Why Use RealVNC?
If you are working with a Raspberry Pi, it is likely that you have found it inefficient to use a separate monitor for your Raspberry Pi. It can be a pain to switch between your computer and your Pi. Or perhaps the Pi is in a completely different room! A VNC server allows you to remotely view the Desktop of another machine. With RealVNC, you can operate your Raspberry Pi from one computer. This is why a VNC Server is essential when using a Raspberry Pi. Even better, most of the time Raspberry Pi OS comes with RealVNC pre-installed.
Setting up RealVNC
Setting up RealVNC on Raspberry Pi is a very straightforward process. First of all, we will make sure that RealVNC is already installed onto your Raspberry Pi.
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt update
sudo apt install realvnc-vnc-serverIf it is already installed, you should see the message below after running the command.
Enabling RealVNC
Next you need to make sure that RealVNC is enabled. There are two ways you can do this: through the UI or through the command line.
Enabling RealVNC Through the UI
Start by clicking on the Raspberry Pi logo on the top-left of your desktop and navigate to Prefrences > Raspberry Pi Configuration. This will open a menu. Next, look near the top of the window and click on the Interfaces tab. Then, find the option labeled VNC and turn it on if it is currently off. Finally press the OK button to exit the window.
Enabling RealVNC Through the Command Line
RealVNC can also be enabled using the command line which is useful if you are using SSH. All you have to do is open a terminal and run the command sudo raspi-config. Once you are in the menu, use the arrow keys and enter to navigate to the third item labeled Interface Options. Inside of this menu you will find a list of options you can enable or disable.
Connecting to RealVNC
Nice job! Now that you have installed and enabled RealVNC, it is time to connect your computer to the VNC Server.
In order to view your devices connected to RealVNC, you will need to download and install the RealVNC Viewer app. The official download can be found here: RealVNC Viewer Download. Just select the download for your operating system and install. RealVNC will prompt you to setup an account. This account will synchronize your saved connections across computers. Sign up for an account and you will be greeted with an empty home screen. Let’s add your Raspberry Pi. Start by going to the top toolbar and select File > New Connection, or Ctrl+N. You will notice that the dialog that pops up asks us for an IP address or hostname. This can be obtained by going back to your Raspberry Pi, opening a new terminal and typing ip a. This will return a big blob of text. What you need is in the picture below.
All you have to do is enter the IP address listed by the command in the IP Adress or Hostname text box and create a name for the device. This name can be anything you would like. It is just so you can identify your different machines. All of the other settings you can leave alone. Once you are finished, press Ok at the bottom of the dialog to add the connection.
Great Job! You have successfully set up RealVNC on your Raspberry Pi. To connect, double click on the connection you just made on the RealVNC Viewer homepage. The first time you connect, it may bring up a dialog asking you to accept a fingerprint. Click Yes to continue. You will then be prompted to enter a username and password. Use the same username and password you have set on your Raspberry Pi. This will log you is as that user. If you would like to, enable the box that will save your credentials so you don’t have to enter your username and password every time you would like to connect to the Pi.
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