Connect from Windows

Introduction

From Windows you’ll use a VNC viewer for the macOS desktop and SSH for the terminal. Windows 10/11 ship with OpenSSH, so no extra install is needed for the command line.

How it works

• Desktop: any VNC client (RealVNC Viewer, TigerVNC, TightVNC) connecting to port 59010.
• Terminal: OpenSSH (ssh in Windows Terminal/PowerShell) or PuTTY, on port 22, authenticating with your username plus a password or an SSH key.

Examples

Desktop with a VNC viewer

1. Install a VNC viewer such as RealVNC Viewer or TigerVNC.
2. Create a new connection to YOUR-IP:59010.
3. Choose the VNC protocol and connect.
4. Enter your username and password.

Note

macOS Screen Sharing uses standard VNC with Apple Authentication. If your client offers an auth-type choice, pick macOS / Apple or “username + password”. RealVNC Viewer and TigerVNC handle this automatically.

Terminal with SSH — password

ssh your-username@YOUR-IP

Terminal with SSH — key

Generate a key (PowerShell), then point to it explicitly:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519
ssh -i $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519 your-username@YOUR-IP

Add your public key to your profile at app.myremotemac.com/security first (you can set it as default), then select it when you create the instance — keys are deployed at provisioning. See SSH keys. Prefer a GUI? PuTTY works too: host YOUR-IP, port 22, type SSH, and set the username under Connection → Data → Auto-login username (and your .ppk key under Connection → SSH → Auth).

The username is mandatory

For both password and key login you must connect as your-username@YOUR-IP. Without the username, SSH uses your Windows account name, which doesn’t exist on the Mac, and the connection is refused. In PuTTY, set the Auto-login username so you don’t forget it.

Too many wrong attempts? You may be banned

fail2ban bans your IP for 1 hour after 5 failed logins within 10 minutes (SSH and VNC). See Security.

File transfer

Use scp from Windows Terminal, or a GUI tool like WinSCP / FileZilla (SFTP, port 22). See File transfer.

FAQ

What address and port do I put in my VNC viewer?

Use YOUR-IP:59010 with the VNC protocol. The desktop runs on 59010 (not the default 5900) for security.

How do I use an SSH key from Windows?

Generate one with ssh-keygen -t ed25519, add the public key in your dashboard, then connect with ssh -i %USERPROFILE%\.ssh\id_ed25519 your-username@YOUR-IP. In PuTTY, load your .ppk under Connection → SSH → Auth and set Auto-login username.

Why does the connection close right after I connect?

You likely left out your username. Always use your-username@YOUR-IP for both password and key authentication.