How to get remote help using Quick Assist on Windows 11

To use Quick Assist for remote help on Windows 11, open the app with the “Ctrl + Windows key + Q” shortcut on the PC giving assistance and click “Help someone,” sign in, copy, and send the security code to the person receiving remote assistance.
Open the Quick Assist app on the PC “receiving” assistance, confirm the security code, click “Submit,” and click “Allow” to start the remote desktop session.
On the PC “giving” assistance, click “Request control,” and on the PC receiving assistance, click “Allow” to take control.

On Windows 11, you can use the “Quick Assist” app to give or get help remotely, and in this guide, I will teach you how to use this solution. Quick Assist is the remote assistance solution that Microsoft offers for free, and you can use it to get or give remote assistance to someone else. The app has been designed to replace the legacy “Windows Remote Assistance” app. It’s technically a remote desktop app, but this solution is more secure and easier to use.

When using Quick Assist, you don’t need to turn on the “Remote Desktop,” “Remote Assistance,” or configure the firewall. However, you cannot initiate a connection without another person present on the other end since someone on the receiving side has to confirm the connection code and allow control.

The app will usually come in handy to help resolve a problem remotely, guide someone through the steps to complete a specific task or teach them something. It’s actually a suitable solution for network administrators as well as for individuals trying to help a friend or family member.

In this guide, I’ll teach you how to start using the Quick Assist app. You can also use the app on Windows 11 to connect to another PC running Windows 10.

Get or give remote help with Quick Assist on Windows 11

To use Quick Assist on Windows 11 for remote help, use these steps:

On the computer giving help, open Start on Windows 11.
Search for Quick Assist and click the top result to open the app.

Quick tip: You can also launch the app directly with the “Ctrl + Windows key + Q” keyboard shortcut.
Click the Help someone button.
Sign in with your Microsoft account.
Click the Copy code option.
Send the security code to the person who will receive the remote assistance.
On the computer getting help, open the Quick Assist app.
Under the “Get assistance” section, confirm the security code.
Click the Submit button.
Click the Allow button to allow the remote desktop connection.
On the computer giving help, click the Request control button to take control of the computer receiving the help.
On the computer receiving help, click the Allow button to grant the control to the device giving the assistance.

Once the remote connection is established, the person providing the assistance will be able to take control of the remote computer to resolve a problem or guide someone through the steps to complete a specific task.

When using the Quick Assist app, if you are not already on the phone with the person, you can open the “Chat” interface to text back and forth.

The “Pause” button will stop the remote assistance without terminating the connection. Anyone can use the pause option, but only the person receiving the help can resume the connection.

The “Leave” button will terminate the connection. If you need to reconnect, you will have to perform the same steps to create a new remote connection.

In the device providing help, the Quick Assist app will also offer additional tools, including a laser pointer, animation, monitor selection (if the device has multiple displays), an actual screen, and more.

FAQs about Quick Assist

If you plan to use Quick Assist to get or give remote help, you may have some additional questions. You can find some of the answers below. You can always ask questions in the comments section.

What version of Windows includes Quick Assist?

The Quick Assist app is available for the “Home” and “Pro” editions of Windows 11 and 10.

How do you install Quick Assist on Windows 11?

Quick Assist is an app from the Microsoft Store. If you want to install it, open this Microsoft Store page and click the “Install” button. If the app is stuck and won’t install, use the “Windows key + R” keyboard shortcut, type the wsreset.exe, and click the “OK” button.

What’s the difference between Quick Assist and Remote Desktop?

Quick Assist allows you to offer remote assistance to another person through the internet or within the local network without complicated configurations. When using this solution, the person offering the help must generate and send a security code that the person receiving the assistance must confirm in the Quick Assist app to allow someone else to access the device remotely.

On the other hand, Remote Desktop also allows you to access a device remotely, but it requires more configuration, including setting up the firewall and router if you plan to access the computer through the internet. Furthermore, you must know the login information from the remote computer.

Usually, the Remote Desktop feature works best for remoting into your computer to retrieve files or work remotely with certain applications. Or for a network administrator to offer assistance within the local network. Quick Assist is best suited for offering help to others (such as family members or friends) over the Internet.

Quick Assist isn’t working?

If Quick Assist is stuck on loading, singing, or connecting, you can try a few things to resolve the problem. You can restart the app, then continue restarting the computer and try the app again, or you can try uninstalling and installing the app again. If you have to uninstall the app, open the “Start” menu, search for “Quick Assist,” right-click the top result, and select the “Uninstall” option. To reinstall the app, use the steps outlined below in the next question.

Update January 31, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect some changes.