Installing RealVNC Server without administrative privileges (Linux only)

Installing without administrative privileges

You can install without administrative privileges but please note not all programs or features will be available:

• Available programs: RealVNC Server in User Mode (vncserver-x11), Virtual Mode (vncserver-virtual), and RealVNC Viewer.
• Unavailable programs: RealVNC Server in Service Mode (vncserver-x11-serviced) and the Virtual Mode daemon (vncserver-virtuald).
• Unavailable features: Printing and the single sign-on (SSO) authentication scheme.
• Restricted features: The system authentication scheme is available, but connecting users must supply the credentials of the process owner (that is, the user starting RealVNC Server) in order to connect. The credentials of other system users added to the RealVNC Server Permissions parameter are ignored.

To do this:

1. Unpack the tarball into a directory you can write to, for example:

   tar -xvf <tarball> -C /home/user/VNC --strip-components=1

2. Navigate to this directory and license RealVNC Server, for example:

   cd /home/user/VNC
./vnclicense -LicenseDir=. -add KEY

3. Create a /<your-home-dir>/.vnc/config file containing a font path for virtual desktops:

   ETCVNCDIR=<your-home-dir>/.vnc ./vncinitconfig -config

4. Create a /<your-home-dir>/.vnc/xstartup file containing sensible environment defaults for virtual desktops:

   ETCVNCDIR=<your-home-dir>/.vnc ./vncinitconfig -xstartup