Unlock Seamless Remote Access: Install Remote.it On Raspberry Pi For Free

Dr. Reid Medhurst 09 Jun 2025

The Raspberry Pi has revolutionized personal computing and DIY electronics, offering incredible versatility in a tiny package. Whether you're running a home automation server, a media center, or a development environment, there often comes a time when you need to access your Raspberry Pi remotely. Imagine controlling your Pi's desktop or command line from anywhere in the world, without needing a dedicated monitor, keyboard, or mouse plugged into it. This level of freedom and flexibility is exactly what remote access solutions provide.

While various methods exist for remote access, many can be complex, requiring network configuration like port forwarding or a public IP address. Fortunately, there's a simpler, more secure, and completely free solution: remote.it. This powerful service allows you to connect to your Raspberry Pi directly from any browser or desktop application, bypassing traditional network hurdles. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through how to install remote.it on your Raspberry Pi for free, unlocking seamless remote access to your devices and empowering you to manage your Pi from anywhere.

Why Remote Access Your Raspberry Pi?

The ability to access your Raspberry Pi remotely is more than just a convenience; it's a game-changer for how you interact with your device. Raspberry Pi remote desktop software allows you to access and control your Raspberry Pi device from a different computer or mobile device as if you were sitting directly in front of it. This setup is particularly useful for managing your Raspberry Pi without needing a dedicated monitor, keyboard, or mouse connected to it. Think about it: your Pi could be tucked away in a closet, serving as a headless server, and you could still perform updates, run commands, or even access its graphical desktop from your laptop or smartphone.

One of the most popular tools for graphical remote access is VNC (Virtual Network Computing). VNC is a tool that allows you to get remote desktop access from another computer, and on Raspberry Pi, using VNC is one of the easiest ways to get remote control. remote.it enhances this by providing a secure tunnel for your VNC connection, making it accessible even if your Pi is behind a restrictive firewall or doesn't have a public IP address. Beyond VNC, remote.it also simplifies SSH access for command-line control, making it a versatile solution for all your remote management needs.

Introducing remote.it: Your Secure Remote Access Solution

remote.it is a secure remote access solution for Raspberry Pi OS, allowing you to connect to your Raspberry Pi desktop and command line directly from any browser. What makes it stand out is its ability to establish secure inbound connections without the need for a public IP address or open ports. This means you don't have to tinker with your router settings or worry about exposing your home network to potential security risks. It creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your client device and your Raspberry Pi, ensuring your data remains private and protected.

The innovation behind remote.it aligns perfectly with the evolving needs of Raspberry Pi users. In fact, the Raspberry Pi Foundation itself has recognized the importance of simplified and secure remote access. Today, the Raspberry Pi Foundation is releasing a new solution to simplify and secure access to a remote Raspberry Pi, and Raspberry Pi has just announced a new way to remotely access a Raspberry Pi. remote.it fits squarely into this vision, offering a robust and user-friendly platform that makes remote access accessible to everyone, regardless of their networking expertise.

What You'll Need: Prerequisites for Installation

Before we dive into the installation process, let's ensure you have everything ready. Luckily, we won’t need much hardware to achieve our goal because the solutions we’ll discuss today mainly require remote desktop software. Here’s a quick checklist of the Raspberry Pi remote access requirements:

A Raspberry Pi: Any model will generally work, but newer models offer better performance.
MicroSD Card: The Raspberry Pi requires a microSD card that serves as the storage for your Raspberry Pi OS.
Raspberry Pi OS: Installed on your microSD card using the Raspberry Pi Imager. The operating system of the Raspberry Pi provides a graphical interface to interact with the Raspberry Pi, store files and datasets, and write commands to get your Raspberry Pi working.
Internet Access for your Raspberry Pi: An Ethernet connection is recommended for speed and stability, especially during initial setup and software downloads, but Wi-Fi will also work.
A Computer or Mobile Device: To access your Raspberry Pi remotely. This can be a Windows, Mac, Linux, or even a smartphone/tablet.
Basic Command Line Familiarity: While remote.it simplifies much, some initial setup on the Pi will involve using the terminal.

