RealVNC Server Changelog

What's new in RealVNC Server 7.10.0

Feb 22, 2024
  • NEW: Multi-Window Mode for Multi-Monitor Support. When connected to a RealVNC Server with multiple monitors, you can now activate Multi-Window Mode in RealVNC Viewer on Windows and Linux. This lets you show each remote monitor in its own window, so you’re free to arrange remote monitors to your liking, including displayed individually on connected local monitors.
  • IMPROVED: Prevent file transfers from occurring at the lock screen in RealVNC Server for Windows. To enable this, use the DisableFileTransferAtLockScreen parameter found in the Expert section of RealVNC Server’s Options.
  • FIXED: Resolved an issue in RealVNC Server for Linux that caused the PixelBuffer to be recreated continuously.
  • FIXED: RealVNC Server now runs correctly on 32-bit versions of Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm. Please note, this version removes the deprecated experimental “direct capture” option in RealVNC Server as Raspberry Pi OS no longer includes the libraries that made it possible.

New in RealVNC Server 7.9.0 (Feb 22, 2024)

  • NEW: File Manager - File Transfer now has a completely new look and a new name. The two-pane window in File Manager makes it easier than ever to transfer files and folders to and from remote devices, and you can even rename and delete files on your remote devices.
  • NEW: RealVNC Server in Virtual Mode can now be started with session specific locations for configuration files, using the VNC_PROFILE and VNC_CONFIG_PROFILE environment variables.
  • NEW: Added support for macOS Sonoma. Please note, there is a known issue with the remote printing feature on macOS Sonoma.
  • IMPROVED: A new parameter, KeyEventMethod, has been added to RealVNC Server for macOS to allow RealVNC Server to use an alternate key injection method. This is only required if you see issues with key modifiers, such as Shift, not being passed through to macOS applications, like UTM.
  • Note, we are aware of an issue with the IOHIDPostEvent value not passing any key input to the login screen in macOS Sonoma and we are actively investigating.
  • IMPROVED: The MSI installers for RealVNC Server for Windows now support the MSI Properties JOINCLOUD, JOINGROUP and JOINNAME to join RealVNC Server to the cloud as part of the installation process.

New in RealVNC Server 7.8.0 (Nov 9, 2023)

  • NEW: Session Logging - Cloud connections made to RealVNC Server are now logged to the RealVNC Connect Audit service and can be reviewed in the RealVNC Connect portal and through API Access. If you do not see Session Log information for your devices, please contact our Sales team to discuss enabling it for your subscription.

New in RealVNC Server 7.7.0 (Oct 18, 2023)

  • IMPROVED: Behind the scenes changes to enable support for the RealVNC Connect Setup app's new online sign-in option.

New in RealVNC Server 7.6.1 (Sep 19, 2023)

  • FIXED: RealVNC Viewer will no longer erroneously show the message "VNC Viewer is not licensed to connect to this VNC Server" when connecting to a RealVNC Server licensed with a Per User subscription plan.
  • IMPROVED: The RealVNC Server Licensing Wizard now includes the subscription plan type when multiple teams are available for the RealVNC Server to be joined to.

New in RealVNC Server 7.6.0 (Aug 8, 2023)

  • NEW: Support for dynamic resolutions in Virtual Mode sessions, which allows RealVNC Server to dynamically change resolution to match the size of the connected RealVNC Viewer window.
  • Note that this feature also requires use of RealVNC Viewer 7.6.0 or later, and if SystemXorg mode is enabled, the RealVNC dummy driver must be installed.
  • IMPROVED: Application icons in RealVNC Connect for Windows are no longer blurry on devices using display scaling set above 100%.
  • FIXED: RealVNC Server for macOS no longer prompts to install Rosetta on M1/M2 macOS devices.
  • FIXED: It is possible to remove all access to RealVNC Server using the Remove button in RealVNC Server's Users & Permissions, instead of automatically reverting to the default access list (Administrators only).
  • FIXED: Configuring RealVNC Server to lock the screen when the last user disconnects now functions correctly on macOS Ventura.

New in RealVNC Server 7.5.0 (May 26, 2023)

  • CHANGED: VNC Server has a new name, RealVNC Server, as well as a new icon!

