AnyDesk Troubleshooting: Fix anynet_unknown, Connection Failures and Other Common Problems

Originally published on 14 January 2020. Expanded and checked on 21 September 2026.

1. AnyDesk connection drops with status “anynet_unknown”

The original problem was straightforward: a connection from a Windows PC running AnyDesk 5.4.2 to a Mac running AnyDesk 5.4.1 would work briefly, then disconnect after a few seconds or minutes with the status anynet_unknown. The workaround was to disable Allow direct connections on the Windows client. At that point, the equivalent setting was not available in the Mac version.

Original update — 15 January 2020: AnyDesk 5.4.2 for macOS added the direct-connection setting. Enabling direct connections on both machines, with the local port set to 7070, appeared to resolve the problem in that setup.

Original update — 8 February 2020: The Mac’s local port was sometimes reverting to 0, after which the disconnections returned. Checking the setting and restoring 7070 resolved that particular configuration problem. These observations concern the versions tested in 2020; they should not be read as confirmation that current releases have the same port-reset bug.

More and better information on the fix

AnyDesk still documents disabling direct connections as a troubleshooting step for unexpected session termination, including anynet_unknown, win32_10054, win32_10060 and win32_10061:

1. Open Settings → Connection → General.
2. Clear Allow direct connections, then reconnect.
3. If the disconnections continue, append /np to the remote AnyDesk ID or Alias when connecting. For example, enter 123456789/np instead of 123456789.

Disabling direct connections routes the session through AnyDesk’s servers. It does not disable session encryption: AnyDesk documents end-to-end encryption for both direct and server-routed connections. The default local port for direct connections remains TCP 7070, but changing that port is not a universal cure for connection failures.

When a connection repeatedly drops at similar intervals, examine the antivirus, firewall, VPN, proxy or network-security logs on the relevant systems. Where those logs identify AnyDesk traffic being terminated, correct the blocking rule or create an appropriately scoped exception. Do not permanently disable the firewall or antivirus as a workaround.

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2. AnyDesk cannot connect to its network, or the remote computer appears offline

Messages such as “Disconnected from the AnyDesk network” and “Client offline” describe different points of failure. In the first case, a client cannot communicate correctly with AnyDesk’s infrastructure. In the second, the destination may simply be switched off, asleep, disconnected or not running AnyDesk.

Fix an unavailable destination

On the remote computer, restore the missing prerequisite: switch it on or wake it, reconnect it to the network, and start AnyDesk. An installed application is not necessarily a running application. Check that security software is not blocking it and that both endpoints use supported AnyDesk versions.

Correct the clock and DNS configuration

An incorrect system clock can interfere with certificate validation. Synchronise the date and time on the affected computer. Also verify that its configured DNS servers can resolve AnyDesk’s hostnames; ordinary internet access does not establish that the required service names are resolving correctly.

Correct a confirmed firewall or inspection block

For the cloud service, AnyDesk documents TCP ports 80, 443 and 6568, with at least one available for establishing a connection. Its firewall guidance also identifies *.net.anydesk.com as the domain pattern to allow. Configure endpoint and network-security rules accordingly; this is not an instruction to forward all those ports from the internet to the PC.

Where HTTPS scanning or deep packet inspection is interfering with AnyDesk’s encrypted traffic, have the network administrator configure a scoped exclusion. UDP 50001–50003 is used for local-network Discovery, not as a blanket requirement for every remote session. Likewise, the 7070 setting from the original article concerns direct connections, not general access to the cloud service.

Replace a retired client

AnyDesk discontinued cloud connectivity for specified older releases on 4 April 2024. A client affected by that retirement must be updated to a currently supported version appropriate for its operating system; reinstalling the same retired build will not remove the restriction. The documented retirement does not apply to on-premises deployments in the same way.

For an on-premises installation, check connectivity to your organisation’s AnyDesk server, rather than assuming that the public-cloud checklist is sufficient.

3. The screen is visible, but the mouse and keyboard do not work

A working picture with no input usually calls for a permissions check, not a network reset. AnyDesk can deliberately operate in view-only mode, while Windows and macOS impose additional restrictions on remote control.

