PDQ expands remote device management with live access and troubleshooting tools. PDQ announced new live device access capabilities designed to help IT administrators troubleshoot and manage remote Windows and macOS devices with minimal disruption to end users. The enhancements include remote shell and live file explorer functionality, allowing administrators to investigate and resolve device issues in real time without interrupting employee workflows. PDQ also introduced automatic remote desktop agent deployment, enabling administrators to establish full remote desktop control when additional troubleshooting is required. IT teams frequently encounter device issues without immediately knowing the cause or fix. A one-off command works well when an administrator knows what they want to check or do, but troubleshooting often requires following the evidence: running a command, reviewing the result, and deciding what to investigate next. Opening a remote desktop session can provide that access but may unnecessarily disrupt the end user. PDQ's new live tools give administrators an interactive, less intrusive way to investigate issues. Compare VPNs Remote shell opens an interactive terminal directly inside of PDQ, giving administrators real-time output as they navigate directories, run commands, and follow an investigation wherever it leads. Live file explorer lets administrators browse and search a device's file system, retrieve logs, and upload, download, or delete files without accessing the user's screen - again, without leaving the PDQ interface. When the task does require full desktop control, a new setting can automatically install the remote desktop agent across existing devices and future enrollments. Offline devices receive the agent after they reconnect and check in. "IT teams shouldn't have to take over someone's screen every time they need to investigate a device," said Mark Littlefield, VP of Product at PDQ. "Remote shell and live file explorer give administrators a way to work behind the scenes, understand what's happening, and escalate to remote desktop only when the screen is actually necessary." PDQ's new live device capabilities include: * Remote shell: Open a live terminal, run commands, and respond to output in real time as you investigate, without taking over the user's screen. * Live file explorer: Browse and search a device's live file system, upload or download files, retrieve logs, and delete files without launching remote desktop. * Automatic remote desktop agent deployment: Automatically install the remote desktop agent on existing devices and future enrollments, including offline devices when they next check in. Together, these capabilities give administrators more ways to match how they access a device to the task at hand. They can investigate through a live terminal or file explorer without taking over the user's screen or leaving PDQ, then move to remote desktop when visual access is necessary - with the remote desktop agent already installed and ready when they need it. Compare Wireless From there, administrators can use what they learn to take action in PDQ, whether that means running a command, deploying a fix, or building an automation for other affected devices. Additional October feature updates. * PDQ's October release also includes dashboard improvements, expanded AI capabilities, and several features entering early access: * Expanded AI assistant: Now in open early access, the expanded AI assistant can use supported package, deployment, and device context to help explain deployment results and investigate device issues. It can break down deployment output, connect results with relevant device information, and suggest targeted diagnostics when more evidence is needed. Administrators must review and approve actions before anything runs on a device. * Dashboard enhancements: Administrators can show or hide widgets, change their order, and resize them. New and updated views include a most vulnerable devices widget, a configurable low-disk-space threshold, and a more compact operating system patching visualization. * Closed early access features: Managed Software Center, Software Policies v1, and role-based access controls for device actions are entering closed early access. Frequently asked questions. What live device access features did PDQ announce? PDQ announced remote shell, live file explorer, and automatic remote desktop agent deployment. Remote shell and live file explorer give administrators new ways to investigate and work on devices without taking over the user's screen, while automatic agent deployment helps ensure remote desktop is ready when full visual access is necessary. Train Managers Do remote shell and file explorer take over the user's screen? No. Both features allow administrators to work in the background without opening a remote desktop session or controlling the user's screen. How is remote shell different from running a command or using remote desktop? Commands are useful when an administrator already knows what needs to run. Remote shell provides an interactive terminal for exploring a problem and reviewing output in real time. Remote desktop is appropriate when the administrator needs to see or interact with the device's graphical interface. What can administrators do with live file explorer? Administrators can browse and search a device's file system, upload or download files, retrieve logs, and delete files without opening a remote desktop session. The initial release supports transferring one file at a time and applies file-size limits. What does automatic remote desktop agent deployment do? The setting automatically installs the remote desktop agent on existing devices and future enrollments. If a device is offline, installation begins after it reconnects and checks in. Which operating systems and PDQ plans support the new live tools? Remote shell and live file explorer support managed Windows and macOS devices. Remote shell, live file explorer, and automatic remote desktop agent deployment are available with PDQ Plus and Premium. Try Cloud Tools