New in RealVNC Server 7.1.0 (Apr 12, 2023)

  • NEW: VNC Server can now authenticate with Duo directly, with the new native Duo authentication scheme.
  • NEW: A new parameter (SystemSleepBehavior) is available in VNC Server for macOS to control whether VNC Server prevents macOS from sleeping or not.
  • NEW: It is now possible to require the end user to accept screen recording attempts, using the RecordQuery parameter.
  • FIXED: VNC Server now correctly detects changes to connected monitors to update the available monitor list in VNC Viewer.
  • FIXED: The VNC Server tray icon is now hidden correctly for customers with the applicable license.
  • IMPROVED: VNC Server now returns a more specific error message when licensed with a per user subscription to older VNC Viewers that do not support this subscription model.
  • CHANGED: The Direct Capture option has been hidden on Raspberry Pi platforms that do not support it.
  • REMOVED: The vncserver symbolic link (symlink) will no longer be available by default. To launch Virtual Mode sessions, you will instead need to run the command, vncserver-virtual.

New in RealVNC Server 7.0.1 (Feb 16, 2023)

  • FIXED: Monitor selection is now possible again for Professional and Enterprise subscription holders.

New in RealVNC Server 7.0.0 (Feb 1, 2023)

  • CHANGED: VNC Server now uses a new format for offline licensing. VNC Server 7.x will continue to work with your VNC Server 6.x offline license key, up until the expiry date of the key. After this, you will need to apply the new format offline license. Click here to learn more.
  • CHANGED: VNC Server 7.x will not enforce a policy-applied VNC Server 6.x offline license key. To enforce licensing through policy, you must deploy the new format VNC 7.x offline license. Click here to learn more.
  • CHANGED: 'Instant Support' is now 'On-Demand Assist'. Click here to learn more.
  • CHANGED: The VNC® Connect Home plan has been replaced with our new VNC® Connect Lite plan. It's still free, but you now get up to 256-bit encryption as well as high-speed streaming, for up to 3 devices.
  • NEW: VNC Server is now available as a Universal app on macOS, with native support for M1/M2 Macs.
  • FIXED: Audio is now available again when connecting to Ubuntu 22.04.1 (all modes) and CentOS/RHEL 7/8 (Virtual Mode).
  • FIXED: Chat text not visible when using Dark Mode on macOS.
  • FIXED: RADIUS authentication is now possible without mapping to Windows accounts, by enabling the advanced parameter, RadiusAllowNonSystemUser. Note, this bypasses VNC Server's Users & Permissions feature and passes responsibility of required user authentication and verification to your RADIUS implementation.
  • REMOVED: Legacy ADM templates are no longer provided for VNC Server. ADMX templates continue to be available on the Download page of the RealVNC website.

New in RealVNC Server 6.11.0 (Sep 29, 2022)

  • NEW: Software screen blanking support for Windows 10 build 2004 onwards, including a new privacy mode status indicator and per-user screen blanking. Find out more here: Can I blank the screen of a remote computer while I'm connected to it?
  • NEW: -cloudstatus command line parameter to fetch the cloud connectivity status of VNC Server.
  • NEW: Added the AlwaysShowCursor parameter to VNC Server for Windows. Enable this parameter to display a mouse cursor icon in VNC Viewer rather than a dot for systems where no mouse is detected.
  • IMPROVED: The "Create a debug log file" option in VNC Server's Options - Troubleshooting section now continues to log important events, such as connections, separately to EventLog (Windows) and syslog (MacOS and Linux).
  • FIXED: The VNC Server License Wizard now starts correctly when VNC Server is installed in a Remote Desktop (RDP) session.
  • FIXED: Windows 11 is now reported correctly in the VNC Server Diagnostics and log files.
  • SECURITY: Fixed a local privilege escalation in Windows caused by MSI installer Repair mode.
  • SECURITY: VNC Passwords are now stored as an irreversible salted hash, where available.
  • SECURITY: Updated internal dependencies.

New in RealVNC Server 6.10.1 (Aug 11, 2022)

  • FIXED: VNC Server started in User Mode and Virtual Mode used the default permissions for Service Mode. This has been corrected to only allow access from the user account that started the VNC Server by default.