Enable the required session permission

On the remote side, check the active Permission Profile and the permissions shown in the connection’s Accept window. The Screen Sharing profile is intended for viewing rather than control. Grant Control my device’s keyboard and mouse where appropriate, without unnecessarily granting every other permission.

Also check the connecting computer’s session toolbar. Input can be disabled locally even when the remote computer permits it. Conversely, enabling a local toolbar option cannot override a permission that the remote user has refused.

Resolve Windows elevation restrictions

When ordinary applications work but an administrator window does not, the problem may be Windows User Account Control, or UAC. An unelevated portable AnyDesk session cannot interact with elevated applications and UAC prompts.

The documented remedies are to install AnyDesk on the remote computer or use Actions → Request elevation during the session. An authorised person must approve the request or provide the required administrator credentials. Elevating AnyDesk does not turn a standard Windows account into an administrator. Do not disable UAC to make remote control work.

Grant Accessibility permission on macOS

On the remote Mac, enable AnyDesk under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. Screen-recording permission allows you to see the desktop; Accessibility permission allows you to control it. One does not substitute for the other. AnyDesk’s permission-status window provides shortcuts to the required settings.

4. Unattended access fails, the acceptance window never appears, or access stops after a reboot

These symptoms often arise from confusing three separate requirements: AnyDesk must be running, the chosen connection method must be allowed, and the caller must have valid credentials or approval.

Configure unattended access on the destination

On the remote Windows or macOS computer, open Settings → Access → Unattended Access, select Set password, and configure a strong, unique password. Use that unattended-access password when connecting. Unattended access is disabled by default.

Install AnyDesk for access after sign-out or restart

The portable version does not start automatically with the operating system. Its unattended-access capability only works after someone has started the application, and signing out ends the portable session.

For a computer that must remain remotely accessible after a restart or sign-out, install AnyDesk on that computer. Installed mode provides the background service required for that use case. Configure unattended access as well; installation alone does not create its password.

Correct the incoming-request setting

Check Settings → Access → Interactive Access on the destination. When it is configured to show requests only while the AnyDesk window is open, a closed window prevents the expected manual acceptance workflow. Select the appropriate request-display option for attended support.

Never show incoming session requests is different: it suppresses interactive requests and requires a suitable unattended-access configuration instead.

Correct an explicit access-control denial

When the error specifically mentions access control settings, check the remote computer’s Access Control List. Add or correct the authorised caller’s exact AnyDesk ID or Alias. Do not remove the entire restriction or introduce a broad wildcard merely to get one connection working.

Renew invalidated saved credentials

Changing the unattended-access password or using Clear all tokens invalidates previously saved login tokens. Re-enter the current password and authorise saving again where permitted.

For time-based two-factor authentication failures, synchronise the clocks on the authenticator device and the AnyDesk computer. Incorrect time can prevent a valid-looking code from being accepted.

5. AnyDesk shows a black screen or remains on “Waiting for image”

A black screen is a symptom, not a single fault. Match the fix to the circumstances in which the image disappears.

The remote monitor is off or disconnected

AnyDesk documents that display drivers may deactivate when no active monitor is available. Switch on or reconnect the remote monitor. For a computer deliberately operated without a display, a headless display adapter, sometimes called a dummy display plug, is a documented way to keep a display output available.

The destination is a Mac without screen-recording permission

On the remote Mac, allow AnyDesk in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording. Older macOS releases label the relevant permission Screen Recording. Quit and reopen AnyDesk after changing this permission, then reconnect.

The image disappears when a Windows administrator prompt opens

An unelevated portable session may show a black screen or blocked cursor when a UAC prompt appears. The remote user can dismiss or approve the prompt to restore the ordinary desktop. For continued interaction with administrative windows, use the installation or elevation fix described above.

The destination is a Windows Server user session

For a non-console Windows Server session, AnyDesk documents that the target user must already be logged in, typically through an active RDP session that activates the display. Its “Waiting for image” guidance also warns against minimising an RDP session being used to maintain that display.

This is a server-session requirement, not a recommendation to open RDP before every normal AnyDesk connection.

6. Copy and paste, clipboard synchronisation or file transfer does not work

AnyDesk treats clipboard text, clipboard file transfers and File Manager access as related but separately controlled capabilities. A session can legitimately allow one and block another.

