# Open a remote terminal

The remote terminal opens a command window on the remote computer in its own browser window, without taking over the screen. When your plan includes **Terminal history** (part of Blink Pro), everything shown in a terminal is recorded as a transcript you can replay later.

| Where | Shells | Runs as |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Access device (Windows) | PowerShell, Command Prompt | **SYSTEM (full control)**, or **Signed-in user (standard rights)** |
| Support session, Windows | PowerShell, Command Prompt | **Customer**, or an administrator shell once the session is elevated (shown as **SYSTEM (session is elevated)** or **Administrator (elevated)**) |
| Support session, Mac | Login shell (the customer's own shell, zsh on a standard Mac) | **Customer** |

## Who can use it

The terminal needs its own permission: **Terminal (access)** for devices, **Terminal (support)** for support sessions. These permissions are only granted by a role that names them explicitly. Out of the box, only the **Owner** role has them; the Admin and Technician starter roles do not. An administrator can add them to a custom role (see [Roles and permissions](/configure/roles/)).

Your plan must also include **Remote terminal**. If it does not, the **Terminal** button does not appear, and a terminal window opened anyway says **The remote terminal is not included in your plan.**

Running a support terminal as administrator also needs **Run as admin (support)** and an elevated session (see [Run as administrator](/use/run-as-administrator/)). Until the session is elevated, the option is greyed out.

## Open a terminal on an Access device

1. In the console, open **Access**.
2. On the device's row, select the terminal button to open a terminal with your last choice (PowerShell as SYSTEM the first time). Or select the arrow next to it and choose **Open as…** to pick.
3. In **Open a terminal**, choose the **Shell** and **Run as**:
   - **SYSTEM (full control)**.
   - **Signed-in user (standard rights)**: runs as the user without elevation, with their registry settings and mapped drives. If several users are signed in, pick the Windows session.
4. Select **Open terminal**.

The terminal opens in a new browser window. You can also open one from the **Terminal** button in an Access session's viewer toolbar, or from the device's details.

## Open a terminal in a support session

1. Confirm the customer's computer in the viewer first.
2. Select **Terminal** in the toolbar, or the arrow next to it and **Open as…**.
3. Choose the **Shell** and **Run as**: **Customer**, or the administrator option once the session is elevated. Then select **Open terminal**.

The customer sees that a command window is open and who opened it, and can close it with **Close command windows** at any time. See [What your customer sees](/use/what-customers-see/#files-and-command-windows).

## Work in the terminal

Copy and paste work like a normal terminal. Select **Keys** in the terminal's bar for the full list; see also [Keyboard shortcuts](/use/keyboard-shortcuts/#remote-terminal).

- Right-click copies the selection, or pastes when nothing is selected.
- Press Esc twice to move focus out of the terminal.
- Ctrl+W, Ctrl+T and Ctrl+N belong to your browser. Leaving the page asks first.
- **Screen reader** exposes the terminal text to assistive technology.
- **End** closes the shell and everything it runs.

To get back to a terminal you already opened, use the arrow next to the terminal button: **Your open terminals** lists them. A device's details list every open terminal on it, with **Close** where you are allowed to close it.

## Limits

- Up to 3 terminals per device or support session, and 10 per technician.
- A terminal closes after 30 minutes without input. Output does not count; a warning appears 2 minutes before.
- A terminal with no window attached for 2 minutes closes.
- Ending a support session closes its terminals.

## Transcripts

When your plan includes **Terminal history**, every terminal is recorded: the terminal button's tooltip reads **Open a terminal (recorded)** and the picker says **Everything shown in this terminal is recorded.** Without it, the button reads **Open a terminal**, the terminal still opens, and no transcript is kept. See [Understand your plan and its limits](/configure/plans-and-limits/#blink-core-and-blink-pro).

Transcripts appear in **Recordings** with a **Terminals** filter, and in the session player's **Terminals** list. See [Play and manage recordings](/use/recordings/#terminal-transcripts).

Deleting a session or its recording keeps its terminal transcripts. Each transcript is deleted on its own. Transcripts made earlier stay available after a plan change.