New in RealVNC Server 6.10.0 (Jul 1, 2022)

  • NEW: Added support for Ubuntu 22.04, RHEL/CentOS 9 and Windows Server 2022
  • IMPROVED: VNC Server better handles resuming from hibernation/low power states and re-establishes cloud connectivity in a shorter time
  • IMPROVED: VNC Server on Windows can accept an increased number of simultaneous connections from audio-enabled VNC Viewers
  • IMPROVED: Diagnostics now lists detected audio devices
  • FIXED: CREATOR OWNER account now works correctly when added to VNC Server's Users and Permissions
  • FIXED: Running user mode VNC Server could prevent subsequent use of Service Mode
  • FIXED: Group Policy refreshes/updates could interrupt active connections from VNC Viewers
  • REMOVED: "Test Direct Connection" functionality from VNC Server's Diagnostics. RealVNC strongly recommend using VNC Connect's cloud connectivity for connections over the Internet
  • SECURITY: Improved security hardening and internal dependency updates

New in RealVNC Server 6.9.1 (Apr 8, 2022)

  • SECURITY: Fixed a local privilege escalation via MSI installer on Windows.

New in RealVNC Server 6.9.0 (Mar 7, 2022)

  • NEW: Added support for Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye, 32-bit and 64-bit.
  • IMPROVED: VNC Server's License Wizard has been updated to allow users to configure essential settings during first time setup including Authentication, Encryption and Access Control.
  • IMPROVED: Specific events are now logged to Event Viewer/syslog when screen recording is started and stopped during a remote access session.
  • FIXED: VNC Server will now automatically use polling when DirectX failures are detected with portrait displays on Windows 11.
  • FIXED: DisconnectAction now works as expected when running VNC Server on macOS Big Sur and Monterey.
  • CHANGED: Default permissions for VNC Server have been changed from "Administrative" to "Normal".

New in RealVNC Server 6.8.0 (Oct 21, 2021)

  • NEW: Screen Recording for computers running VNC Server 6.8.0+ and VNC Viewer 6.21.920+ with a Professional or Enterprise subscription.
  • NEW: Dark mode support for MacOS.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer can now send the connection password to a VNC Server on Windows that is at the login screen. This is useful for users that are using System Authentication to authenticate to VNC Server and saves typing in the password again, after connecting. This feature is accessible via the F8 menu for the first 30 seconds of the session.
  • NEW: WinSSOAccountCheck parameter added to VNC Server on Windows to allow relaxing of Windows account status checks when authenticating via SSO. This may be useful if connecting VNC Viewer users are experiencing problems authenticating to VNC Server.
  • FIXED: VNC Server attempted to bind to invalid subnets for UDP TURN, causing VNC Server to log "TurnDgram: Received ChannelBind error (code=403)". This error will now only appear for unexpected TURN channel bind errors.
  • FIXED: Users would receive an "Access is Denied" error when they are part of the BuiltInAdminstrators group when NTLogonAsInteractive is enabled.
  • IMPROVED: Removed extra logging that was printed to stdout when starting a Virtual Mode VNC Server on Linux with SystemXorg enabled.

New in RealVNC Server 6.7.4 (Mar 29, 2021)

  • NEW: Added ProxyAutoConfig parameter to specify a proxy-auto configuration (PAC) script on Windows.
  • FIXED: Potential crashes when using new 10-bit color depth displays on Mac.

New in RealVNC Server 6.7.2 (Jun 7, 2020)

  • NEW: DxBadFormat parameter to allow working around misreported DirectX desktop duplication format.
  • FIXED: an issue preventing connections to VNC Server in some circumstances with audio enabled.
  • FIXED: Networking issue which can cause fallback to TCP connections.

New in RealVNC Server 6.7.1 (Jun 7, 2020)

  • FIXED: Potential Server crash when using multiple monitors.

New in RealVNC Server 6.7.0 (Jan 17, 2020)

  • NEW: Use VNC Viewer to control which monitor is displayed. (requires VNC Viewer 6.20.113 or later). Press F8 while connected to your VNC Server to access the "Select monitor" menu.
  • NEW: Support for High Speed Streaming and Audio when connecting to Virtual Mode sessions via the Virtual Mode Daemon (vncserver-virtuald).
  • NEW: Added support for Windows Server 2019 and CentOS/RHEL 8.
  • NEW: VNC Server will now additionally log to a file at info level (30) by default, in addition to EventLog/syslog logging at audit level (10).
  • NEW: Add a button to test/refresh connectivity between VNC Server and RealVNC's Cloud.
  • NEW: Advanced parameters can now be set via the Expert tab in VNC Server's Options. This will typically be used with instruction from RealVNC Support when troubleshooting an issue.
  • IMPROVED: Better setup experience for users when remotely installing VNC Server on Windows
  • IMPROVED: VNC Server will recommend testing screen blanking before it is enabled​.

