The concept of a remote desktop can be a lifesaver, or a never-ending headache if you don't have the right tools. The free edition of TeamViewer has become the go-to option for many, but that service will do everything it can to push its premium version, even when you're just using it casually. So if you want to know how to connect to a PC remotely while taking advantage of a free alternative to TeamViewer, it all starts with downloading Distant Desktop.

Distant Desktop: How to Connect to a PC Remotely, for Free
How to connect to a PC remotely

Some errors and compatibility conflicts under Windows can be resolved in a reasonable amount of time, and the best part is that you don't need to be in front of the computer. The magic of remote desktop helps you save time and money, as long as there's a stable internet connection and the app doesn't have an existential crisis. Personally, I've never had problems with TeamViewer, but there are plenty of reports about connectivity failures under certain conditions.

With that in mind, it's never a bad idea to look for a free alternative to TeamViewer to connect to a PC remotely. Our search leads us to the Distant Desktop page, a client developed by the Canadian company Distant Software. With nearly a million users and close to a hundred million sessions around the world, Distant Desktop stands out for its freeware profile and ease of use.

How to Connect to a PC Remotely with Distant Desktop

Distant Desktop: How to Connect to a PC Remotely, for Free
There's not much to the interface, but it's more than enough

Unlike other similar programs, Distant Desktop uses the same application to initiate connections and receive them. The user identifier it generates is particularly complex (an alphanumeric combination), but it's not all that inconvenient, and it improves the security of your sessions. If you need to optimize Distant Desktop's privacy, you can set your own password or use the whitelist system to limit connections to authorized IDs.

Distant Desktop: How to Connect to a PC Remotely, for Free
Distant Desktop works on older operating systems like Windows Vista, 7, and 8.x

The Distant Desktop client also supports file transfer with customizable path (meaning we can exactly define its destination), real-time chat, voice communication, and direct commands for the remote operating system like Ctrl+Alt+Del, Alt+Tab, screenshot capture, access to Task Manager, monitor selection (if multiple screens exist), and reboot/shutdown of the machine.

Distant Desktop: How to Connect to a PC Remotely, for Free
Transferring files is very easy

We didn't find any time limits in Distant Desktop, nor anything resembling pop-ups or nagware in general. Its only weak point so far seems to be its Spanish translation, because we've detected some spelling errors and other similar details. Other than that, Distant Desktop works very well, and anyone needing a free alternative to TeamViewer should give it a shot.

Official site and download: Click here