# Run a support session

A support session connects you to a customer's Windows PC or Mac for one job. You create a code in the console, the customer types it on your join page, downloads the support tool and runs it. When the session ends, the tool closes and nothing stays installed.

## Create a Support code

1. In the console, open **Sessions**.
2. Select **Support code**.
3. In **New Support code**, fill in the optional details:
   - **Label**: a note that helps you tell sessions apart, for example *Printer at front desk*.
   - **Group**: if your role lets you create sessions only in certain groups, you must pick one of them. If you can create sessions across the organization, the group is optional; it decides who else in your team can watch the session.
4. Select **Create code**.

The console shows the code under **Give the customer this code**, with **Copy code** and **Copy join link** buttons and the time the code expires if nobody uses it.

:::tip
In the **Overview** (all organizations), codes are created inside one organization. Choose the organization from **Support code in…** and the console switches to it and opens the dialog.
:::

The code format (digits or letters, and how long) is set by your administrator, so your codes may look different from the examples here.

## Get the customer connected

Tell the customer to:

1. Open your join page. It is your Blink address followed by `/join`, for example `https://yourname.onblink.cloud/join`. **Copy join link** copies it for you.
2. Type the code and select **Download the support tool**.
3. Open the download and follow the steps on the page.

The join page detects the customer's computer and serves the Windows tool or the Mac app. On an iPad it asks the customer to use a computer instead. Each code works once and expires on its own.

For the steps from the customer's side, including the Windows warning and the Mac permissions, see [What your customer sees](/use/what-customers-see/).

## Watch the connection come up

The Sessions list shows each session's connection as two lights: **Agent** (the customer's side) and **Tech** (your side). Hover a light, or select the session to open its details, to read its state.

| Agent state | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| waiting for customer | The code exists but the tool has not connected yet. |
| connected | The customer's computer is connected. |
| reconnecting | The connection dropped and Blink is waiting for it to come back. |
| disconnected | The session is over. |

The cards above the list count **Agents connected**, **Technicians viewing**, **Waiting for customer** and **Reconnecting**.

When the agent side turns green, select **View**. The viewer opens in a new tab.

## Confirm it is the right computer

Before your mouse, keyboard, clipboard or files reach the computer, the viewer asks **Is this your customer's computer?** and shows:

- **Computer**: the computer's name.
- **Signed in**: the account signed in on it.
- **System**: the operating system.

Check the details with the customer, then select **Confirm and take control**. You can already see the screen and chat while the card is up; control, clipboard, file transfer, **Run as admin**, the terminal, **Install Access** and secret chat messages start only after you confirm.

:::caution
If the customer does not recognize the computer, do not confirm. End the session and create a new code.
:::

Each technician confirms for themselves. If the details change while the card is up, the viewer says **The computer changed. Check it again.** and shows the new details.

## Work in the session

Everything you can do in the viewer is covered in its own page:

- [Use the viewer](/use/viewer/)
- [Chat with the customer](/use/chat/), including secret messages for passwords and codes
- [Control the computer](/use/control-and-clipboard/)
- [Transfer files](/use/transfer-files/)
- [Run as administrator](/use/run-as-administrator/) (Windows)
- [Open a remote terminal](/use/remote-terminal/)
- [See the customer's phone camera with Blink View](/use/blink-view/), where you can also send the QR code to the customer's computer

Other technicians in your team can open the same session from **Sessions** with **View**, if their role allows it. A technician whose role lets them watch but not control sees **View only** in the toolbar.

## Turn a support session into an Access device

On a Windows computer you can install the unattended Access agent straight from a support session, so you can reach the computer again later without a code. Your role needs **Install Access**. Your plan must include **Unattended Access** and **Install Access from Support**, and have a free Access device (see [Access devices](/configure/plans-and-limits/#access-devices)).

1. In the viewer toolbar, select **Install Access**.
2. If Blink is not running as administrator yet, the panel says **The agent must run as administrator first.** Select **Run as admin** and follow [Run as administrator](/use/run-as-administrator/), then open **Install Access** again.
3. Choose a **Device group** if your role requires one.
4. Select **Install**.

Blink installs the Access service on the computer (it starts automatically with Windows) and enrolls it into your organization. The customer is not prompted. When it finishes, the button reads **Access installed** and **Open device in console** takes you to the new device. See [Connect to an Access device](/use/access-sessions/).

## End the session

You can end a session from either place:

- In the viewer, select **End**, then **End session**.
- In the console, open **Sessions** and select **End** on the session's row.

The support tool on the customer's computer closes and, if the session is recorded, the recording is finalized. The customer can also end the session themselves at any time from the banner, the tray icon or the Mac menu bar. The session's chat ends with it.

If the customer's computer loses its connection, Blink waits up to 2 minutes for it to come back before ending the session.

:::note
Closing the viewer tab does not end the session. The customer's tool stays connected until you or the customer end it, so you can reopen the viewer from **Sessions**.
:::

## After the session

Ended sessions stay in **Sessions**, with their recording when your plan includes **Session recording** and their log when it includes **Session timeline**. See [Review session history](/use/session-history/) and [Play and manage recordings](/use/recordings/).