New in RealVNC Server 6.6.0 (Sep 24, 2019)

  • NEW: High-quality audio streaming for computers running VNC Server 6.6.0+ with a Professional or Enterprise subscription, for a fully immersive remote access experience.
  • Added support for MacOS Catalina.

New in RealVNC Server 6.5.0 (Aug 1, 2019)

  • NEW: Support High-speed streaming even when peer-to-peer connectivity is not available via a new UDP relay service.
  • Improve reliability of connection establishment.
  • Improve performance particularly in scenarios with high packet loss and latency.
  • Improve detection of display capture failures on Windows, switching to an alternative capture method where possible.
  • Improve styling of the menu bar icon on Mac to better match the system theme.
  • Add the ability to limit display capture to a single monitor on Linux using the “Monitor” parameter.

New in RealVNC Server 6.4.1 (Mar 22, 2019)

  • The License Wizard user interface has changed, to make licensing by signing in to your RealVNC account more prominent. If you have an Enterprise subscription and want to enter a license key via the Wizard, click the Register offline button. More information.
  • The ShowCloudHints VNC Server parameter has been deprecated. You can remove sign in links from the VNC Server status dialog by setting AllowCloudRfb to FALSE instead.

New in RealVNC Server 6.3.1 (Aug 6, 2018)

  • FIXED: Under Linux and macOS, VNC Server now accepts domain license keys once more.
  • FIXED: Under macOS, the VNC Server postflight installation script no longer kills the loginwindow process, so other service operations continue without interruption.
  • FIXED: VNC Server now attempts to use both system and user proxy server settings (in that order) when communicating with RealVNC services in order to license the software.

New in RealVNC Server 6.2.1 Build 32538 (Dec 14, 2017)

  • The message displayed on accept/reject prompts can now be customized using the VNC Server QueryConnectMessage parameter. The custom message can be up to 4096 bytes in length, and utilize the HTML syntax to insert new lines.
  • VNC Server now checks Certificate Revocation Lists up to 25MB in size when smartcard/certificate store authentication is enabled. A larger value can be specified using the VNC Server LdapCertificateCrlLimit parameter.

New in RealVNC Server 6.2.0 Build 29523 (Aug 9, 2017)

  • NEW: VNC Connect is now available in Brazilian Portuguese.
  • NEW: Under Red Hat Linux distributions, VNC Server in Virtual Mode can now utilize the version of the Xorg server running on the system, rather than the out-of-date version built-in to Xvnc. Desktop environments such as Gnome 3 and modern applications and extensions will likely be compatible out-of-the-box. See how to set this up.
  • The VNC Connect download now consists just of VNC Server and supporting programs, for computers you are licened to control. VNC Viewer is no longer bundled. You are free to download VNC Viewer to as many computers and devices you want to control from as you like. Installation changes.
  • VNC Viewer for macOS is now a disk image (DMG) that you can install by dragging it to the Applications folder.
  • In VNC Viewer, you can now drag-and-drop a computer onto a label in the sidebar to assign that label to the computer. To create a new label, right-click on the Address book.
  • You can set the QueryOfferViewOnly VNC Server parameter to FALSE to remove the view-only option from the prompt shown when VNC Viewer users are attempting to connect (leaving just the reject and accept options).

New in RealVNC Server 6.1.1 Build 28093 (Jun 5, 2017)

  • FIXED: Active Directory user accounts with no expiry date can now be used to authenticate to VNC Server using single sign-on (SSO)
  • FIXED: VNC Server’s Information Center dialog no longer shows an erroneous error message when the legacy SecurityTypes parameter is set to a value other than (this may affect users upgrading from VNC 5.x).
  • FIXED: VNC Server in Virtual Mode (Xvnc) no longer crashes due to a bug in the X11 render extension.