Enable the correct permission

For text copying, check Access my device’s clipboard. For copying files through the clipboard, also check Access my device’s clipboard to transfer files. Review the remote Permission Profile, the active session’s Accept window and the connecting side’s toolbar.

Disabling clipboard access can block both text and files. Disabling only clipboard file transfer can leave ordinary text copying working.

For the separate file browser, the remote profile must permit Use the File Manager. Start it with Browse files or the session’s Files button, rather than assuming that clipboard permission also grants file-browser access.

Complete the platform-specific transfer step

On macOS, clipboard-transferred files may need to be opened through the session’s file-transfer icon. On Linux, the receiving side may need to choose File Transfer → Accept Files in the Accept window. A transfer awaiting that action is not necessarily a broken clipboard.

When macOS privacy restrictions prevent access to the files needed for the task, grant AnyDesk Full Disk Access, then restart it. Grant this permission for the required file-access function, rather than treating it as a prerequisite for simple screen viewing.

7. AnyDesk is slow, the picture updates poorly, or fullscreen keeps minimising

Reduce the image-quality workload

For a responsive desktop rather than maximum image fidelity, select Settings → Display → Quality → Best performance. This trades picture quality for speed and is the documented setting for prioritising responsiveness.

Correct a relayed connection on a working local network

Two computers being on the same LAN does not automatically mean their AnyDesk session is direct. AnyDesk documents enabling Allow direct connections, reconnecting and checking the connection indicator when an unnecessarily relayed LAN session is slow.

This is deliberately different from the first fix in this article. Disable a failing direct connection for stability; use a working direct connection for LAN performance. Do not undo a successful stability workaround until the underlying direct-connection problem has been addressed.

Change the renderer for a rendering-specific fault

On Windows, AnyDesk recommends Direct3D for hardware-accelerated rendering. Where Direct3D produces display disruptions, its documentation identifies DirectDraw as an alternative; disabling acceleration is another option when the rendering methods themselves cause problems.

Exclusive Direct3D fullscreen also minimises when it loses focus. If clicking another monitor repeatedly knocks AnyDesk out of fullscreen, use windowed fullscreen or the appropriate DirectDraw mode. That behaviour is not the same as a dropped remote connection.

8. Linux reports “Remote display server is not supported” or rejects incoming connections under Wayland

AnyDesk’s current Linux documentation requires an Xorg session for incoming remote connections. Wayland can be used for outgoing connections, but that does not make it a supported destination for incoming AnyDesk control.

Check the session type in a terminal on the remote Linux desktop:

Bashecho "$XDG_SESSION_TYPE"

If the result is wayland, log out and choose an available Xorg/X11 desktop session at the login screen, then sign in and start AnyDesk again. Depending on the installed desktop, the choice may be named Ubuntu on Xorg or Plasma (X11). The important change is the actual graphical session—not simply changing an environment variable.

Where the login screen is also part of the failing connection, AnyDesk’s troubleshooting guidance calls for checking both the login manager and desktop environment for Xorg compatibility. Arrange local or alternative access before changing the remote computer’s display-session configuration.

9. “Session limit reached”, missing licensed features or “anynet_not_supported”

Close sessions consuming the connection allowance

Session limit reached means the permitted number of simultaneous connections has been exhausted. End sessions that are no longer needed, including connections left open elsewhere. If all active sessions are required, another connection must wait or the licensed concurrency must be increased.

Do not confuse the number of licensed users with the number of simultaneous outgoing sessions. A licence that accommodates several users does not necessarily allow all of them to connect concurrently.

Register the paid licence on the correct client

Where a paid client has not been activated, register the licence through the supported account or licence-key workflow. For manual registration, copy the key from the management portal’s License → About section, open Change License Key in the AnyDesk client, and register it.

Apply the documented workaround for anynet_not_supported

Despite its name, anynet_not_supported is documented by AnyDesk as an account sign-in problem that can prevent automatic licence activation. The supported workaround is to activate the licence manually using the licence key.

This restores the licence assignment where automatic activation fails; it should not be described as a guaranteed repair for the underlying account-login problem.

10. Android allows viewing but not control, or disconnects in the background

Install and enable the correct control plugin

Many Android devices require an additional AnyDesk control plugin for remote input. Follow AnyDesk’s own prompt or official device-specific plugin instructions rather than installing an arbitrary plugin.

