TigerVNC

TigerVNC is a free, open-source VNC server and viewer for sysadmins who need graphical access to Linux servers and workstations, and a fast cross-platform VNC client for reaching any VNC host from Windows, macOS or Linux. People looking for a TigerVNC download usually want one of two things: the viewer, to connect to an existing VNC server, or the Linux server, to give users their own virtual desktops on a headless machine. TigerVNC covers both under the GPL-2.0 licence.

Its strength is the Unix side. The Xvnc server starts a complete virtual X desktop per user without a monitor or GPU, which is why TigerVNC is the default VNC server on Fedora, RHEL and many other distributions. The viewer supports TLS encryption, full-screen multi-monitor sessions and efficient Tight/ZRLE encodings.

TigerVNC at a glance

What it does

• Xvnc: a headless X server with a built-in VNC server, giving each user a separate virtual desktop (GNOME, KDE, XFCE and others).
• x0vncserver: shares an existing physical X11 display, and since 1.16 w0vncserver shares Wayland desktops.
• vncviewer for Windows, macOS and Linux, plus a Java viewer, with full-screen, multi-monitor and automatic scaling options.
• Security types including VNC password, TLS and X.509-certificate encryption and username/password (Plain) authentication; the server default is TLSVnc,VncAuth.
• Built-in SSH tunnelling in the viewer via the -via option.
• Systemd integration on Linux: one vncserver@:N service per user mapping.
• Clipboard sharing and dynamic resizing of the remote desktop to the viewer window.

How sysadmins use it

Give a user a virtual desktop on RHEL, Rocky or Fedora

1. Install the server and a desktop: dnf install tigervnc-server plus your chosen desktop environment.
2. Map display :1 to the user in /etc/tigervnc/vncserver.users:

   :1=alice

3. Set defaults in /etc/tigervnc/vncserver-config-defaults (users can override them in ~/.config/tigervnc/config):

   session=gnome
   geometry=1920x1080
   localhost

4. As alice, run vncpasswd to create the VNC password (stored in ~/.config/tigervnc/passwd).
5. Start and enable the service: systemctl enable --now vncserver@:1. Display :1 listens on TCP 5901 (5900 + display number).

Connect securely through SSH

With localhost set on the server, VNC is reachable only through a tunnel. The viewer can build it for you:

vncviewer -via alice@server.example.com localhost:1

On Windows, create the tunnel with ssh -L 5901:localhost:5901 alice@server.example.com and connect the viewer to localhost:1.

Share the physical console of a Linux machine

vncpasswd ~/.config/tigervnc/passwd
x0vncserver -display :0 -PasswordFile ~/.config/tigervnc/passwd -localhost

This mirrors what is on the real monitor, which is useful for helping a user on a Linux desktop. x0vncserver has no default password file, so always pass one.

Use the viewer day to day

In 1.16 the old F8 menu was replaced by Ctrl+Alt shortcuts: Ctrl+Alt+M opens the menu, Ctrl+Alt+Enter toggles full screen, Ctrl+Alt+G grabs the keyboard so Alt+Tab goes to the remote side, and Ctrl+Alt releases it again. The modifier keys can be changed with the ShortcutModifiers parameter.

Install and first run

Linux. Fedora/RHEL: dnf install tigervnc-server tigervnc. Debian/Ubuntu: apt install tigervnc-standalone-server tigervnc-viewer; Debian’s packaging has its own wrapper and service layout, so check its man pages. Distribution packages are usually the easiest route; the project also provides self-contained Linux binaries.

Windows. Installers are available for the viewer and for the Windows server (winvnc), in 32- and 64-bit builds. Most admins install only the viewer on Windows.

macOS. A universal viewer app (Intel and Apple silicon). Since 1.16 macOS asks for permission before the viewer can intercept system keys.

Gotchas.

• Open TCP 5900+N in firewalld (firewall-cmd --add-port=5901/tcp --permanent) only if you are not tunnelling through SSH.
• You cannot start a VNC server session for a user who is already logged into a graphical session on the same machine.
• Always set session=; without it TigerVNC picks the first desktop it finds, which may not work.
• Old custom units in /etc/systemd/system/vncserver@.service override the packaged unit — remove them after upgrading.
• On SELinux systems a legacy ~/.vnc directory may need restorecon -RFv.
• Ubuntu 20.04 and RHEL 7 packages were dropped in 1.16.

Limitations

• No NAT traversal, relay or address book service — you need direct network access, a VPN or SSH.
• No file transfer in the protocol; use SFTP/SCP alongside it.
• VNC password authentication uses at most 8 characters; rely on TLS/X.509, SSH tunnels or Plain authentication for real security.
• Virtual desktops use software rendering, so 3D and video-heavy work is slow.
• The Windows server is a secondary part of the project; for sharing Windows consoles other VNC servers are more common.

TigerVNC vs alternatives

TightVNC is the more common choice for a VNC server on Windows and includes file transfer, while TigerVNC is stronger for Linux virtual desktops and encrypted connections. NoMachine offers better performance, audio and file transfer, but is shareware rather than open source. xrdp lets Windows’ built-in Remote Desktop client connect to Linux. If you juggle many VNC, RDP and SSH hosts, mRemoteNG can store them all in one tabbed console.

FAQ

Is TigerVNC free for commercial use?

Yes. TigerVNC is free and open source under GPL-2.0, and you can use it in businesses without a licence fee.

TigerVNC vs TightVNC — which is better?

For Linux servers and encrypted connections, TigerVNC. For quick Windows-to-Windows remote support with file transfer, TightVNC is simpler. Their viewers can connect to each other’s servers.

Is TigerVNC encrypted?

It can be. The server offers TLS-based security types by default, and X.509 certificates give verified encryption. Plain VncAuth connections are not encrypted, so use TLS or an SSH tunnel over untrusted networks.

Is there TigerVNC for Mac?

Yes, a native viewer for macOS as a universal binary. There is no macOS server; macOS has its own built-in Screen Sharing VNC server.

How do I connect to a TigerVNC server?

Open vncviewer, enter host:display (for example server:1) or host::port, and give the VNC password. Use -via user@host to tunnel through SSH.

How do I exit full screen in TigerVNC?

Press Ctrl+Alt+Enter in version 1.16 and later. Older versions use the F8 menu.

What is a good TigerVNC alternative?

TightVNC for Windows hosts, NoMachine for higher performance, xrdp for RDP access to Linux, or RealVNC Connect if you need a cloud relay.

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