New in RealVNC Server 6.1.0 Build 27437 (May 2, 2017)

  • NEW: VNC Server supports multi-factor authentication. Choose a scheme based on X.509 digital certificates stored on pluggable smartcards/authentication tokens or in certificate stores, or a RADIUS server implementation from an identity management provider such as RSA SecurID or Duo. Alternatively, create a custom scheme containing as many factors as you need.
  • NEW: Conveniently assign discovery permissions to computers in your RealVNC account by creating groups of people and computers. Restricting discovery improves security, and helps team members reduce the number of computers they interact with in VNC Viewer.
  • NEW: Organize computers in VNC Viewer using labels. Right-click on the address book to create a new label, or assign a label to a computer on its Properties page.
  • NEW: Display a details view of computers VNC Viewer instead of a screenshot icon view, and sort by name, last connected time, and label.
  • More intuitive scaling options for the remote computer desktop are now available from VNC Viewer’s Properties page.
  • VNC Server now prompts you to send anonymous usage data to RealVNC, to help improve the user experience. You can opt out on VNC Server’s Options > Privacy page.

New in RealVNC Server 6.0.3 Build 27095 (Apr 10, 2017)

  • FIXED: Your computer now recovers automatically if it wrongly reports that it has been cloned.

New in RealVNC Server 6.0.2 Build 25562 (Feb 15, 2017)

  • NEW: VNC Connect is available for Raspberry Pi. It is included with Raspbian, and pre-licensed to offer both cloud and direct connectivity to Home subscribers.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer has a medium setting for the picture quality of a remote desktop, to complement high and low. By default, the picture quality is automatically adjusted to suit the speed of the network.
  • VNC Connect is available in French, German, and Spanish again. The appropriate language for the desktop of each user is automatically selected. This can be changed (if required) using the Locale parameter.

New in RealVNC Server 6.0.1 Build 23971 (Dec 1, 2016)

  • The VNC Server user interface now makes it easier to enable cloud connectivity if you have an Enterprise subscription or trial.
  • VNC Server now prompts for administrative credentials where necessary in a more timely manner under Linux.

New in RealVNC Server 6.0.0 Build 23442 (Nov 1, 2016)

  • All platforms:
  • NEW: VNC has a new brand name, VNC Connect. VNC Server and VNC Viewer have new brand colors, icons and logos.
  • NEW: VNC Connect is licensed by annual subscription rather than perpetual license key. When a paid Professional or Enterprise subscription expires, remote access stops. If you’re an existing, entitled VNC 5.x customer, you can automatically upgrade to a new Enterprise subscription.
  • NEW: Establish secure, seamless, reliable cloud connections from VNC Viewer to VNC Server. If you have an Enterprise subscription, this can be as well as, or instead of, traditional direct connections.
  • NEW: Invite people in to your team to quickly share remote access, and manage computers, subscriptions, renewals and payment methods much more conveniently online using your RealVNC account.
  • NEW: Sign in to VNC Viewer with your RealVNC account credentials to backup and sync your address book between all your desktop and mobile devices.
  • NEW: VNC Address Book is integrated into VNC Viewer, so everything is accessible from one place. Use File > Import connections to transfer VNC 5.x connections in from VNC Address Book, or from a directory of .vnc files.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer can remember remote access credentials so you don’t have to enter them each time. Note under Linux we additionally recommend setting a master password for VNC Viewer; see below. Learn how passwords are stored.
  • NEW: Use File > Preferences > Privacy to set a master password to protect VNC Viewer from unauthorized use.
  • NEW: Save desktop previews for connections (that is, screenshots in thumbnail form) to make VNC Viewer more intuitive to use.
  • NEW: Give connections friendly names.
  • NEW: Quickly forget sensitive data such as passwords and desktop previews if VNC Viewer is running on a shared computer.
  • NEW: If you start VNC Viewer and simultaneously establish a direct connection at the command line, use the -useaddressbook flag to integrate with your address book, for example vncviewer -useaddressbook 192.168.1.99:65. If the connection is to a known computer, stored settings are applied. If the connection is to a new computer, it is added to your address book.
  • NEW: Configure the rate at which a desktop is panned when in full screen mode using the BumpScrollSpeed VNC Viewer parameter.
  • VNC Server now needs an Enterprise subscription in order to run in User Mode or Virtual Mode. Only direct connectivity is available in these modes.
  • VNC Viewer now sets File > Preferences > Proxy to the system proxy server by default, rather than to no proxy server.
  • VNC Deployment Tool and VNC Viewer for Java are no longer supported.
  • Mac:
  • NEW: Support for macOS 10.12 Sierra. Note that only 64-bit package files are available for macOS 10.10, 10.11 and 10.12.
  • Known issues:
  • VNC Connect is only available in English. Spanish, French and German versions will follow soon.
  • After resuming from sleep, it may take a minute or so for your VNC Server computer to be available for cloud connections.
  • Standard selection mechanisms such as CTRL-A or holding down the SHIFT or CTRL key while clicking do not yet allow you to select multiple connections in VNC Viewer.
  • Choosing File > Export connections in VNC Viewer to export to .vnc files exports all connections, not just the one currently-selected.

