Using Remote Control

The ability to remote control and view your devices is a fundamental feature of SOTI MobiControl. It offers you the ability to troubleshoot device issues without requiring devices to return for an in-person inspection, thus reducing downtime. SOTI MobiControl supports two methods of remote control: web-based or using plugin.

This section consists of the following topics:

Restriction: Certain devices have restrictions regarding remote control:
  • Android Enterprise managed devices must have an Android Enterprise plugin installed to use remote control.
  • Android Enterprise Work Profile and iOS devices can only be remote viewed. Device users can operate the device while the SOTI MobiControl administrator watches.
  • Zebra Android Enterprise devices do not require a plugin to support remote control. However, when you establish a remote-control session via the Zebra RC API, a pop-up appears on the device screen. The pop-up prompts the device user for a remote-control permission. You can suppress the pop-up can by API means on devices with MX 9.3 or later.
    Restriction: The suppression does not work on TC20 and TC25 devices.

Remotely Viewing iOS Devices

You can remotely view an iOS device enrolled into SOTI MobiControl in one of the following ways:

  • Use a SOTI MobiControl Device Agent or a SOTI MobiControl SDK-enabled application (see Remotely Viewing iOS Devices via Device Agent or Application)—this way, you can view an iOS device with no intervention from the device user. However, you can view only the SOTI MobiControl Device Agent and applications that embed the SOTI MobiControl SDK. The latter include SOTI's applications, such as SOTI Hub and SOTI Surf. It also includes the customers' proprietary apps.
  • Important: Use Remote Screen Sharing (see Remotely Viewing iOS Devices via Remote Screen Sharing)—this method requires the device user to start a Screen Recording session on their device. It enables you to view the entire device, including any application launched by the user.

Web-based

SOTI XSight is the default and preferred solution for SOTI MobiControl remote control sessions. It is fully integrated with SOTI MobiControl and supplements remote control sessions with tools for logging and organizing issues.

SOTI XSight is a separate product from SOTI MobiControl that you must install before you can use it to remote control your devices.

See SOTI XSight Help for information on using SOTI XSight. Once you set upSOTI XSight, initiating a remote control session in SOTI MobiControl opens SOTI XSight in a new browser tab or window.

Downloadable Plugin

In SOTI MobiControl deployments where SOTI XSight is not installed, you can download a plugin to perform remote control sessions. This is a legacy method and you should only use this method where SOTI XSight is unavailable.