VNC on a Raspberry Pi: Turn On the Built-in Server and Connect
Raspberry Pi OS already ships WayVNC. Switch it on with raspi-config, check it listens on port 5900, and connect with a TigerVNC viewer directly or over SSH.
Platforms
Practical guides for running remote desktops, protocol explainers for understanding what happens on the wire, and coverage of the VNC ecosystem.
VNC Viewer for Mac: Start With the One Already Installed
Your Mac already has a VNC viewer: Screen Sharing opens any vnc:// address. Add TigerVNC when you want display numbers, saved profiles or a built-in SSH hop.
VNC Disconnects and Freezes: Dropped, Dead or Just Stuck?
VNC drop or freeze? Tell a closed viewer from a frozen picture, then check sharing, idle NAT paths, TigerVNC timers and x11vnc defaults with the commands that prove each cause.
VNC Multiple Monitors: Pick One Screen or Use Them All
VNC sends one desktop, so two monitors arrive as one wide screen. Clip it on the server, scale it, or let the viewer split it across your own monitors.
How to Fix a VNC Black Screen on Linux
A VNC black screen usually means nothing is drawing: the wrong TigerVNC session, the same user logged in locally, or x11vnc on the wrong display.
VNC Connection Refused? Check What’s Listening on the Port
VNC connection refused? Check what's listening on 5900 plus the display: nothing, another port or 127.0.0.1 each point to a different fix.
VNC Grey Screen: The Server Is Up, the Desktop Never Started
A grey VNC screen means the viewer connected but the session drew no desktop. Read the log, prove the display with an xterm, then start a real desktop.
Running a noVNC desktop in Docker with theasp/novnc
A Linux desktop in a browser tab from one docker run with theasp/novnc, the Compose layout for GUI apps, and how to keep its passwordless root session off the network.
Set Up a VNC Server on Ubuntu 24.04 with TigerVNC and SSH
TigerVNC on Ubuntu 24.04 with Xfce: start display :1 on loopback, tunnel port 5901 over SSH, and run it at boot with the packaged systemd unit.
Join the community to ask a follow-up or share what worked.
Can't find the guide you need? Request it in Feature ideas & feedback.