Keep your home computer on and reachable from anywhere

I'm Kevin Luten, and this guide is part of Field Office, my notes on working from home swaps (lending your home to members of a home-exchange club and staying in theirs), US Forest Service ranger cabins rented by the night, and a rooftop tent. Each step below covers Windows 11 and recent macOS, with the exact menu paths and commands (checked against Microsoft, Apple and Google documentation on November 14, 2026).

This is my own setup. My Windows desktop at home in Atlanta stays on while I travel, and I reach it with Chrome Remote Desktop. It has not failed me yet. Getting there did take some work: I followed a set of instructions and changed quite a few settings, including one in the BIOS, so the computer would not shut itself off while I was gone. The six steps below are the short list of what to check.

The six steps

1. Stop the computer from sleeping or hibernating on AC power. The screen can still turn off.
2. Install Chrome Remote Desktop, turn on remote access and set a PIN of six digits or more.
3. If the PC has no monitor, plug a 4K HDMI dummy plug into the graphics card.
4. Set the BIOS or UEFI to power on after a power cut, and tame Windows Update restarts.
5. Run long jobs in a way that survives you disconnecting.
6. Know how to pull a file across when sync lets you down.

Then lock it down (2-step verification, a real PIN) and run the 10-minute test from another network.

Why bother keeping a home computer reachable?

Cloud sync covers most files most of the time, right? The gaps show up on the road.

Picture yourself at a kitchen table in someone else's house. Wait, I never added that folder to OneDrive? Maybe the app you need only runs on the desktop, the licensed software will not install on a laptop, or the job you started the night before you left needs checking. A home PC you can reach is the backstop for all of it.

And if your home machine is the powerful one, it is also where heavy work should run while your laptop just shows you the screen.

Step 1: how do I stop the computer from sleeping?

Why does sleep matter so much? A sleeping computer drops off the internet, and Chrome Remote Desktop cannot wake it. Turning the screen off is fine. Letting the computer itself sleep or hibernate is not.

Windows 11

1. Open Start > Settings > System > Power & battery (on many desktops it's just Power).
2. Open Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts.
3. Set Make my device sleep after to Never for when the PC is plugged in. If a hibernate option appears, set it to Never too.
4. Leave Turn my screen off after at whatever you like.

Label wording shifts a little between Windows 11 updates. Prefer the command line? Open Terminal as administrator and run:

powercfg /change standby-timeout-ac 0
powercfg /change hibernate-timeout-ac 0
powercfg /hibernate off

A value of 0 means never. The first two lines change the active power plan, so run them again if you switch plans. The third turns hibernation off entirely, which also turns off Fast Startup (a boot shortcut that relies on hibernation, and harmless to lose on a machine that stays on).

Curious what is keeping a PC awake, or what woke it? powercfg /requests and powercfg /lastwake will tell you, and powercfg /a lists the sleep states your hardware supports. Microsoft documents every option on its powercfg reference page, and the Settings path is on its power and sleep settings page.

macOS

• Desktop Macs (Mac mini, Mac Studio, iMac): Apple menu > System Settings > Energy. Turn on Prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off and Wake for network access. Turn on Start up automatically after a power failure if your Mac shows it.
• MacBooks left at home on a charger: System Settings > Battery > Options, then turn on Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off.
• Display timing lives in System Settings > Lock Screen (Turn display off on power adapter when inactive).

From Terminal, sudo pmset -c sleep 0 stops system sleep on power, sudo pmset -a autorestart 1 asks the Mac to start after a power failure, and pmset -g shows the current settings. Want to keep a Mac awake only while one command runs? Put caffeinate -i in front of it. Apple's sleep and wake settings guide has the current wording. Some recent desktop Macs also offer a Start up when power is connected setting that covers power cuts.

Step 2: how do I set up Chrome Remote Desktop?

Chrome Remote Desktop is free, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and needs only a Google account. Set it up on the home computer while you are sitting at it.

1. On the home computer, open Chrome, sign in to your Google account and go to remotedesktop.google.com/access.
2. Under Set up Remote Access, click Download and follow the prompts to install it.
3. Give the computer a name you'll recognize and choose a PIN of at least six digits.
4. On a Mac, allow the permissions macOS asks for (Accessibility and Screen Recording) in System Settings > Privacy & Security, or you'll connect to a screen you can't control.
5. Test it: on your phone, switch off Wi-Fi, open the Chrome Remote Desktop app, pick the computer and enter the PIN.

To connect later from any computer, go to the same address, click Access, choose the machine and enter the PIN. To end a session, close the tab or choose Options > Disconnect. Google says all sessions are encrypted. On Windows, the host runs as a background service (a program that runs with nobody signed in), so it answers even at the sign-in screen after a restart. Google's Chrome Remote Desktop help page has the current steps.

Step 3: do I need an HDMI dummy plug for a headless PC?

If the home PC runs without a monitor, probably. A dummy plug (also sold as a display emulator or EDID emulator) is a small HDMI plug with a chip that tells the graphics card a monitor is attached, and which resolutions it supports. EDID is the block of data a real monitor sends to describe itself, and that is exactly what the plug imitates.

