How To Install AnyDesk on Debian 11 | Best Remote Desktop

In this tutorial on the Orcacore website, we intend to teach you How To Install AnyDesk on Debian 11. AnyDesk is a remote desktop program that you will regularly spot near the top of lists of the best remote desktop software. It enables streamlined remote and unattended access, and it’s best for sole proprietors and small businesses. This guide will walk you through the straightforward process of installing and configuring AnyDesk on your Debian 11 system. By following these steps, you’ll be able to leverage the power of AnyDesk for remote access and control.

AnyDesk is a powerful remote access program that can be used in a variety of ways. Here are some of the main things it does:

Remote Desktop Control: Access and control computers remotely.
File Transfer: Easily transfer files between your local and remote machines.
Collaboration: Collaborate with others by sharing your screen and allowing remote control.
Unattended Access: Access computers even when no one is physically present.

To complete this guide, you must log in to your server as a non-root user with sudo privileges. To do this, you can follow our guide on the Initial Server Setup with Debian 11.

Set up AnyDesk on Debian 11

First, you need to update your local package index with the command below:

sudo apt update

Install Required Packages for AnyDesk

Then, use the following command to install dependencies and required packages:

sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https wget ca-certificates gnupg2 -y

Import AnyDesk GPG Key

At this point, you need to import the GPG key to verify the authenticity of the packages. To do this, run the command below:

sudo wget -qO - https://keys.anydesk.com/repos/DEB-GPG-KEY | apt-key add -

Add AnyDesk Repository

Now use the following command to add the AnyDesk repository on Debian 11:

echo "deb http://deb.anydesk.com/ all main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/anydesk-stable.list

Install AnyDesk

At this point, you need to run the system update again:

sudo apt update

Finally, use the command below to install AnyDesk:

sudo apt install anydesk -y

Verify AnyDesk Installation

Now you can verify your AnyDesk installation on Debian 11 by checking its version:

anydesk --version

Output
6.2.0daniel@debian:~#

As you can see, AnyDesk 6.2.0 is successfully installed on your Debian 11.

Launch AnyDesk Application

Now you can launch your AnyDesk app. From your Debian terminal, you can run the following command:

anydesk

Or, you can run it in the background to free up the terminal:

anydesk &

Also, from your Ubuntu desktop, you can open it from Activities > Show Applications > AnyDesk.

The first time you open AnyDesk, you will see the following window.

Update AnyDesk

The software should update itself with your system packages for desktop users using the APT package manager. For users who want to check manually, use the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Remove (Uninstall) AnyDesk from Debian 11

When you no longer want the video conference software installed on your system, use the following command to remove it:

sudo apt autoremove anydesk --purge -y

Remove the repository if you do not plan to reinstall AnyDesk again:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/anydesk-stable.list

After removing the repository list file, remove the GPG.

sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/anydesk.gpg

Conclusion

At this point, you have learned to Install AnyDesk on Debian 11. Installing AnyDesk on Debian 11 allows remote desktop access to control your system from anywhere. It provides a fast, secure, and lightweight remote connection for personal and business use. This guide provides a complete solution to the question of How To Install AnyDesk on Debian 11.

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Alternative Methods to Install AnyDesk on Debian 11

While the above method using the AnyDesk repository is the recommended and most straightforward approach, here are two alternative methods to install AnyDesk on Debian 11:

1. Installing AnyDesk via .deb Package (Direct Download)

This method involves downloading the .deb package directly from the AnyDesk website and installing it using dpkg. This is useful if you prefer to avoid adding external repositories or need to install AnyDesk on a system without internet access (assuming you can transfer the file).

Steps:

Download the .deb package:

Visit the AnyDesk download page (https://anydesk.com/en/downloads) and download the Debian version of AnyDesk (the .deb file). Transfer the file to your Debian 11 system if you downloaded it on another machine.
Install using dpkg:

Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where you saved the downloaded .deb file. Then, use the following command to install it:
```
sudo dpkg -i anydesk_*.deb
```
Replace anydesk_*.deb with the actual name of the downloaded file.
Fix Dependencies (if any):

dpkg might report missing dependencies. If this happens, run the following command to resolve them:
```
sudo apt-get install -f
```
This command will attempt to download and install any missing dependencies required by AnyDesk.
Verify the installation:

Run the command below to verify that AnyDesk is installed correctly.
```
anydesk --version
```

Explanation:

dpkg -i <package_name.deb>: This command instructs dpkg (the Debian package manager) to install the specified .deb package.
apt-get install -f: The -f option tells apt-get to "fix" broken dependencies. It attempts to resolve any unmet dependencies by downloading and installing the necessary packages.

Benefits:

No need to add external repositories.
Works offline (if you have the .deb file).

Drawbacks:

You need to manually download the updated .deb file for future updates.
Dependency resolution might be required.

2. Using Flatpak

Flatpak is a universal package manager that allows you to install applications across different Linux distributions, including Debian 11. While AnyDesk doesn’t officially provide a Flatpak package, a community-maintained version might be available. This approach provides a sandboxed environment for the application.

Steps:

Install Flatpak:

If Flatpak is not already installed, install it using the following command:
```
sudo apt install flatpak
```
Add Flathub Repository:

Flathub is the main repository for Flatpak applications. Add it using the following command:
```
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
```
Search for AnyDesk (Unofficial):

Search for a potentially available AnyDesk package on Flathub.
```
flatpak search anydesk
```
Important: Check the source and maintainer before installing any unofficial Flatpak package. Ensure it comes from a trusted source. If no package appears, it’s not available on Flathub. This approach may not work.

Install AnyDesk (if available):

If an AnyDesk package is found, install it using:

flatpak install flathub com.anydesk.Anydesk  #Replace com.anydesk.Anydesk with actual package name found in search

Run AnyDesk:

Run AnyDesk from the command line:

flatpak run com.anydesk.Anydesk  #Replace com.anydesk.Anydesk with actual package name installed