Remote Desktop 1.2.1 to 1.2.4: How to Configure Remotely via Command Line (kickstart)

Learn about the command line utility named "kickstart," which you can use to configure Apple Remote Desktop.

Note: This document does not apply to ARD version 1.2 or earlier or version 2.0 or later.
Remote Desktop 1.2.1 and later includes the "kickstart" command line utility. It allows you to install, uninstall, activate, configure, and/or restart components of Apple Remote Desktop without restarting the computer. You can configure all the features found in Apple Remote Desktop preferences.

The kickstart utility is saved here:

/System/Library/CoreServices/ARD Agent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart

To use the kickstart utility, administrative permissions are required. To begin using the kickstart utility, use the sudo command, such as:

# sudo '/System/Library/CoreServices/ARD Agent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart' -restart -agent

Note: All commands presented in this document should be typed as one line of text, though some of them may appear wrapped in your browser. To see the commands as one line, you may temporarily decrease text size in your browser or copy them to another application.

1. Activate Remote Desktop Sharing, enable access privileges for all users, restart ARD Agent:

# sudo '/System/Library/CoreServices/ARD Agent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart' -activate -configure -access -on -restart -agent -privs -all

2. Activate Remote Desktop Sharing, enable access privileges for the users "admin", grant full privileges for the users "admin", restart ARD Agent and Menu extra:

# sudo '/System/Library/CoreServices/ARD Agent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart' -activate -configure -access -on -users admin -privs -all -restart -agent -menu

Note: The -users flag should reference the shortname of a user of the system.

3. Activate Remote Desktop Sharing, disable access privileges for all users:

# sudo '/System/Library/CoreServices/ARD Agent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart' -activate -configure -access -off

Tip: For more information about using the kickstart command, add the -help
flag. For example:

# sudo '/System/Library/CoreServices/ARD Agent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart' -help

Published Date: Oct 11, 2016