Your guide to managed devices in TeamViewer

As a TeamViewer user, you might have seen the term Managed devices somewhere. Maybe you’ve even noticed an option to switch to the improved Device Management.

But which devices are managed? And what are the benefits of upgrading your Device Management?

This article covers these questions and more. Keep reading to become a device management expert!

In this article:

• What are managed devices?
• Why do I need managed devices?
• Where can I find my managed devices?
• What is the new Device Management?
• Why should I switch to the new Device Management?
• Okay, how can I switch?
• Summary

What are managed devices?

In TeamViewer, managed devices are devices that are assigned to your company or your account. Managing them means performing administrative actions, such as adding them to device groups or assigning them policies to define access permissions or enforce certain settings.

A managed device can be any Windows, macOS, or Linux device running the full TeamViewer app or TeamViewer Host. Android devices running TeamViewer Host and IoT devices always count as managed devices.

Devices in your TeamViewer device list that aren’t managed devices (i.e., aren’t assigned to your company or account) are called bookmarked devices. Bookmarking a device means adding it to your device list manually by saving its TeamViewer ID. This lets you connect quickly to the device, but you won’t be able to manage it.

Learn more: Bookmarked vs. managed devices

Why do I need managed devices?

Managed devices are great because they give you lots of options to administer your IT fleet.

With managed devices, you can:

• Organize your devices in your device list and add them to device groups.
• Provide unattended remote support when no one is present on the remote side.
• Assign policies to define access permissions and enable or disable certain settings.
• Wake sleeping devices remotely using Wake-On-LAN.

Learn more: Managed Devices - General information

Where can I find my managed devices?

You might already be using managed devices! This is where you’d find them:

If you’re using TeamViewer Remote (the new TeamViewer app):

• Go to the Devices view.
• Click on All devices.

If you’re using the classic TeamViewer app:

• Go to the Management Console.
• Open the Company administration view.
• Click on Managed Devices

What is the new Device Management?

When you’re busy providing much-needed IT support, you need admin work, like managing remote devices, to be as quick and easy as possible. That’s why we’ve built an improved Device Management system that speeds up administrative processes and gives you just the right amount of flexibility.

The new system assigns your devices to your company rather than individual user accounts. That means your team can access and manage the same device fleet together, with each team member using their own TeamViewer account.

At the same time, it gives you full control by letting you manage access permissions both at the device and user levels. For instance, you can enable Easy access for a specific set of devices and disable it for the rest. Or you can grant certain users admin rights, e.g., allow them to assign policies.

Another key aspect is that the improved Device Management has its own dedicated area within the TeamViewer app. No more switching back and forth between the desktop app and the Management Console! To get to your managed devices, simply go to the Devices view in TeamViewer Remote.

Why should I switch to the new Device Management?

The improved Device Management helps improve your workflow, no matter if you’re an admin or a support specialist. Here’s an overview of the key benefits.

Benefits for admins:

• Easier teamwork: Assign devices and device groups to your company to improve collaboration and ensure uninterrupted device access—even when the primary admin is unavailable.
• Granular access management: Centrally deploy, manage, and enforce access permissions and settings across your devices.
• Higher productivity: Assign granular user permissions to ensure everyone has the access they need to get the job done.
• Everything in one place: Manage all devices from the Admin settings tab, including user management, reporting, and policy assignment.

Benefits for supporters:

• Seamless access: Use Easy Access to control devices remotely without the hassle or security risks of entering IDs and passwords.
• Optimized workflow: Get quick access to the information you need with flexible column configurations, sorting options, and tailored views.

Okay, how can I switch?

Yay—seems like you’re ready to make the switch!

To benefit from the improved Device Management, you need to migrate your assigned devices. Despite how it sounds, your devices aren’t actually going anywhere. Migrating them just means updating each device individually to the new system.

Before you start the migration process, ensure that:

• Each device is running TeamViewer 15.36 or a newer version.
• Each device is assigned (the “old” way) to your user account.
• Each device is online; offline devices will migrate as soon as they come back online.

You can either run the automatic migration or migrate your devices and device groups manually.

Get the full step-by-step guide for switching to the improved Device Management at our Knowledge Base.