Now you can access your Mac or Windows PC from Android devices

Google added a remote desktop extension to its Chrome web store a while back, but its getting more useful with the release of Chrome Remote Desktop for Android. This app works like any number of other remote access solutions, except with much less setup and a fairly basic feature set.

Chrome Remote Desktop first launched out of beta in October 2012, but it only let you remotely access your machine from another laptop or computer. With the app release, you can now do so the same thing from your Android device. There have been rumors of an iOS version coming as well, but Google didn’t reveal anything about such an app today.

It works pretty simply — download the apps for Chrome and Android (via the Play Store and Chrome Web Store, links below), setting it up on the desktop first. A security code is given for authorization to access your computer, which must be referenced back to your mobile device. From there, it’s smooth sailing, and your Android device acts like a full-fledged remote access point for your computer.

We will caution that CRD asks that you allow some things you may not have been utilizing in the ability to allow devices to access your computer remotely. The Chrome Remote Desktop app for Chrome does a good job of walking you through it all, but keep in mind you may want/need to enable and disable features each time you wish to use it.

“Chrome Remote Desktop has let you remotely access your machine from another laptop or computer in a free, easy and secure way. And now, with the release of the Chrome Remote Desktop app for Android, we’re making it possible for you to do the same thing from your Android device,” said remotely controlled product manager Husain Bengali in a blog.

The app, sized 2.1MB, is now available for download on Google Play Store. Company is also making it's iOS version.