The product has undergone several ownership and branding changes over time. Originally independent, it was acquired by ConnectWise in 2015, rebranded in 2017, and later returned to the ScreenConnect name in 2023, where it now sits within the wider ConnectWise product ecosystem.
This review examines ScreenConnect’s key capabilities, pricing structure, and overall suitability for organisations considering a remote support solution.
ScreenConnect Remote Access
ScreenConnect Remote Access is the core component of the ScreenConnect platform, designed to give remote workers secure access to office-based computers. It provides the foundation for remote connectivity across the product suite.
The Remote Support functionality is built on top of this remote desktop capability, extending it into a tool that allows technicians to connect to user devices for troubleshooting and live assistance.
This tool is built for persistent remote access to systems and devices, making it suitable for IT teams, managed service providers (MSPs), and organisations that need ongoing access to remote machines. It is commonly used for administering servers, maintaining endpoints, and supporting infrastructure that requires regular oversight. ScreenConnect Remote Access also supports unattended connections, allowing technicians to access devices at any time without requiring the end user to be present.
Three key features contribute to the usability of ScreenConnect Remote Access:
- Agent Deployer
- Bridge Connectivity
- Backstage
These utilities are explained in more detail below.
Agent Deployer
The Agent Deployer feature in ScreenConnect Remote Access is designed to simplify the large-scale rollout of remote access across multiple devices. It enables IT teams to install small agent components on endpoints automatically, removing the need for manual setup on each machine. This makes it particularly useful in environments where remote access needs to be enabled across many systems quickly.
Deployment settings can be customised per device, allowing administrators to control which version of the agent is installed and how it is configured. This flexibility helps ensure consistent setup across different operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
By reducing manual intervention, the feature helps lower deployment time and minimise configuration errors, while maintaining consistency across all managed devices. Once installed, these agents allow IT staff to connect and manage systems remotely, improving response times for support and maintenance tasks. It also supports scheduled deployments, enabling updates and changes to be pushed across multiple endpoints in a controlled and efficient way.
Bridge Connectivity
The Bridge Connectivity feature in ScreenConnect Remote Access improves connection reliability in environments where direct access is restricted by network configurations. It is particularly useful for devices located behind firewalls, NAT systems, or other security controls that would normally block incoming remote connections.
Instead of requiring direct network visibility, the feature routes connections through a secure intermediary path, allowing sessions to be established even when endpoints are inside private or restricted networks. This removes the need for complex firewall reconfiguration or manual network adjustments.
In practice, this means IT teams can reach devices regardless of their network location or setup. The system handles traversal of common network barriers automatically, helping maintain stable connections across distributed or heavily secured environments.
As a result, remote support sessions become more consistent and less dependent on network conditions, improving overall access to endpoints that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to reach.
Backstage
The Backstage feature in ScreenConnect Remote Access provides a central control interface for managing and overseeing remote sessions. It gives administrators and support technicians a consolidated view of active connections, connected devices, and ongoing user activity, helping them stay organised during day-to-day support operations.
From this interface, technicians can launch and monitor sessions, track device availability, and manage workloads more efficiently. Session grouping and status visibility make it easier to prioritise tasks, particularly when handling multiple support requests at the same time.
Beyond session oversight, Backstage also supports administrative control functions such as configuring session behaviour, applying automated actions, and managing access permissions. It allows teams to coordinate more effectively by sharing session context and working within a single unified environment rather than switching between tools.
The feature is also aligned with the platform’s security model, ensuring that actions are logged and access remains controlled. This helps maintain accountability while supporting collaboration across support teams.
Overall, Backstage brings remote session management into a single workspace, improving visibility, coordination, and operational control for IT support teams.
Notable features
Here are some of the most important features of the ScreenConnect Remote Access tool:
- Cross-Platform Support: Connect to devices running Windows, macOS, Linux, and select mobile platforms, providing flexibility across different operating systems and environments.
- Custom Scripting and Automation: Improve efficiency with dynamic session grouping, custom scripts, and automated triggers that help streamline repetitive support tasks.
- Advanced Security: Protect remote sessions with AES-256 encryption, multi-factor authentication, Single Sign-On (SSO), SAML integration, and compliance with standards such as SOC 2 and FIPS.
- Granular Permissions: Use role-based access controls to assign precise permissions to users and technicians, ensuring secure and controlled access to systems.
- Extensive Extension Library: Extend core functionality with a library of add-ons and extensions that enhance capabilities without unnecessary complexity.
- Unlimited Technicians, Pay-per-Endpoint: Scale support teams cost-effectively by paying per endpoint rather than per technician, supporting flexible growth.
- Personal and Shared Toolboxes: Store reusable one-click commands to speed up common tasks and improve team efficiency.
- Backstage Management: Centralised control hub for tracking remote sessions, devices, and user activity, improving visibility and operational oversight.
