For people starting out

Just follow along

You do not need to know your way around a computer — there is no jargon here. Every step ends with “If it looks like this, it worked”so you can compare it with your screen and take your time.

What you need before you start

  • 1 A Windows PC one
  • 2 once, at the start An internet connection

That is 5 minutes. That alone gets you encoding, photo resizing, backup and the calendar.

If you plan to add another PC (optional)

  • + A Windows PC One more PC, switched on

Doing this opens up remote control, opening another PC’s files, and sending files between machines. You do not have to do it now — any time later just come back to steps 4 and 5.

  1. 1

    Download the installer

    Press the download button and one file is saved — at the bottom of your browser or in the Downloads folder.

    If the file is called IdleLink-Setup.exe you have the right one.

  2. 2

    If a blue warning appears — do not worry

    Double-click the file you downloaded and a blue warning windowmay appear. Nothing is broken. We are still registering our name with Microsoft, so it shows up as a program Windows has not seen before.

    Windows protected your PC

    Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting. Running this app might put your PC at risk.

    More info

    Don't run
    1

    Press More info and a Run anyway button appears.

    More infoand a Run anyway button appears. Press it and the install begins.

  3. 3

    Sign in

    When the install finishes you get a sign-in screen. Use your usual account. It is how this PC gets marked as yours, so you only do it once.

    If a menu appears down the left side after signing in, it worked.

  4. If you only have one PC, you are done here. Encoding, photo resizing, backup and the calendar all work now. Steps 4 and 5 below are only for adding another PC — and they can wait.

  5. 4

    Only when adding another PC

    Create a code on the first PC

    In the left menu open Invites, then in the My PCs box press Create code. A code of letters and numbers appears.

    When you see the code, press Copyand use it before it expires.

  6. 5

    Only when adding another PC

    Enter that code on the second PC

    Do steps 1 to 3on the second PC as well. Then, on the Invites screen, paste the code and press Connect.

    When it says connected, the two machines are one group.

  7. ✓

    That is it — this is what success looks like

    In the left menu open Connected PCsand it looks like this. The one in the middle is the PC you are using; the others around it are the machines you linked. The colour of each line tells you how it connected — blue is direct, green is going through a relay.

    To add more PCs, repeat steps 4 and 5.

What you can try now

Once they are linked, give these a go

01

Try a remote session

Choose Remote control in the left menu, pick the PC you want to see, and its screen appears.

02

Set up one backup

In Backup, choose your photo folder and the PC that should hold it. After that it runs on its own.

03

Invite a family PC

Family can be on a different account. In Invites, create an “Our PCs” code and hand it over.

When something does not work

These are the usual ones

I entered a code and it says the code has expired or does not exist

A code is only good for a short while. Create a fresh one on the first PC and try again. Also check which box you are using: your own machines go in “My PCs”, while family and friends go in “Our PCs · Guest”. Putting a code in the wrong box gives you this same message.

The second PC is not in the list

IdleLink has to be running on both machines. If you closed the window, click the icon near the clock at the bottom right to open it again. If it still does not show up, restart both PCs once.

I double-clicked the installer and nothing happened

The blue warning window may be hiding behind another one. Check the taskbar, then follow step 2 above — More info → Run anyway.

My internet is slow — does that matter?

Between PCs on the same router it makes no difference, because the files never go out to the internet — they go straight from one machine to the other.

If your problem is not here, tell us. Just say which screen you got stuck on.
Write to [email protected] and a person will read it.