Step-by-Step Guide: Installing remote.it on Your Raspberry Pi

Now, let's get down to the practical steps of installing remote.it on your Raspberry Pi.

Initial Setup & Network Configuration

Before you install remote.it, ensure your Raspberry Pi is connected to your network. If you're using Wi-Fi, be aware that once Wi-Fi is configured, your Pi will no longer be available at `raspberrypi.local` on your local network. This is a common point of confusion for new users. If you need to reconnect to your Pi before you have remote.it installed (e.g., if you lose SSH connection), you will need to make note of its IP address. This can be found by running `ifconfig` and searching for it at the top of the output, usually under `inet` for your active network interface (e.g., `eth0` or `wlan0`).

Downloading and Installing remote.it

The core of this process is to install remote.it on the target device—this is the device you want to connect to (for example, a server, Raspberry Pi, or remote desktop). remote.it provides specific device packages for Raspberry Pi, NAS, cameras, and more, as well as desktop applications for Windows, Mac, and Linux. You'll want to visit the official remote.it website to find the most up-to-date download links and instructions for remote.it products. Look for the Raspberry Pi package, which is typically a `.deb` file.

Once you've downloaded the package to your Raspberry Pi (you can do this via the Pi's browser or by transferring it from another computer), you'll install it using the command line. Open a terminal on your Raspberry Pi and navigate to the directory where you downloaded the file. Then, use a command similar to this (replace `package_name.deb` with the actual file name):

sudo dpkg -i package_name.deb

Follow any on-screen prompts. This command will install the remote.it agent on your Raspberry Pi, allowing it to support inbound connections securely.

Registering Your Raspberry Pi with remote.it

After the installation, you'll need to register your Raspberry Pi with your remote.it account. This typically involves running a setup command on your Pi's terminal and then logging into your remote.it web portal. Once registered, the remote.it web portal should notify you that your Raspberry Pi has been registered and automatically detect and set up remote.it SSH access & VNC if enabled on your Pi. This automatic detection is a huge time-saver, as it configures the most common remote access services for you.

Adding Additional Services (Optional)

While remote.it often auto-detects SSH and VNC, you might have other services or ports running on your Raspberry Pi that you want to access remotely (e.g., a web server on port 80, a custom application, etc.). If you have additional services/ports you would like to add, simply click `+ (add service)` on the device detail page within your remote.it web portal. It's crucial to make sure that the service is running on your Raspberry Pi before you try to add it on the remote.it portal, otherwise, the connection will fail.

Accessing Your Raspberry Pi Remotely

With remote.it installed and configured, you're now ready to access your Raspberry Pi from anywhere!

Using the remote.it Desktop Application

For the most streamlined experience, this method requires the use of the remote.it desktop application. Download and install the remote.it application on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Once installed and logged in with your remote.it account, you will see your registered Raspberry Pi listed. From here, you can easily remote into Raspberry Pi from Windows, Mac, or Linux with just a few clicks. The desktop application provides a convenient interface for managing all your remote.it devices and services.

Connecting via VNC Viewer

As mentioned, VNC is an excellent tool for remote desktop access. If you've enabled VNC on your Raspberry Pi and remote.it has detected it, you can launch a VNC connection directly through the remote.it portal or desktop application. To access your Raspberry Pi’s desktop and control it remotely, simply click on its name in the left column of the VNC viewer application (or the generated link from remote.it) and wait for it to load. This will open a secure VNC session, giving you full graphical control over your Pi.

Command Line Access via SSH

For command-line enthusiasts, remote.it also provides secure SSH access. Similar to VNC, once SSH is enabled on your Pi and detected by remote.it, you can initiate an SSH connection through the remote.it platform. This allows you to run commands, manage files, and perform system administration tasks directly from your browser or a local SSH client, all without needing to open any ports on your router.

Conclusion

Learning how to install remote.it on Raspberry Pi for free truly unlocks seamless remote access to your devices. It's a robust, secure, and user-friendly solution that eliminates the complexities of traditional remote access methods, allowing you to manage your Raspberry Pi from anywhere with an internet connection. By following these steps, you can confidently control your Pi's desktop and command line, making your projects more flexible and accessible than ever before. Embrace the freedom of remote access and take your Raspberry Pi experience to the next level!

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