TightVNC

TightVNC is a free remote desktop tool for Windows — a VNC server and viewer that help-desk staff and sysadmins use to see and control PCs and servers on the local network. The TightVNC download is a small MSI installer that can be pushed silently to hundreds of machines, runs the server as a Windows service and is licensed under GPL-2.0, so it is free for commercial use as well.

It has been around since the early 2000s and is still maintained: version 2.8.88 in June 2026 was a security and stability update for both server and viewer. It speaks the standard RFB (VNC) protocol, so its viewer works with other VNC servers and other viewers can connect to it. The trade-off is security: apart from the password exchange, TightVNC traffic is not encrypted, so it belongs on a LAN, a VPN or inside an SSH tunnel.

TightVNC at a glance

What it does

• TightVNC Server runs as a Windows service (or as an application in the user session) and listens on TCP 5900; a built-in web server on TCP 5800 can serve a Java viewer.
• TightVNC Viewer connects to any RFB-compatible server, with Tight encoding and JPEG compression tuned for slow links.
• File transfer between viewer and server.
• Separate primary (full-control) and view-only passwords, plus an administrative password that protects the server settings.
• IP-based access control rules (allow, deny or ask the local user) and a loopback-only mode for SSH-tunnelled access.
• Silent MSI deployment with properties for passwords, ports, service registration and firewall exceptions.
• Session sharing options, local-input blocking and actions when the last client disconnects (lock desktop or log off).

How sysadmins use it

Deploy TightVNC Server silently to many PCs

1. Copy the 64-bit MSI to a share and run it through your deployment tool or a startup script:

   msiexec /i tightvnc-2.8.88-gpl-setup-64bit.msi /quiet /norestart ADDLOCAL=Server ^
     SET_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION=1 VALUE_OF_USEVNCAUTHENTICATION=1 ^
     SET_PASSWORD=1 VALUE_OF_PASSWORD=ChangeMe ^
     SET_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION=1 VALUE_OF_USECONTROLAUTHENTICATION=1 ^
     SET_CONTROLPASSWORD=1 VALUE_OF_CONTROLPASSWORD=AdmPass1

   (Replace the example passwords; the password properties only take effect during silent installation.)

2. The installer registers the server as a service and adds a firewall exception by default (SERVER_REGISTER_AS_SERVICE and SERVER_ADD_FIREWALL_EXCEPTION both default to 1).
3. Restrict who can connect by adding an IP rule, for example allowing only the admin subnet:

   SET_IPACCESSCONTROL=1 VALUE_OF_IPACCESSCONTROL="10.0.50.0-10.0.50.255:0,0.0.0.0-255.255.255.255:1"

Connect and transfer a file

1. Start TightVNC Viewer, enter the host name or IP (add ::port if the server is not on 5900) and the primary password.
2. Use the toolbar’s file-transfer button to copy logs off the machine or push a fix onto it.
3. Exit full screen with Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F.

Use it safely across the Internet

1. Do not forward port 5900 from your router to a PC. Instead, enable the server’s loopback-only option (SET_LOOPBACKONLY=1 VALUE_OF_LOOPBACKONLY=1 or Access Control in the server configuration).
2. Reach the host through a VPN, or with an SSH tunnel: ssh -L 5900:localhost:5900 admin@gateway, then connect the viewer to localhost.

Install and first run

Windows. Run the 64-bit or 32-bit MSI as an administrator. Choose “Custom” to install only the viewer on admin workstations and only the server on managed PCs. During setup you are asked for the remote-access password and, optionally, an administrative password — set both. After installation the TightVNC Service icon appears in the notification area; right-click it to open the configuration.

Requirements. Windows XP (latest service pack) through Windows 11 and the corresponding Windows Server versions, 32- or 64-bit. There are no meaningful disk or RAM requirements.

macOS and Linux. The current 2.x server and viewer are Windows only. The old TightVNC 1.3.10 for Unix still exists but is no longer developed; on Linux use TigerVNC’s server, and on a Mac use any VNC viewer to connect to a TightVNC server.

Gotchas.

• VNC passwords are limited to 8 characters; longer ones are truncated.
• Third-party firewalls may still block TCP 5900 even after the Windows Firewall exception is added.
• If you only need VNC, disable the web access on TCP 5800 (SET_ACCEPTHTTPCONNECTIONS=1 VALUE_OF_ACCEPTHTTPCONNECTIONS=0).
• Uninstall it like any program in Settings > Apps; the service is removed with it.

Limitations

• No encryption of the session itself; only the password exchange is protected (DES challenge-response).
• No NAT traversal, relay or cloud address book — it needs direct network access, a VPN or port forwarding.
• Current versions are Windows-only.
• No audio, no multi-session management and no built-in chat.
• Performance is fine on a LAN but behind modern RDP or commercial tools on slow links.

TightVNC vs alternatives

TigerVNC adds TLS encryption and is the better choice for Linux virtual desktops. UltraVNC is another free Windows VNC server with encryption plugins and a repeater for NAT traversal. NoMachine is faster and handles audio and file transfer across platforms, but is shareware (conditionally free). For a single console that stores all your VNC, RDP and SSH connections, pair TightVNC with mRemoteNG.

FAQ

Is TightVNC free for commercial use?

Yes. TightVNC is licensed under GPL-2.0, so it is free for any legal use, including in companies. Only developers who want to embed its code in closed-source products need a commercial licence.

Is TightVNC secure?

The password is exchanged using DES challenge-response, but the rest of the traffic is unencrypted. Use it on trusted networks, or tunnel it through SSH or a VPN.

Is there TightVNC for Mac?

No current TightVNC version runs on macOS. Use macOS’s built-in Screen Sharing or another VNC viewer to connect to a TightVNC server.

How do I exit full screen in TightVNC Viewer?

Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F.

How do I change the TightVNC password?

Right-click the TightVNC Service icon in the notification area, open Configuration and set a new primary password on the Server tab. If an administrative password is set, you will be asked for it first.

TightVNC vs UltraVNC — which should I use?

Both are free Windows VNC servers. UltraVNC offers encryption plugins and a repeater; TightVNC is simpler and easier to deploy silently via MSI.

How do I transfer files with TightVNC?

Connect with TightVNC Viewer to a TightVNC server and click the file-transfer button on the viewer’s toolbar.

Is TightVNC Russian?

TightVNC was created by Konstantin Kaplinsky, and for many years it was published by GlavSoft LLC, a company based in Tomsk, Russia; the website now lists Kaplinsky himself as the copyright holder. The source code is open under GPL-2.0, so you can review what you run.

Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026 (developer website: tightvnc.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in production.