If you want to steer clear of Chrome, you can use  Chromium to install the CRD host.

https://chromium.woolyss.com  and once the CRD host is installed you can uninstall the browser if you wish.  You don’t even need anything Chromey to install the host, but the “headless” install does require some extra command line steps:  https://superuser.com/questions/1436155/accessing-chrome-remote-desktop-without-signing-into-chrome

Headless install:
1. login to https://remotedesktop.google.com/headless with the google account you want to use, choose setup another pc.

2. That asks you to download and install remotedesktophost.msi on the host PC. https://dl.google.com/edgedl/chrome-remote-desktop/chromeremotedesktophost.msi
using any browser. Once that’s done… click next.

3. You now have a another screen saying: Authorize Chrome Remote Desktop to set up a new computer. A separate window will open and you may be prompted to choose an account, enter your password, or give permission for Chrome Remote Desktop to access your account. This opens a window with a long link – click on the copy button.

4. From a command prompt ==> with ‘run as adminstrator’ <==, paste the very long complicated link you got in 3a, such as this example for a 64-bit Windows system (quotes are needed, no space in programfiles):

“%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Google\Chrome Remote Desktop\<VERSION INFO>\remoting_start_host.exe” –code=”EIa0sQFHfoehUuQP9fIotrxZ0tUCXh54rjAHmEOmPwQviDIGbJVTZtY_zelJSCq0jKOEMHgw” –redirect-url=”https://remotedesktop.google.com/_/oauthredirect&#8221; –name=

where you have to fill in the <version info> from the folder name under chrome remote desktop [leave “–name=” and all the other stuff exactly as is]. Ex. ver #: 77.0.3865.32
To paste from a command prompt, use Ctrl-V .

NOTE: if the host is 32-bit windows, you need to be sure the start of the link is %PROGRAMFILES% — without the (X86) part [no space].  This is an X86 example with ver 77.0.3865.32:
“%PROGRAMFILES%\Google\Chrome Remote Desktop\77.0.3865.32\remoting_start_host.exe” –code=”EIa04sQFHQP9fI7v6TlEXh54rjJAHmcmPIwQviDIJVTZtY_zelJSCjKVyOEMHgw” –redirect-url=”https://remotedesktop.google.com/_/oauthredirect&#8221; –name=
(If you get a message saying this command must be run from a browser, the line above is incomplete)

4. This will prompt for a remotedesktop name for the computer, and then a 6-digit passcode.  That’s it.

The host PC should nowshow up in your remote desktop pc list.  NOTE: you may have to set the “Chrome Remote Desktop” service to automatic instead of manual.

If you want to stay away from Google, AnyDesk also offers a simple, free, and no-frills approach to remote access with a tiny (3.2MB), portable executable.

I’ve just used AnyDesk very recently when TeamViewer decided that trying to remote into my brother’s PC was ‘commercial use’ (?!?). It worked flawlessly without any of the nonsense of having to have an account anywhere or the risk of Google data scraping.

Rick Corbett wrote:

If you want to stay away from Google, AnyDesk also offers a simple, free, and no-frills approach to remote access with a tiny (3.2MB), portable executable.

I’ve just used AnyDesk very recently when TeamViewer decided that trying to remote into my brother’s PC was ‘commercial use’ (?!?). It worked flawlessly without any of the nonsense of having to have an account anywhere or the risk of Google data scraping.

Teamviewer… A good product with absolutely horrible subscription model. Log Me In used to be great, then they axed the free model. I’ll look into AnyDesk.

I love using Google Chrome Remote Desktop, but since I got a Chrome update (maybe version 85), Chrome Remote Desktop no longer works as a PWA (Progressive Web App). It just opens in a browser tab.

When I try to launch the old shortcut to the PWA I get “This app is no longer supported. To ensure you’re getting the latest features and security updates, please use the Chrome Remote Desktop web app.”

I’ve tried to uninstall and reinstall to get the PWA functionality back without success.

The best work-around I’ve come up with is

“C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe” –profile-directory=”Profile 1″ –new-window –window-position=1680,0

so at least it opens in it’s own window with the correct Google user. I can even pass it a URL for a specific session to open the correct remote computer so I wind up at the page where I enter my PIN.

The only downside to the workaround is the –window-position parameter doesn’t seem to do anything so I can’t get it to open on monitor 2. Passing positive or negative numbers doesn’t change where the window appears.

If anyone has any tips on restoring the PWA functionality (which seemed to remember it’s monitor) or getting the –window-position to work, I’d love to hear it.

I have one question: Can it enter credentials into a remote UAC secure desktop?

georgea, I appreciate the tips. Unfortunately I had already tried reinstalling both the CRD extension and the host service and both of mine are up to date. Today I even got updated to Chrome 86. My system remains stubborn.

I recreated the CRD desktop shortcut that had previously opened the PWA, but it still opens in a Chrome tab.

I tried the same on another PC with the same results, so either CRD no longer has a PWA or there is something weird about my Google account that prevents the PWA from working on any PC.

In answer to JCCWsusser, the only thing I have found I can’t do in CRD is type the BitLocker password into a system because that happens before Windows is running so CRD is not online yet. Other than that, it’s almost identical to sitting at the remote PC.

Trying to configure a headless computer that I would like to access from 2 different computers. All is working adding the first, access works.

But, adding a second using the same procedure disable the first configuration and I am only able to connect with latest configuration.

Suggestions?