Remote help: fix a parent's phone or computer from your own house (free options)

Free, built-in ways to see and control a parent's iPhone or computer screen from far away, step by step.

"I pressed something and now it's gone." If you've had that call, you don't always need to drive over. Some free tools are already built in that let you see, and sometimes control, your parent's screen from your own home.

iPhone to iPhone: FaceTime screen sharing and remote control

Apple's guides: Share your screen in a FaceTime call and Request or give remote control in a FaceTime call. Remote control needs iOS 18 or later on both phones, works only in a one-to-one call, and isn't available in the European Union.

  1. Make sure you're saved in your parent's Contacts. Apple only lets people in their contacts ask for control.
  2. Start a FaceTime call with your parent.
  3. Have them tap the screen to show the controls, tap the share button, tap Screen Sharing, then Share My Screen. A 3-2-1 countdown appears. (You can also ask from your side: Screen Sharing → Ask to Share Screen.)
  4. To take over, tap the window showing their screen, then tap the remote control button.
  5. Your parent taps Allow. Now you can tap, swipe and type on their phone.
  6. When you're done, either of you can tap Stop, or just hang up. Ending the call ends sharing and control.
Even without remote control, during a one-to-one call you can tap, draw or write on their shared screen to circle the button they should press.

Computers (Mac, Windows, Linux): Chrome Remote Desktop

Google's guide: Access another computer with Chrome Remote Desktop. It's free and runs in the Chrome browser.

  1. On your parent's computer, open Chrome and go to remotedesktop.google.com/support.
  2. Under "Get Support," click Download and follow the steps to install it. It may ask for the computer's password.
  3. Click Generate Code and have your parent read the code to you over the phone.
  4. On your computer, open Chrome, go to the same address, enter the code under "Give support" and click Connect.
  5. Your parent sees your email address and clicks Share.
  6. When finished, they click Stop Sharing. Each code works only once.
Google notes that whoever connects has full access to the computer's apps, files and email, and the computer asks every 30 minutes whether to keep sharing.

Android phones

Remote control options differ a lot by brand, so we haven't listed one here. A simple free fallback: start a Google Meet video call and have your parent tap More → Share screen → Start sharing (Google's guide). You can see their screen and talk them through it.

What to tell your parent

"I'll only ever ask to see your screen on a call that you started with me, or one I told you about first. If anyone else calls asking to see or control your phone or computer, even if they say they're from Apple, Microsoft or the bank, hang up."

Remote-access requests are a classic scam. See how to block scam calls and the voice-clone scam plan.

Related guides

Sources

Last reviewed Oct 2026