What happens without one? A headless PC often gives you a remote desktop at a low or strange resolution (640×480 and 1024×768 are commonly reported). On some systems the graphics card idles, or the desktop falls back to slow software rendering, meaning the processor draws the screen instead of the GPU (graphics processing unit, the chip on the graphics card). You feel that as a cramped, laggy session.

With the plug in, Windows or macOS sees a 4K screen and the GPU behaves normally, which also matters if your long-running work uses it.

• Buy one rated for 4K at 60 Hz, and plug it into the graphics card's HDMI port, not the motherboard's, if the PC has a separate graphics card.
• Some laptop and older HDMI ports top out at 4K at 30 Hz. That is fine for remote work, just don't expect 60.
• After plugging it in, connect remotely and set the resolution in Settings > System > Display (or System Settings > Displays on a Mac). A 4K desktop squeezed onto a laptop screen can be tiny, so 2560×1440 or 1920×1080 is often more comfortable.
• If Chrome Remote Desktop already gives you a sharp, responsive desktop with no monitor, you don't need one.

The one in my desktop is a xieoery 4K 120Hz HDR plug, sold as an EDID emulator (EDID is the data a monitor sends to describe itself, which the plug imitates).

• The xieoery 4K HDMI dummy plug on Amazon
  Amazon link. I earn nothing from it yet. Once I am approved as an Amazon Associate, I will earn from qualifying purchases and this note will say so.

More on how links here earn money: disclosures.

Step 4: how do I survive power cuts and update restarts?

Power on after an outage

Restart the PC and enter the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, its modern replacement) setup, the firmware menu that runs before the operating system loads (usually Delete or F2 at startup, and the motherboard manual says which). Find the power-loss setting and set it to Power On or Always On. The name varies by maker: Restore on AC Power Loss, AC Back, After Power Failure and AC Recovery are common.

Test it by switching the PC off at the wall while it is running, then switching the power back on. It should start by itself.

Signing in after a restart

Chrome Remote Desktop on Windows reaches the sign-in screen, so you can sign in remotely after a restart. Should you turn on automatic sign-in? Only if something must start inside your user session with nobody there, and even then it weakens security, especially with guests in the house. A scheduled task that runs at startup (step 5) is usually the better answer.

Windows Update

• Install pending updates and restart before you leave, so nothing big is queued.
• Set Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Active hours to cover the hours you'll be working.
• For a short trip, Settings > Windows Update lets you pause updates, up to five weeks on current builds. When the pause ends, Windows installs what's waiting before it lets you pause again.

A UPS, and a smart plug as a last resort

A small uninterruptible power supply (UPS), a battery box between the wall and the PC, rides through flickers and short cuts that would otherwise reboot the PC mid-job. It buys minutes, not hours. The BIOS setting is what brings the machine back after a long outage.

Put the modem and router on the UPS too, and check that it turns its outlets back on by itself when power returns. A smart plug can force a hard power cycle on a frozen PC from your phone, but only if the BIOS power-on setting is set, and only as a last resort.

An honest note on my own UPS: I bought it in 2020, and I am fairly sure its battery is done, so I am shopping for a replacement. UPS batteries wear out in a few years, so if yours is that old, test it (most have a self-test button) before you rely on it.

Step 5: how do I keep a long-running job going at home?

Two things have to hold: the computer stays awake (step 1), and the job survives you closing the remote session.

• When you finish a Chrome Remote Desktop session, disconnect, and do not sign out. Disconnecting leaves your programs running. Signing out closes them.
• On Linux, or Linux tools under WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux, Microsoft's way to run Linux on Windows), start the job inside tmux, a terminal program that keeps a session alive after you leave it: run tmux new -s job, start the work, then press Ctrl+B followed by D to detach. Later, tmux attach -t job brings it back. screen does the same. In WSL, check that the session survives closing the terminal window before you trust it with a long run.
• On Windows, Task Scheduler can start a script at boot so it comes back after a power cut or update restart: Create Task, choose Run whether user is logged on or not, add an At startup trigger, and on the Settings tab use If the task fails, restart every.
• Have the job write its progress to a log file in a synced folder. Then you can check on it from your phone without opening a remote session.
• For GPU-heavy work, glance at temperatures in Task Manager > Performance when you check in.

Step 6: how do I get a file that didn't sync?

• Inside a Chrome Remote Desktop session, open the side panel with the arrow at the right edge of the screen. Under File transfer, Download file lets you pick a file on the home computer and save it to the device you're using, and Upload file sends one the other way.
• Or, in the remote session, move the file into a folder that already syncs (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive) and wait for it to appear on your laptop. Check that the sync app at home isn't paused or signed out, which is a common reason the file didn't arrive in the first place.
• For a folder of files, zip it first. One large file transfers more reliably than hundreds of small ones over a weak connection.

How do I keep it secure?

Remote access means anyone with your Google account and PIN can reach the machine. So the aim is simple: make those two things hard to get. None of this makes a setup perfectly safe, but it does reduce the risk.

