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How to hide the remote screen with Privacy Mode

Privacy Mode hides the screen of the remote Windows or macOS device during a session, so anyone physically in front of the machine cannot see what you are doing. 

While active, the remote screen is replaced with a message indicating that the session is running in Privacy Mode.

The feature can currently be enabled from Windows and macOS devices, and support for enabling it from mobile devices will be available soon. 

To enable or disable the feature, a Supremo Professional license is required on the local (control) device.

How to use Privacy Mode

First, you need to enable Privacy Mode on the remote computer.

To do this, open Supremo and go to Tools-Permissions-Enable privacy mode and click Save.

Screenshot showing the Supremo settings with the "Allow Privacy Mode on incoming connections" option enabled.

To enable it during a remote session:

  1. Connect to the remote computer using Supremo
  2. In the session top bar, click on “Control”
  3. Select “Privacy Mode”
Screenshot showing how to activate Privacy Mode from the Control menu during a Supremo remote desktop session.

After activation, the remote computer screen will be automatically obscured with a screen, indicating that Supremo Privacy Mode is enabled .

When Privacy Mode is active:

  • the remote computer screen turns blue
  • an information screen with instructions to exit the mode is displayed
  • all connected monitors are obscured

The behavior slightly differs depending on the operating system. 

On Windows, the local mouse and keyboard are blocked while Privacy Mode is active, whereas on macOS they remain usable.

In both cases, it is always possible to disable the mode using the key combination shown on screen.

How to disable Privacy Mode

The mode can be disabled directly by the remote operator using the same command in the session top bar, or by the local user using the key combination shown on screen.

On Windows by pressing CTRL+ALT+CANC

Screenshot showing the Supremo Privacy Mode screen on Windows, with the keyboard shortcut to disable the feature.

On Mac by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+X

Screenshot showing the Supremo Privacy Mode screen on macOS with the keyboard shortcut to disable the feature.

In the following cases, remote screen obscuring is automatically disabled:

  • when the remote user logs out
  • when all remote connections are closed
  • when the local user manually disables the mode

Requirements to use Privacy Mode

The remote computer must meet the following requirements:
Windows: version 10 build 19041 (2004) or later
macOS: version 10.15 (Catalina) or later

Additionally:
On Windows Operating system, Privacy Mode only works if Supremo is running under the SYSTEM account on the remote computer.

If unattended access is not enabled, you must manually enable the option Run Supremo under SYSTEM account from the Tools – Options- Advanced menu in Supremo.

Supremo option to run the software under the SYSTEM account

If unattended access is already enabled (Supremo Service), you do not need to do anything else, because Supremo already runs under SYSTEM automatically.

How simultaneous connections work on a remote host with Privacy Mode enabled

If multiple operators are connected to the same remote computer, only users with a Professional license can enable or disable Privacy Mode.

If the local user disables the mode using the key combination, all connected operators receive a notification indicating that the mode has been turned off.