Connect to your desktop

The desktop viewer#

Click a running desktop from your dashboard to open the viewer. It is your window into the cloud desktop, split into three panels.

The three panels#

VNC viewer (left)#

The large left panel shows your desktop's screen in real-time. This is a full desktop environment streamed to your browser.

You can:

• Watch your agent work -- files being edited, browsers opening, terminals running
• Take control -- click and type directly, like any remote desktop session
• Resize -- the viewer adapts to your browser window

The VNC connection streams continuously, so you always see the current state.

Terminal (top right)#

The terminal gives you shell access to your desktop from the browser. It is a bash session running as the agent user inside the VM.

Use it to run commands, check logs, install software, or debug issues. Same as a local terminal.

Chat panel (bottom right)#

The chat panel connects you to the AI agent running in your desktop. Give instructions here and see the agent's responses.

Type a message and the agent will read your request, act on it (run commands, edit files, browse the web), and report back.

It uses the provider and model you configured when creating the desktop.

Keyboard shortcuts#

When the VNC viewer has focus, keyboard input goes to the remote desktop. Click a different panel to switch focus.

Tips#

Let the agent drive. The chat panel is the fastest way to get things done. Give instructions, let the agent execute, use VNC to verify visually.

Use the terminal for debugging. If something looks off in VNC, switch to the terminal to check logs, running processes, or test commands.

Keep the tab open. VNC and chat are live WebSocket connections. Closing the tab disconnects you, but the desktop keeps running. You can reconnect anytime from the dashboard.

Connection issues#

If a panel shows a connection error:

1. Check that the desktop status is "Running" on your dashboard.
2. Refresh the page.
3. If the desktop just booted, give it 30 to 60 seconds for services to start.

For ongoing issues, see VNC connection issues.