New in RealVNC Server 5.3.2 Build 19179 (Jun 21, 2016)

  • FIXED: Setting the poll parameter to a number of milliseconds (for example 200) in an appropriate configuration file (such as ~/.vnc/config.d/vncserverui-virtual for Virtual Mode) or /etc/vnc/common.custom (for all modes) now works around copy and paste issues in X applications such as gVim.

New in RealVNC Server 5.3.1 Build 17370 (Mar 30, 2016)

  • If VNC Viewer is minimized while in full screen mode, it no longer automatically returns to full screen mode for any reason.
  • Setting the advanced AlterShiftWithMods VNC Server parameter to 0 allows VNC Server to inject key combinations such as Ctrl+C, even if the connected VNC Viewer user has Caps Lock enabled.
  • FIXED: Importing a connection into VNC Address Book now also imports that connection’s VNC Server password, if one has been saved.
  • FIXED: The name and location of VNC Server’s private RSA key can now be successfully configured via the RsaPrivateKeyFile parameter.

New in RealVNC Server 5.3.0 Build 15303 (Dec 16, 2015)

  • All platforms:
  • NEW: Providing VNC Server and VNC Viewer are both version 5.3, connections use the very latest RFB 5 protocol for enhanced security, with updated cipher suites and support for Perfect Forward Secrecy.
  • NEW: VNC Server with an Enterprise or a Personal license can restrict the IP addresses on which it listens for connections, reducing the attack surface. Note the InTransports parameter has been removed, which means VNC Server with a Free license can no longer listen on just IPv4 addresses, or on just IPv6 addresses.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer can send keep alive messages to VNC Server in order to maintain (perhaps minimized) connections that might otherwise be considered idle by routers or gateways, and unexpectedly terminated. Conversely, the same mechanism can clean up connections that have terminated, perhaps due to network failure.
  • NEW: VNC Server has a new screen capture architecture that is both more robust and responsive. Users should see fewer disconnections and reconnections when transiting between desktop and login screens. System administrators should be aware of a new vncagent binary and process.
  • Screen capture on Windows 8+ computers using DirectX is now more efficient, giving a better user experience. As part of this work, the UpdateMethod parameter has been renamed CaptureMethod on all platforms, and has new defaults that make choosing the optimal capture method easier.
  • Configuring security for VNC Server at the command line or using policy is now simpler using new, separate, more intuitive Authentication and Encryption parameters. On upgrade, SecurityTypes and UserPasswdVerifier values are mapped appropriately unless a VNC password is mandated using policy.
  • The vncpasswd utility now has flags that make specifying a VNC password for VNC Server in all modes easier. In addition, running the utility without a flag now shows the help rather than defaulting to VNC Server in User Mode.
  • The Password parameter is now included in policy template files so VNC Server with an Enterprise license can be remotely provisioned with a VNC password. To obtain a password in the correct obfuscated format, run vncpasswd -print.
  • Mac OS X:
  • NEW: Support for 10.11 El Capitan.
  • NEW: On 10.7+ computers, VNC Viewer can be made full screen in the same way as any other Mac app. Note this does mean the app window can no longer span multiple monitors. To do this, revert to legacy full screen mode.
  • NEW: VNC Server can remap keys received from VNC Viewer, perhaps to inject a non-native character or control key.
  • VNC Viewer can now send special keys such as Cmd+Tab and the Spotlight shortcut to VNC Server whenever the app window has focus, and not just in full screen mode.
  • By default, VNC Server in Service Mode now logs to syslog instead of to file.