- Agent Deployer: Automate the deployment of remote access agents across multiple devices, simplifying setup and large-scale rollouts.
These features make ScreenConnect Remote Access a reliable and customizable remote support solution.
ScreenConnect products selection
Remote Access is designed for continuous, unattended management of devices, allowing IT teams to maintain ongoing connections for administration and maintenance tasks. Remote Support, on the other hand, is intended for short-term, on-demand sessions used to troubleshoot and resolve specific issues.
Both options provide secure and configurable access, but the choice depends on the use case: whether the requirement is ongoing system management or temporary support for individual incidents.
ScreenConnect Remote Support
The Remote Support offering is structured as a package of modules rather than a single standalone product. It includes the Remote Access component, which gives technicians visibility of and control over the remote device as part of support sessions.Â
ScreenConnect Remote Support is the primary product in the ScreenConnect suite, designed to help IT professionals and support teams troubleshoot and resolve user issues remotely. It provides secure and reliable access to endpoints, enabling technicians to connect to devices, view screens, and carry out repairs or configuration tasks as needed.Â
How does ScreenConnect Remote Support operate?
ScreenConnect Remote Support enables technicians to access and control a user’s device in real time to diagnose and resolve technical issues.
- Initiating a session: The process begins when a technician sends an invitation link or session code to the user. The user joins the session by clicking the link or entering the code.
- Establishing the connection: Once accepted, a secure, encrypted connection is created between the two devices. This allows the technician to access the user’s system, whether it is a computer, server, or mobile device.
- Interacting with the device: The technician can view the screen, take control of the system, and carry out troubleshooting tasks such as installing software, resolving errors, or transferring files. Multiple sessions can be managed at the same time, allowing support teams to assist several users concurrently.
- Session management: During the session, technicians can record activity, pause or end the connection, or transfer control back to the user when needed. Access permissions can also be configured to define what actions are allowed within each session.
- Security: All activity is protected through strong encryption and secure session protocols, helping ensure that remote connections remain private and protected from unauthorised access.
Compatibility
ScreenConnect provides flexible deployment options, allowing organisations to choose between cloud-based (SaaS) hosting and on-premises installation depending on their requirements.
Cloud-based (SaaS) hosting: In this model, ScreenConnect is delivered as a fully managed service. Hosting, maintenance, and updates are handled by the provider, reducing the need for internal infrastructure management. This option enables fast deployment and remote access to support sessions from any location with an internet connection.
On-premises hosting: For organisations that require greater control over their environment, ScreenConnect can be installed on internal servers. This allows all data and sessions to remain within the organisation’s infrastructure, which is often preferred for strict security or compliance requirements. However, it does require internal resources for setup and ongoing maintenance.
In addition to deployment flexibility, ScreenConnect supports a wide range of operating systems, including:
- Windows (desktops and servers)
- macOS (desktops and laptops)
- Linux (including distributions such as Ubuntu and CentOS)
- iOS (mobile devices)
- Android (mobile devices)
This broad compatibility ensures IT teams can provide remote support across most modern endpoints, improving accessibility and reducing limitations when troubleshooting across different environments.
Notable features
Here are some of the most important features of the ScreenConnect Remote Support platform:
- Remote Control: Full access to desktops and mobile devices, allowing technicians to troubleshoot issues, install software, and perform system configurations remotely.
- Multi-Session Handling: Manage multiple support sessions at the same time, enabling technicians to assist several users efficiently.
- File Transfer: Securely transfer files between technician and remote device to support faster troubleshooting and issue resolution.
- Session Recording: Record sessions for auditing, training, or review purposes, providing a complete record of support activity.
- Customisable Permissions: Define access levels for each session, controlling what technicians and users are permitted to do.
- Session Rebranding: Customise the interface with company branding, including logos and visual styling, for a consistent user experience.
- Web-Based Interface: Access remote systems directly through a web browser without requiring additional software installation.
- Role-Based Access Control: Configure user and technician roles to ensure appropriate access levels across different support scenarios.
These features make ScreenConnect Remote Support a flexible and efficient tool for remote troubleshooting and system maintenance.
Remote Support system security
ScreenConnect Remote Support protects access and remote sessions through a range of security features:
- End-to-End Encryption: All communication between technician and device is secured using AES 256-bit encryption, helping prevent unauthorised access and protecting sensitive data during sessions.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adds an extra verification step for users and technicians, reducing the risk of unauthorised logins across both cloud and on-premises deployments.
- Granular Access Control: Administrators can define roles and permissions, controlling what users can access and what actions they can perform to reduce internal and external security risks.
- Session Timeout and Auto-Lock: Sessions can be configured to automatically lock or terminate after inactivity, helping prevent unauthorised use of unattended connections.
- Secure File Transfer: Files exchanged during support sessions are encrypted to ensure safe transfer between technician and end-user devices.
