When a person can’t reach the service center or can not send large files of data, that’s when services like Quick Assist and Remote Assistance comes in handy. They are great when it comes to teaching a large group online. Quick Assist and Remote Assistance are some of the best products of technology in modern times.
Microsoft Quick Assist vs Remote Assistance
The main difference between Microsoft Quick Assist and Remote Assistance is that Quick Assist is a general service provided by Microsoft to share computer screens with others. On the other hand, Remote Assistance is a service that is used by office workers to invite a technician to fix problems within the concerning device.
Microsoft Quick Assist is a widely known application that runs on windows enabling users to make connections or share devices with another user’s device using a remote connection. Microsoft Quick Assist allows users to share the computer screen with full control. If a person wants others to only see his screen but not make any annotations, he can easily do that over Quick Assist.
When it comes to Remote Assistance, people know it as a service that provides technical support, not concerning distance. Remote Assistance is typically used a lot in the office or workplace where the person facing issues within his computer can invite a technician to fix them. Just like Quick Assist, Remote Assistance also allows users to share screens.
Comparison Table Between Microsoft Quick Assist and Remote Assistance
| Parameters Of Comparison | Microsoft Quick Assist | Remote Assistance |
| Year of launch | The Quick Assist feature of Microsoft came in the year 2016. | Remote Assistance is also one of the features of Microsoft that was introduced in 2010. |
| Developed for | Quick Assist feature was developed by Microsoft for Windows XP for the first time. | The remote Assistance feature was also developed by Microsoft for Windows Vista. |
| Uses | Microsoft Quick Assist is generally used for sharing computer screens with others over remote connection. | Microsoft Remote Assistance is used to request assistance by inviting technicians over the internet. |
| Operating system | Microsoft Quick Assist can be operated on every operating system that can support other Microsoft applications. | Remote Assistance can make connections between windows 7 to windows 7, windows 7 to Windows Vista. |
| Time limit | When it comes to Microsoft Quick Assist, users have a time limit of 10 minutes to enter code and establish a connection. | Since Remote Assistance is required for maintenance, there is no particular time limit of sessions. |
What is Microsoft Quick Assist?
A quick Assist software application developed by Microsoft that facilitates its users to share the screen of laptops, desktop computers, cell phones, tablets with other people to get required assistance over a remote connection. A person can choose if he wants another person to only see his screen or to make changes.
The main advantage of Quick Assist is that a person can assist the person or colleagues without physically touching the unit. Microsoft Quick Assist follows the RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol), which is a proprietary protocol to help users make connections using a graphical interface. Windows Remote Assistance was a similar service provider application before Quick Assist was introduced.
Windows XP was the first Operating system to support the Quick Assist feature. Back then it was based on remote desktop technology. The main task performed by Remote Assistance was to send and save invitations, provide support by emailing, transferring multiple files, etc. Then, Remote Assistance was upgraded for Windows Vista. The latest update of Quick Assist was announced by Microsoft in 2021 by introducing a more business-friendly version.
The notable feature in this upgrade is Conditional Access, UAC Elevation, Branding, Remote Assistance Sessions Reports, Roles Based Authentication, etc. The slogan for Quick Assist is Get assistance, Give Assistance.
What is Remote Assist?
Remote Assistance is considered to be Collaborative repair and maintenance. Remote Assistance has made it possible to provide technical support from different locations. The general procedure of Remote Assistance is that the host sends an invitation to the technician or other person required to join and permits them to log in.
Without the consent of the host, no one can log in or get access to a computer display. With the allowance of the host, a remote user can open certain files and utilize information from the host computer. To input the data, the remote user uses a keyboard and mouse. In the IT sector, Remote Assistance is very beneficial and time saving where the professional can solve problems by checking the system and running various scans.
When the technician gets an invitation from the host he should accept it to obtain access to the host computer. It completely depends on the host if he wants to give full access to the technician or just want the technician to assist him by monitoring the screen. To end the connection, both parties should turn off the session.
Both parties involved in the connection are called remote stations. Some people also say that is not safe allowing others to take the control of the screen since it has the potential to deliver serious damage.
Main Differences Between Microsoft Quick Assist and Remote Assistance
- Microsoft Quick Assist offers people to share their screen using a remote connection while Remote Assistance provides screen sharing facilities using the internet.
- Microsoft Quick Assist has a time limit of certain minutes when establishing the connection between devices while Remote Assistance doesn’t have a time limit.
- Microsoft Quick Assist can be used for ordinary purposes by people. Remote Assistance, on the other hand, is mostly used by office workers.
- Microsoft Quick Assist is a service that can be installed in various types of operating systems while Remote Assistance is supported by specific operating systems.
- Microsoft Quick Assist is a product of Microsoft that came out in the year 2016. Remote Assistance, on the other hand, was introduced in 2010.
Conclusion
Screen sharing is also known as a visual aid and it is very advantageous in business meetings. Screen sharing helps the presenter to describe his point of view to others in a convenient way. It is used in virtual business meetings to keep all the attendees well-informed about what’s exactly happening.
Another major benefit of screen sharing is to get technical issues fixed without going place to place. A computer expert can help users to fix the issues they are facing without touching a single piece of hardware.
These were the main reasons for developing application services like Quick Assist and Remote Assistance. They have been proved secure and beneficial to make connections between the device to device.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167739X13000265
- https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/2807442.2807497