RealVNC Server should be functioning correctly if there is a green tick (and no error messages) displayed in its Status dialog:
If, however, you are unable to connect and RealVNC Viewer displays the error message "RealVNC Server is not currently listening for Cloud connections" when you try to connect, please check the following:
- Check there are no service issues on the RealVNC status page.
- Check that the remote computer is connected to the Internet. If it isn't, you won't be able to connect.
- It may be that the remote computer is asleep. It is advisable to prevent a remote computer sleeping or hibernating while remote access is required:
- Windows: In Control Panel > Power Options > Change when the computer sleeps, make sure Put the computer to sleep when plugged in is Never.
- macOS:
- Ventura and later:
- In System Settings > Displays > Advanced, make sure Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off is selected.
- Monterey and earlier:
- In System Preferences > Energy Saver, make sure Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off is selected.
- Ventura and later:
- If you have disabled cloud connections in RealVNC Server's Options dialog, under the Connections heading. Make sure this is checked:
- You may have the wrong team selected in RealVNC Viewer. Please ensure you have selected the correct team for the computer to which you want to connect.
- If you have purchased a subscription but did not subscribe from within your trial team, you will need to join your computer(s) to the new, paid-for team.
-
Ensure that you also see your computer's name, and your Team name, listed in the Connectivity section. If you don't please re-join it as shown here: How do I rejoin a RealVNC Server to the cloud, or change which team RealVNC Server belongs to?
Note: you may need to remove the existing entry using the Computers page of the online portal first.
- If you are trying to connect to RealVNC Server on Linux, check that Wayland is disabled
-
Try restarting RealVNC Server and/or the computer running RealVNC Server.
- In Windows, this can be done via the Services utility, accessible by searching for services.msc in the Start Menu.
- For Mac/Linux, right click the RealVNC Server icon in the system tray (by the clock), and click Stop RealVNC Server. Then, launch RealVNC Server from your Applications menu.
If none of the above steps help, you can also check for the underlying error message by looking at the log files for RealVNC Server. These can be accessed by opening the RealVNC Server app and going to the Options section. Next, go to the Troubleshooting section, then click Show in folder.
If you do not have access to the RealVNC Server GUI, the log files can be found in the following locations instead:
- Windows: C:\ProgramData\RealVNC-Service\vncserver.log and C:\ProgramData\RealVNC-Service\vncserver.log.bak
- Mac: /Library/Logs/vncserver.log and /Library/Logs/vncserver.log.bak
- Linux: /var/log/vncserver-x11.log and /var/log/vncserver-x11.log.bak
Once you have opened the logs, check for any of the error messages listed here: VNC Connect Error Messages
If you still have problems, and your subscription includes access to technical support, please submit a support request. Please attach the RealVNC Server diagnostics (RealVNC Server > Information Center > Diagnostics > Save As...) and log files (above) from RealVNC Server.
Comments
The energy saver setting "Put the computer to sleep when plugged" doesn't seem to exist in mac os 13.1. Please advise.
You can also get the underlying reason for the issue (the "real" error message) by looking at the log files:
VNC Server
Open VNC Server's Options and go to the Troubleshooting section, then click Show in folder.
If you do not have access to the VNC Server GUI, the log files can be found in the following locations instead:
Windows: C:\ProgramData\RealVNC-Service\vncserver.log and C:\ProgramData\RealVNC-Service\vncserver.log.bak
Mac: /Library/Logs/vncserver.log and /Library/Logs/vncserver.log.bak
Linux: /var/log/vncserver-x11.log and /var/log/vncserver-x11.log.bak
I got this tip from Jack!
I have this problem, on a serving PC (more than one actually) that is connected to the internet with server up and running, but the client PC still receives this error when trying to connect.
If the internet connection has been dropped at the server's network (such as a provider having service interruptions), would the server need to re-initiate the cloud connection to update its info for client software?
Brief overview of steps, happening often:
1. Servers are up and running, and clients can connect
2. Internet provider goes down (client cannot connect at all)
3. Provider is back up, server PCs have internet connectivity, but client can no longer connect as VNC says servers are not listening for cloud connections.
4. Kill the VNC server app locally and restart the server process -- re-initiates the cloud connectivity for remote connections.
(Of course the #4 solution requires returning to the server PC location to manually hard restart the server; not optimal)
Is there any way of waking up a VNC Server Mac computer from sleep, via VNC Viewer? Or the Server has to be always on?
Does "Wake for network access" in System Preferences play a role here?
Thanks.
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your comment, I have updated the guide for the new location of the setting in macOS Ventura. Please accept our apologies for the delay in updating this!
Jack N
when I log in it warns me that there is no connection to the cloud. If he brings the laptop to the same room it connects
Ombretta L
Article is closed for comments.