# Reach a computer away from its network

> Link a Zuse environment to your account and open it from a hosted browser or iPhone.

Canonical URL: https://docs.zuse.sh/how-to/remote-hosted-access



Link an existing environment to your Zuse account so an authenticated browser or iPhone can find and control it away from the local network.

## Applicability [#applicability]

Use this guide for the desktop app or an already-running Serve environment. Hosted access discovers and connects to a computer; it does not provision one, copy its repository, or install provider CLIs.

## Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

* The environment computer is online and can reach Zuse's identity and relay services.
* The desktop app or Zuse Serve is running on that computer.
* You can sign in to the same Zuse account on the environment and remote client.

## Steps [#steps]

### Link a desktop environment [#link-a-desktop-environment]

1. On the environment Mac, open **Settings → Devices**.

2. Under **Remote access**, enter an optional, recognizable computer name.

3. Choose **Set up remote access** and finish sign-in.

4. Wait until the card reports that the computer is ready.

For a headless Mac or Linux computer, run `npx @zusehq/serve` and complete the printed device authorization instead. See [operate a Serve host](/how-to/serve-operate-host.md).

### Connect from a browser [#connect-from-a-browser]

1. Open [code.zuse.sh](https://code.zuse.sh).
2. Sign in with the same account.
3. Choose the linked computer from the computer picker.

An online computer has a recent heartbeat. An offline computer remains listed but cannot execute work until its environment reconnects.

### Connect from iPhone [#connect-from-iphone]

1. Open **Settings → Remote access**.
2. Choose **Sign in for remote access**.
3. Sign in with the same account.
4. Choose an online computer.

The connected environment's chats then appear in the mobile inbox. Local pairing still works when you sign out of hosted access.

## Verification [#verification]

From the remote client, confirm that:

* the intended computer is marked **Online**;
* its projects and chats load; and
* opening an existing chat shows its current environment state.

On a Serve host, also run the installless status command:

```sh
npx @zusehq/serve status --json
```

Verify `reachable` is `true`, `environmentId` is not `null`, and `tunnel` is `configured`.

## Troubleshooting and recovery [#troubleshooting-and-recovery]

### No computers are listed [#no-computers-are-listed]

Confirm the environment finished linking and both clients use the same account. For Serve, check that you used the same data directory that was linked originally.

### The computer is offline [#the-computer-is-offline]

Wake the computer and start the desktop app or Serve service. Hosted access resumes when the environment's heartbeat returns.

### The account reached its computer limit [#the-account-reached-its-computer-limit]

Unlink an unused environment, then retry.

### The client reports an incompatible version [#the-client-reports-an-incompatible-version]

Update the desktop app or Serve runtime on the environment before reconnecting.

To remove hosted access from a desktop environment, choose **Turn off remote access**. On Serve, run `zuse serve logout`; it revokes the registration, stops the service, and preserves workspaces.