The Apple Swif Remote Desktop Policy turns on Swif Remote Desktop on your Macs, so admins can see and control a Mac's screen from the Swif console, for remote support and troubleshooting.
For how to connect, and how sessions work, see Introduction to Remote Desktop.
Requirements
Item | Details |
Macs | macOS 12 or later |
Swif agent | 1.368.0 or later |
Ownership | Company-owned and BYOD |
Settings
Setting | Default | What it does |
Enable Swif Remote Desktop | On | On: Swif installs Swif Remote Desktop on the Mac, keeps it up to date, and sets its access password, so admins can connect remotely. |
Turning it off doesn't remove the app yet. If you turn off Enable Swif Remote Desktop, or unassign the policy, Swif Remote Desktop keeps running on the Mac for now. A fix is in progress. To stop remote access now, turn off Remote Desktop for your organization. See How to Disable Location Tracking, Live Terminal, and Remote Desktop in Swif.
Create the policy
In Swif, go to Device Management > Policies, then select Create new policy > Configure a Policy.
Select Apple Swif Remote Desktop Policy.
Keep Enable Swif Remote Desktop on, and save.
Assign the policy to your Macs, or device groups.
What's installed on the Mac
Item | Details |
App | Swif Remote Desktop, at |
Bundle ID |
|
Signed by | Swifteam Inc. (Team ID |
Configuration profile | Lets the user approve Swif Remote Desktop's Screen Recording permission |
Use the bundle ID and Team ID to allow Swif Remote Desktop in your security tools, if needed.
Permissions
Permission | Needed for | How it's set |
Screen Recording | Seeing the screen | The user approves it once. The policy's configuration profile lets them, and macOS asks. |
Accessibility | Controlling the mouse and keyboard | The user allows it once. macOS asks the first time you connect. |
Ask users to approve both before your first session, so you don't connect to a black screen.
If the user needs to allow a permission, they go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, choose Screen Recording or Accessibility, and turn on Swif Remote Desktop.
Moving from RustDesk
This policy replaces the earlier Apple Remote Desktop (RustDesk) policy. When you assign it, the Swif agent removes RustDesk from the Mac, and installs Swif Remote Desktop.
Assign the Apple Swif Remote Desktop Policy to the Macs.
Check that Remote Desktop on each Mac shows Swif Remote Desktop as Configured.
Unassign the old RustDesk policy.
Troubleshooting
The screen is black
The user hasn't approved Screen Recording yet. Ask them to turn on Swif Remote Desktop under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording, then quit and reopen the app. If it isn't listed, check that the policy is installed, in System Settings > General > Device Management.
You can see the screen, but can't control it
The user needs to allow Accessibility. Ask them to turn on Swif Remote Desktop under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
Swif Remote Desktop shows Not Configured
Check that the Mac is assigned this policy, with Enable Swif Remote Desktop on.
Check that the Mac's Swif agent is 1.368.0 or later.
Related resources