Quick Assist: helping someone without opening a port
How the session is authorised, what the helper can and cannot do, and why an unsolicited request is always a scam.
Tested onPro (26H2) · Build 26300.9457 · x64
E1- Build
- 26300.9457
- Edition
- Pro (26H2)
- Architecture
- x64
- Support
- Documentation (E1)
- Evidence
- E1Official documentation
- Verified
- 2026-10-29
- Page type
- Task
The short answer
Section titled “The short answer”Quick Assist is an outbound, consent-based remote session:
- the person being helped starts it and shares a code;
- no port is opened, no inbound firewall rule needed;
- the helper is a guest in that one session — no persistent access.
It solves the “help my parents’ laptop” case that RDP solves badly.
How a session runs
Section titled “How a session runs”- Helper: Quick Assist → Assist another person → sign in (Microsoft account) → get a 6-digit code.
- User: Quick Assist → Assist someone → enter the code → Allow.
- The user sees the screen and can stop sharing at any time.
Two permission levels:
| Level | Helper can |
|---|---|
| View | watch the screen |
| Full control | move the mouse and type |
Full control still requires the user to be present and to have approved it — and they can revoke it mid-session.
# is Quick Assist installed?Get-AppxPackage MicrosoftCorporationII.QuickAssist | Select-Object Name,Version,StatusWhat the helper can and cannot do
Section titled “What the helper can and cannot do”| Can | Cannot |
|---|---|
| See the screen (view mode) | read your password fields silently |
| Control input (full control) | keep access after the session ends |
| Chat, annotate | install something without you watching |
| Restart the machine | reconnect without a new code |
It cannot bypass UAC: elevation prompts are on the secure desktop, which the guest cannot interact with. That is a feature.
When Quick Assist is the wrong tool
Section titled “When Quick Assist is the wrong tool”| Situation | Better |
|---|---|
| Unattended access to your own machine | RDP over VPN |
| Multiple machines, repeated sessions | a managed remote support tool |
| Old Windows/macOS/Linux peer | platform-specific alternatives |
| Bandwidth-constrained link | RDP or a lighter tool (Quick Assist is screen-share heavy) |
Practical hygiene for the person helping
Section titled “Practical hygiene for the person helping”- Confirm identity out of band — call the person, do not trust the caller ID.
- Never ask for a code from a stranger, only share your own.
- Do not type passwords for them; have them type and let you watch.
- End the session explicitly when finished.
Related
Section titled “Related”Lab boundary
Section titled “Lab boundary”E1. Quick Assist behaviour is documented by Microsoft. The lab has no second user to pair with, so no session was established.