New in RealVNC Server 5.2.3 Build 8648 (Feb 9, 2015)

  • The TryLegacyCaptureMethod VNC parameter can be set to 1 if screen corruption is experienced when connected to headless servers running OS X 10.10 Yosemite.

New in RealVNC Server 5.2.2 Build 7974 (Dec 3, 2014)

  • NEW: Support for OS X 10.10 (Yosemite).

New in RealVNC Server 5.2.1 Build 5668 (Aug 27, 2014)

  • FIXED: Second and subsequent media keys (such as Volume Up or Mute) are now sent to VNC Server, and the equivalent physical keys on the keyboard attached to the host computer are no longer disabled.

New in RealVNC Server 5.2.0 Build 18477 (Jun 9, 2014)

  • All platforms:
  • NEW: VNC is available in French, German, and Spanish. The appropriate language for the desktop of each user is automatically selected. This can be changed (if required) using the Locale VNC parameter.
  • VNC parameters that parse environment variables (such as LogDir) now resolve the syntax $$ to a literal $, for example to accommodate such a character in a folder name.
  • FIXED: The VNC Viewer chat interface no longer prevents a user account password being entered at the Login window or lock screen.
  • UNIX:
  • VNC Server in Service Mode (vncserver-x11-serviced) and the VNC Server in Virtual Mode daemon (vncserver-virtuald) can now be started using systemctl on Linux distributions that support systemd, such as the latest Fedora.
  • VNC Server now supports PAM session modules, and session actions in pam_umask.so, pam_limits.so, pam_env.so, and pam_unix.so are automatically referenced in /etc/pam.d/vncserver (or equivalent file).
  • Chat is no longer a separate application but rather merged into the vncserverui program. To configure chat using policy, edit the vncserverui- policy template file.
  • FIXED: VNC hosted on a network share no longer relies on the cacerts.pem file.
  • Mac OS X:
  • NEW: VNC Server in Service Mode can lock the computer or start the screensaver when the last VNC Viewer user disconnects (not available under OS X 10.4).
  • The VNC Chat.app no longer reads from the /Library/Preferences/com.realvnc.vncchat.plist file. To configure chat using policy, edit the vncserverui- policy template file.
  • FIXED: VNC Viewer no longer prevents media keys such as volume or brightness from affecting the client computer.

New in RealVNC Server 5.1.1 Build 11755 (Apr 8, 2014)

  • All platforms:
  • FIXED: An issue when setting the same port for VNC connections (RfbPort) and for VNC Viewer for Java downloads (HttpPort).
  • Mac OS X:
  • FIXED: Users can now connect if the display is asleep even if a password is required to wake the display.

New in RealVNC Server 5.1.0 Build 15125 (Dec 10, 2013)

  • NEW: VNC Server can check whether critical software patches, and product updates to which you are entitled, are available to download from the RealVNC web site.
  • NEW: VNC Server publishes a more-memorable catchphrase than the unique signature on which it is based, detering man-in-the-middle attacks by making identity checks more intuitive for connecting users. (Enterprise and Personal only)
  • NEW: VNC applications can be configured remotely, and locked down to prevent change, using policy. Policy template files are available to download for distribution to target computers using a suitable mechanism, for example Group Policy under Windows. (Enterprise only)
  • NEW: Message boxes displayed when connections are unexpectedly terminated can now be suppressed using the HideCloseAlert VNC Viewer parameter, making scripting easier.
  • The VNC Server Options dialog has been made easier to use, and highlights features locked down by policy. For both VNC Server and VNC Viewer, it also simplifies the process of creating debug log files to send to RealVNC Technical Support.
  • The new Permissions VNC Server parameter replaces NtLogon_Config (Windows) and AllowedUsers/AllowedGroups (other platforms). Existing users, groups, and permissions are automatically upgraded. (Enterprise and Personal only)
  • The Permissions parameter now grants access to features in the following sets: f (full), d (default), v (view-only). More information. (Enterprise and Personal only)
  • The Permissions parameter now supports explicitly denying permission to use a feature, as well as allowing and not allowing that feature. Deny cannot be overridden by individual members of a group. (Enterprise and Personal only)
  • VNC Server logs are now directed to file at more appropriate locations, as determined by the new LogDir parameter. More information.
  • The VNC Server Information Center dialog now distinguishes between successful and unsuccessful connections on the Diagnostics page, which may give warning of a port sniffing or brute-force dictionary attack.
  • All instances of VNC Server running on a computer can be reconfigured without downtime using the vnclicense -reload command.
  • Single sign-on authentication is now easier to set up and benefits from new documention. (Enterprise only)
  • VNC parameters are now fully documented.
  • FIXED: Copying and pasting text from connected computers is now more reliable. See also the ServerClipboardGraceTime VNC Viewer parameter.
  • VNC Server no longer automatically authenticates users with locked or expired accounts. (Enterprise only)
  • VNC Server now checks groups other than the primary Active Directory group to ascertain whether connecting users are eligible to authenticate. (Enterprise and Personal only)
  • The vnclicense utility can manage license keys in locations other than the default /etc/vnc using the new LicenseDir VNC parameter.