- Encrypted Session Recording: Session recordings are securely stored and only accessible to authorised users, supporting auditing and compliance requirements.
- Customisable Security Policies: Organisations can enforce rules such as IP restrictions or geo-based access controls to limit where and how connections are made.
These security features ensure that remote support sessions remain protected, controlled, and compliant across all environments.Â
ScreenConnect Remote Support target market
ScreenConnect Remote Support is designed for organisations that need to deliver secure, real-time technical assistance without requiring physical access to devices. It is widely used across industries where fast troubleshooting, system maintenance, and remote IT support are essential.
- Managed Service Providers (MSPs): MSPs use ScreenConnect to support client environments remotely, handling diagnostics, maintenance, and issue resolution without onsite visits. For example, server problems can be investigated and resolved directly through remote access, reducing downtime and travel costs.
- IT Support Teams: Internal IT departments rely on ScreenConnect to manage employee devices, servers, and workstations. It allows technicians to resolve issues such as software errors or connectivity problems without interrupting the user’s location-based work.
- Customer Support Teams: Software and technology companies use ScreenConnect to assist customers with setup, configuration, and troubleshooting. Remote access enables support agents to diagnose issues directly, improving resolution speed and user experience.
- Healthcare IT Services: Healthcare organisations use remote support to maintain medical systems and devices where uptime is critical. IT teams can resolve software or system issues quickly to help maintain continuity of care.
- Remote Workforces: Businesses with distributed teams use ScreenConnect to support employees working from home or multiple locations. IT issues can be resolved in real time, helping minimise disruption and maintain productivity.
Overall, ScreenConnect provides a flexible and secure approach to remote support, making it suitable for a wide range of operational environments where reliable remote access is required.
ScreenConnect Privileged Access
ScreenConnect Privileged Access is a specialised solution for controlling and securing access to critical systems and sensitive data within an organisation. It adds an additional security layer by restricting, monitoring, and auditing high-level access, ensuring that only authorised users can perform administrative actions or interact with privileged accounts.Â
ScreenConnect Privileged Access includes real-time threat detection with integrated VirusTotal validation, allowing files to be analysed instantly when accessed or transferred. This helps identify potential threats early and supports a more proactive security approach.
It also features automated elevation management, enabling organisations to define rules that automatically approve, elevate, or deny access requests based on predefined conditions. This reduces manual oversight while maintaining tight control over privileged actions.
In addition, the platform supports flexible access policies built around zero-trust principles. Access can be dynamically assigned based on user roles and context, ensuring permissions are granted only when necessary and reducing the risk of unauthorised activity.
Together, these capabilities strengthen security while simplifying the management of privileged access across the organisation.
Notable features
We compiled a list of the key features of ScreenConnect Privileged Access:
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Assigns specific roles and permissions to users, ensuring only authorised personnel can perform high-privilege actions and reducing the risk of unauthorised activity.
- Audit Trails: Automatically logs all sessions and privileged actions, providing full visibility for compliance, security monitoring, and investigation of potential misuse.
- Session Management: Enables real-time control of privileged sessions, including the ability to monitor, pause, terminate, or escalate access as required.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adds an additional security layer by requiring multiple verification steps before granting access to sensitive accounts.
- Integration with Security Tools: Connects with existing platforms such as SIEM systems to support centralised monitoring, threat detection, and incident response.
- Secure Remote Access: Allows administrators to connect to critical systems remotely using strong encryption and secure authentication methods.
Together, these features help organisations maintain tight control over privileged accounts, strengthen security posture, and support compliance requirements while simplifying access management and auditing.
ScreenConnect Pricing
ScreenConnect Remote Access is billed on a subscription model that covers multiple technicians, with pricing based on license volume. Costs decrease as the number of licenses increases, with a minimum requirement of 25 agents.
- 25 licenses: $39 per month or $372 per year
- 50 licenses: $69 per month or $660 per year
- 100 licenses: $129 per month or $1,236 per year
- 1,000 licenses: $775 per month or $7,428 per year
Additional pricing tiers are available for 250, 500, and 750 license bundles.
ScreenConnect Remote Support is also subscription-based, with pricing structured around plan level and concurrent technician usage:
- One: Designed for a single computer with a small number of users — $36 per month or $336 per year
- Standard: For small support teams (priced per concurrent technician) — $56 per month or $516 per year
- Premium: For larger support teams (priced per concurrent technician) — $66 per month or $636 per year
Pricing for ScreenConnect Privileged Access is not publicly disclosed.
You can try both Remote Access and Remote Support with a 14-day free trial.
ScreenConnect Considerations
The ScreenConnect brand has evolved over time. It originally began as an independent provider of remote access tools before being acquired and integrated into the larger ConnectWise ecosystem. More recently, the platform has re-established its ScreenConnect identity while still operating with support from ConnectWise.