A universal plugin may provide only partial control on some devices; full capability depends on the manufacturer and the supported plugin.

After installation, enable the plugin in Android Settings → Accessibility. If the installed plugin has not activated correctly, AnyDesk documents that some devices require a reboot.

Exclude both applications from battery optimisation

When Android’s battery management terminates the background session, exclude both AnyDesk and its control plugin from optimisation. On devices using the relevant menu layout, open Settings → Apps → AnyDesk → Battery → Unrestricted, then repeat for the plugin. Other manufacturers use labels such as Don’t optimise or Not optimised.

On Android 10 and newer, a system screen-capture approval prompt may still require physical acceptance even after unattended access is configured. Accept that prompt on the device when it appears; an unattended-access password does not remove the operating system’s consent requirement.

11. The remote computer is visible, but there is no sound

For Windows sessions, check both ends of the audio path.

On the remote computer, open Settings → Audio and configure Audio Transmission to capture the intended source, such as Audio output of this device. On the listening computer, select the correct Audio Output device rather than a disabled or unused endpoint.

Also ensure that audio is permitted by the remote session and enabled in the local session toolbar. A correct speaker selection cannot overcome a session in which audio transmission has been disabled.

For a Mac transmitting audio, check the platform requirements before following old advice that the feature is unavailable. AnyDesk currently documents audio transmission on macOS 13 Ventura or newer with AnyDesk 7.2.0 or newer for macOS. Upgrade an eligible installation that falls below those requirements.

12. Keyboard characters are wrong, or shortcuts affect the wrong computer

Match the keyboard mode to the task

When different keyboard layouts produce unexpected characters, use the session toolbar’s Local keyboard mode, which translates input according to the local layout. Remote mode sends physical key positions and is useful where an application needs scan-code-style input.

Changing between these modes is a documented solution to layout mismatches; reinstalling AnyDesk is not necessary to correct a QWERTY/AZERTY-style mapping problem.

Use the destination’s shortcut conventions

When crossing between Windows, Linux and macOS, use the shortcut expected by the computer being controlled. AnyDesk documents that Command, Control and Windows/Super keys do not automatically represent the same shortcut on every platform.

For Ctrl+Alt+Del on a remote Windows computer, use Actions → Send Ctrl+Alt+Del in the session toolbar. That function requires AnyDesk to be installed on the remote computer.

13. The session disconnects only after a period of inactivity

An inactivity disconnect should not be diagnosed as packet loss without checking the configured timeout. AnyDesk identifies desk_rt_27 as a session ending after inactivity, and separately documents desk_rt_auto_disconnect for its automatic-disconnection setting.

On the remote Windows computer, open Settings → Access → Auto-Disconnect. Increase the permitted idle period, or disable automatic disconnection where the organisation’s security policy allows it.

This setting concerns the configured inactivity timeout. It is not a remedy for an exhausted licence allowance or a way to remove unrelated session restrictions.

14. AnyDesk ends with “desk_rt_ipc_error”

AnyDesk documents desk_rt_ipc_error as a session being terminated because of interference from the operating system, security software or another external application. There is no single documented switch that resolves every occurrence.

On Windows, where security logs confirm that antivirus or anti-ransomware protection is blocking AnyDesk, correct the rule for the authorised application. If quarantine or blocking damaged the installation, reinstall AnyDesk after the security-policy problem has been resolved.

On Linux, check the documented Xorg requirements for both the desktop and login manager, and correct DNS failures that prevent resolution of AnyDesk’s service addresses. These are cause-specific remedies, not interchangeable instructions to apply blindly.

When the documented fix does not match the failure

Record the exact error, both operating systems, both AnyDesk versions and the time the failure occurred. AnyDesk’s Send Support Information function collects diagnostic traces for investigation. Use those traces to establish the cause rather than repeatedly changing unrelated settings.

Avoid treating deletion of AnyDesk’s configuration as a harmless reset. For example, AnyDesk explicitly warns that deleting its macOS configuration folders removes the device’s ID and Alias unless they have been backed up. A targeted correction is preferable to replacing one connection problem with a lost remote identity.