How to Install TeamViewer Portable

TeamViewer is a remote connection software program that is free for personal use that many of you are probably already familiar with. However, the version that you will need to put on your home desktop or laptop computer AND on your computer at work is different from the TeamViewer Quick Support version that you might already have on your work computer. The version you need to put on both computers is called TeamViewer Portable.

Here are the instructions for how to install the TeamViewer Portable software on the computer you want to connect to from home. Please read the instructions in their entirety before beginning the process!

  1. Click this link to reach the page on TeamViewer’s website that provides links to download the various TeamViewer versions for Windows. Options for Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi as well as for the Android and iOS operating systems can be found along the top menu bar.
  2. NOTE: DO NOT download the TeamViewer for Windows 64-bit or 32-bit version that appears at the top of the window. This is not the Portable version! Scroll down the page and look for TeamViewer Portable. Click the Download Portable button.
  3. Your computer will ask you to choose where you want to save the file to. The default option is usually the Downloads folder on your computer, so you can leave this as the location if you want.
  4. Once the software has downloaded, you will receive notification at the bottom of your desktop window and you can open the file. You will now see a window containing all of the TeamViewer Portable files. Click on the option at the top of the window that reads Extract All Files. If you do not see this option, you may be using another program to manage compressed files; please extract the files as you normally do.
  5. When you go to your Downloads folder (or the folder you extracted the files to) on your computer, you will see a yellow folder (it will not have a zipper on it) marked TeamViewerPortable. Double-click the folder to open it.
  6. You will now see all of the TeamViewer Portable files again. Right-click the TeamViewer.exe file and choose the option to Send to desktop (create shortcut) to place an icon for the program on your computer’s desktop. Do not click the file marked TeamViewer_Desktop.exe; it is the TeamViewer.exe file that you want.
  7. Go to your computer’s desktop and look for the TeamViewer icon which is a blue square that has a white circle with a blue arrow in the centre. The icon will read TeamViewer.exe – Shortcut. Double-click the icon and confirm that you want to run the file.
  8. You will now see the TeamViewer window that displays Your ID and Password under the Allow Remote Control section. You must record Your ID and Password because you will need this information in order to be able to log in to your office computer from home.
  9. Leave your office computer on and the same window for TeamViewer Portable that you saw in step #8 above open. Do not change any of the options on the window; leave everything as it is. Take the ID number and password you recorded home with you.
  10. NOTE: Repeat steps 1-7 above to install TeamViewer Portable on your home computer.

How to Use TeamViewer Portable

Once the TeamViewer Portable software has been installed on your home computer, you can connect to your office computer by doing the following:

  1. Double-click the TeamViewer.exe – Shortcut icon on your home computer’s desktop to run the TeamViewer Portable software.
  2. On the right side of the TeamViewer Portable window is the heading Control Remote Computer.
  3. Leave the selection beneath Control Remote Computer set to Remote control.
  4. Enter the ID number of your office computer where it reads Enter Partner ID.
  5. Click the Connect button. You will now be prompted to enter the TeamViewer password for the office computer. Type the password exactly as you recorded it (it is case sensitive) and press ENTER.
  6. You will now see the desktop of your office computer and you can access whatever programs or documents that you need.
  7. If you decide to print something, the document will be sent to the printer that is attached to your office computer. You will not be able to print jobs on your home printer using TeamViewer Portable. If you need to send print jobs from your office computer to your home printer, you should use AnyDesk remote connection software instead. AnyDesk has a utility that will allow you to print to your home printer.
  8. When you are finished using your office computer for the day, you can close the TeamViewer Portable connection on your home computer. Make absolutely certain that you are closing the TeamViewer Portable connection on your home computer and not on your office computer! The window for TeamViewer Portable on your office computer can be left minimized at the bottom of the screen as it must be left running in order for you to connect to your office computer the next day. Do not shut down your office computer.

 

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