• Turn on 2-step verification for the Google account. It is the real front door.
• Use a PIN you don't use anywhere else, longer than six digits if you can bear it.
• Keep a password on the computer's own account, and lock the computer (Start > your account > Lock) before you disconnect, so it isn't left signed in.
• Remove computers you no longer use from the list with Disable remote connections.
• Keep Windows or macOS and Chrome up to date, between trips if not during them.
• If guests stay in your home, a headless PC with a dummy plug has no screen for anyone to watch. A separate local account for your files adds another layer. More in leaving the PC running while guests stay.

What about TeamViewer, RustDesk or Windows Remote Desktop?

• TeamViewer: polished and cross-platform, free for personal use, with paid plans for business use.
• RustDesk: open source, with the option to run your own relay server if you'd rather not depend on a company.
• Windows Remote Desktop: built in, but the computer you connect to must run a Pro, Enterprise or Education edition of Windows, and it needs a VPN (virtual private network, an encrypted tunnel into your home network) or careful setup to reach safely over the internet.
• Parsec: built for low-latency graphics and games (meaning very little delay between your click and the screen), and good if you work in video, 3D or design tools.
• Tailscale plus Remote Desktop: a private network between your devices, so you can use Windows Remote Desktop without exposing it to the internet.

So why start with Chrome Remote Desktop? It wins on simplicity: free, no router ports to open, and it works from a phone. A full comparison is coming later.

The 10-minute test before you leave

1. Confirm sleep and hibernate are set to Never (run powercfg /a or check Settings).
2. Connect from your phone on cellular data, not your home Wi-Fi.
3. Check the resolution looks right with the monitor unplugged and the dummy plug in.
4. Restart the PC remotely and confirm you can reach the sign-in screen again.
5. Pull a test file across with Download file.
6. Start your long job in tmux or as a scheduled task, disconnect, reconnect, and confirm it's still running.
7. Install pending updates and set active hours.
8. Make sure the PC, modem and router are plugged into the UPS (if you have one), and the vents are clear.
9. Lock the computer and disconnect.

Troubleshooting

The computer shows as offline

It is asleep, switched off or has lost its network. Recheck step 1 and the BIOS setting. A wired Ethernet connection is more dependable than Wi-Fi. If you must use Wi-Fi, open Device Manager > Network adapters > your adapter > Properties > Power Management and untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

It connects, but the desktop is tiny, blurry, black or slow

On a headless PC, this is the classic sign you need a dummy plug. With one in, set the resolution in display settings and update the graphics driver.

The computer isn't in my list, or the PIN fails

You are probably signed in to a different Google account from the one you used at home. Check the account in the top corner of remotedesktop.google.com.

It went offline after a Windows update

The service should start again on reboot. If it doesn't, open services.msc at home (or ask someone there) and make sure Chrome Remote Desktop Service is set to start automatically.

I can see the Mac but can't click anything

macOS permissions are missing. Allow Chrome Remote Desktop under Accessibility and Screen Recording in Privacy & Security, which you'll need to do in person.

Common questions

Will a PC wear out or overheat if it runs 24/7 while I travel?

Desktop PCs are built to run for long stretches. Heat is the thing to manage. Keep the vents clear and dust-free, leave the PC somewhere with airflow, and check temperatures over remote desktop now and then, especially during long GPU jobs.

How much electricity does an always-on home PC use?

It depends entirely on the machine and what it is doing. An idle desktop draws far less than one running a GPU job. Measure yours with a plug-in power meter for a day, then multiply by your electricity rate.

Can I use Wake-on-LAN instead of leaving the PC on?

Wake-on-LAN is a signal that switches a sleeping PC on over the network. You can use it, but waking a PC over the internet needs extra pieces (a router or always-on device that can send the wake signal, or a VPN). It is fiddly to set up and easy to break. Setting the PC to never sleep is simpler and more reliable for multi-week trips.

Does this work over Starlink or a phone hotspot? It works fine. Satellite and cellular links add a little latency, so typing feels slightly delayed. More on connectivity at the other end in Starlink for unusual places.

What's on my desk at home

A full Windows desktop, a real desk setup rather than a mini PC. While I travel it runs headless: the monitors are unplugged (guests in my house can use them for their laptops) and the xieoery dummy plug stands in for them. The settings I changed are the ones in steps 1 and 4: no sleep or hibernation on power, the BIOS set to come back on after an outage, and Windows Update kept from restarting at a bad moment.

This is one layer of the setup. The portable half is what's in my travel kit. I update this page when Chrome Remote Desktop or Windows changes. Leave your email to hear when it does.

Menu paths and commands checked against Microsoft, Apple and Google documentation on November 14, 2026. Wording can differ slightly on your version.

About the author. Kevin Luten is a long-time remote worker and Kindred home-swap host based in Atlanta. He has hosted 14 guests in his home and works from home swaps, ranger cabins and the occasional hotel. He founded the behavioral-science consultancy Behavior Design Works, is a Cialdini Certified Practitioner, and has spent about 28 years in transportation demand management. He writes Field Office. More about Kevin.