New in RealVNC Server 5.0.6 Build 53416 (Oct 9, 2013)

  • Mac OS X:
  • NEW: Support for 10.9 (Mavericks).

New in RealVNC Server 5.0.5 Build 46461 (Mar 7, 2013)

  • All platforms:
  • FIXED: The VNC Server - File Transfer dialog now always appears.
  • The BlacklistTimeout VNC Server parameter now accepts a number of seconds between 1 and 2147483647.
  • Mac OS X:
  • Improvements to CUPS printing backend.

New in RealVNC Server 5.0.4 Build 43666 (Jan 28, 2013)

  • All platforms:
  • FIXED: Text can now be copied and pasted in either direction if the connection was originally made to a computer at the login screen (that is, not yet logged on to a particular user account).

New in RealVNC Server 5.0.3 Build 37046 (Oct 8, 2012)

  • NEW: The mouse cursor snaps to a corner of the host computer's desktop if it exits the VNC Viewer window within a certain distance of a corner (configurable via the PointerCornerSnapThreshold parameter), making it easier to trigger hotspots under the latest operating systems (particularly Windows 8 and Mac OS X 10.8).

New in RealVNC Server 5.0.2 Build 93293 (Aug 21, 2012)

  • NEW: Support for 10.8 (Mountain Lion). VNC is a signed (that is, legitimate) application for download from the Internet.
  • NEW: Support for Mac Book Pro computers with Retina displays.
  • FIXED: Connections can now be established to a computer whose display is asleep (lower of the two sliders in the System Preferences > Energy Saver pane). Note connections cannot be established if the computer itself is asleep.

New in RealVNC Server 5.0.1 Build 87963 (Jul 6, 2012)

  • FIXED: VNC now installs on case-sensitive HSFX file systems.
  • FIXED: Multiple monitors attached to 10.6 (Snow Leopard) computers are now displayed correctly.
  • FIXED: The graphical Licensing Wizard can now always be used to license VNC Server.

New in RealVNC Server 5.0.0 (Jun 7, 2012)

  • All platforms:
  • NEW: VNC Server providing basic remote control freely available across all supported platforms.
  • NEW: VNC Server containing premium security and performance features available for use across all supported UNIX/Linux and Mac OS X platforms.
  • NEW: Apply a license key at any time to unlock premium features without installing software.
  • NEW: The same license key can be applied on any platform, simplifying mixed deployments.
  • NEW: Grace period of seven days in which to license VNC Server permanently after trial, or if an existing license key has expired.
  • NEW: VNC Server user interface with improved access to diagnostic and troubleshooting information, and a licensing and repair wizard.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer can automatically reconnect in certain circumstances, for example when a host computer user logs or switches out.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer can now be installed on all supported platforms. Standalone VNC Viewer remains available for locked-down environments.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer explicitly warns about unencrypted connections.
  • NEW: VNC Viewer can connect via SOCKS/HTTP proxy servers that require authentication.
  • Mac OS X:
  • NEW: Support for Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) Server and 10.8 (Mountain Lion) Developer Preview.
  • The VNC Server binary has been renamed from macvnc to vncserver.
  • VNC Server configuration files are now located in ~/.vnc/config.d (User Mode) and ~/var/root/config.d (Service Mode) directories, rather than settings in prefs files.
  • VNC authentication passwords are now stored in standard configuration rather than in separate password files.
  • RSA public/private key pairs can now be generated by a single command rather than a separate vnckeygen utility.
  • Single-sign on authentication is now implemented using a symbolic link rather than the SSOLib VNC parameter.