Many users wonder if you can use Chrome Remote Desktop and Wake on LAN feature to wake up a remote PC. It may not be as simple as you think, and this guide will explain why.

Can Chrome Remote Desktop wake up a sleeping computer?

No, once your PC is put to sleep, Chrome Remote Desktop cannot wake it up. However, there are a few workarounds you can use to wake up your PC.

How can I use Wake on LAN with Chrome Remote Desktop?

1. Enable Wake on LAN in BIOS

1. Restart your PC and keep pressing F2 Or Del to access the BIOS.
2. Then go to Advanced mode.
3. Select Advance then choose APM setup.
4. Together Power on via PCI-E has Enabled.
   
5. Save the changes and reboot.

Keep in mind that these steps will be different depending on your motherboard model, so it is advisable to consult your manual to see how to enable it.

2. Enable Wake on LAN in Device Manager

1. Press the Windows + key X and choose device Manager.
   
2. Next, locate your Ethernet adapter and double-click it.
3. Go to Advanced and set Wake up to the magic package has Enabled.
   
4. Then go to Power management and make sure that only Allow this device to wake the computer And Only allow a magic packet to wake up the computer are verified.
   
5. Click ALL RIGHT to save the changes.

If you’re having trouble with these steps, we have a complete guide on how to enable Wake on local network in Windows 11.

After that, you just need to install a remote PC wake-up software on another computer on the same network and you are good to go. If you want to remotely wake up a PC that is not on the same network, you need to follow another step.

3. Adjust your router configuration

1. Log in to your router’s configuration page.
2. Go to the port forwarding section.
   
3. Before you begin, you need to determine the IP address of your device. In this example, our address was 192.168.1.2but it may be different on your PC.
4. In the Port Forwarding section, set the IP address to the one from the previous step, but change the last number to 255. In our example, it is 192.168.1.255.
5. Set the port to 7 and the protocol to UDP.
6. If available, configure a Dynamic DNS on your router to ensure that even if your IP address changes, you can still send the Wake on LAN signal.
   

This is an advanced solution and not all routers support this feature. It is therefore advisable to consult the manual of your router before using it.

4. Use WakeOnLAN software

1. Download Wake on LAN Or AlarmMeOnLAN.
2. Configure the software to work with your PC. You will need your IP address or dynamic DNS address, subnet mask, MAC address, and forwarded port number.
3. Once the software is configured, you should be able to wake the PC remotely from any device.

As you can see, Chrome Remote Desktop does not support Wake on LAN, so you need to use the workarounds above to enable this feature, forward the ports, and then wake up the remote PC with another tool.

Only after that you will be able to log in to Chrome Remote Desktop. This is one of the flaws of this software, and why many users choose Chrome Remote Desktop Alternatives instead.

Speaking of which, did you know that you can use Chrome Remote Desktop with Multiple Accounts? That’s right, and we have a guide that shows you how to do it.

Milan Stanojevic

Windows Troubleshooting Expert

Milan has been passionate about technology since childhood, which led him to be interested in all PC-related technology. He is a computer enthusiast and spends most of his time learning about computers and technology. Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. He is now one of the troubleshooting experts on our global team, specializing in Windows errors and software issues.