PDQ helps IT teams work behind the scenes with new live device tools. October 15, 2026, 14:00 GMT Remote shell and live file explorer help admins investigate devices without taking over the user's screen SALT LAKE CITY, UT, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ - PDQ announced new live device access capabilities that give admins more ways to directly interact with remote devices, troubleshoot issues, and take action without immediately interrupting the end user. Remote shell and live file explorer give administrators direct access to investigate Windows and macOS devices in real time and in the background, enabling many device issues to be resolved with no end user disruption. IT teams frequently encounter device issues without immediately knowing the cause or fix. A one-off command works well when an administrator knows what they want to check or do, but troubleshooting often requires following the evidence: running a command, reviewing the result, and deciding what to investigate next. Opening a remote desktop session can provide that access but may unnecessarily disrupt the end user. PDQ's new live tools give administrators an interactive, less intrusive way to investigate issues. Remote shell opens an interactive terminal directly inside of PDQ, giving administrators real-time output as they navigate directories, run commands, and follow an investigation wherever it leads. Live file explorer lets administrators browse and search a device's file system, retrieve logs, and upload, download, or delete files without accessing the user's screen - again, without leaving the PDQ interface. "IT teams shouldn't have to take over someone's screen every time they need to investigate a device," said Mark Littlefield, VP of Product at PDQ. "Remote shell and live file explorer give administrators a way to work behind the scenes, understand what's happening, and escalate to remote desktop only when the screen is actually necessary." PDQ's new live device capabilities include: - Remote shell: Open a live terminal, run commands, and respond to output in real time as you investigate, without taking over the user's screen. - Live file explorer: Browse and search a device's live file system, upload or download files, retrieve logs, and delete files without launching remote desktop. Together, these capabilities give administrators more ways to match how they access a device to the task at hand. They can investigate through a live terminal or file explorer without taking over the user's screen or leaving PDQ, then move to remote desktop when visual access is necessary. From there, administrators can use what they learn to take action in PDQ, whether that means running a command, deploying a fix, or building an automation for other affected devices. Additional October feature updates PDQ's October release also includes dashboard improvements, expanded AI capabilities, and several features entering early access: Expanded AI assistant: Now in open early access, the expanded AI assistant can use supported package, deployment, and device context to help explain deployment results and investigate device issues. It can break down deployment output, connect results with relevant device information, and suggest targeted diagnostics when more evidence is needed. Administrators must review and approve actions before anything runs on a device. Dashboard enhancements: Administrators can show or hide widgets, change their order, and resize them. New and updated views include a most vulnerable devices widget, a configurable low-disk-space threshold, and a more compact operating system patching visualization. Frequently asked questions What live device access features did PDQ announce? PDQ announced remote shell and live file explorer. Remote shell and live file explorer give administrators new ways to investigate and work on devices without taking over the user's screen. Do remote shell and file explorer take over the user's screen? No. Both features allow administrators to work in the background without opening a remote desktop session or controlling the user's screen. How is remote shell different from running a command or using remote desktop? Commands are useful when an administrator already knows what needs to run. Remote shell provides an interactive terminal for exploring a problem and reviewing output in real time. Remote desktop is appropriate when the administrator needs to see or interact with the device's graphical interface. What can administrators do with live file explorer? Administrators can browse and search a device's file system, upload or download files, retrieve logs, and delete files without opening a remote desktop session. The initial release supports transferring one file at a time and applies file-size limits. Which operating systems and PDQ plans support the new live tools? Remote shell and live file explorer support managed Windows and macOS devices. Remote shell and live file explorer are available with PDQ Plus and Premium. PDQ builds IT management tools that are simple, secure, and pretty damn quick. Trusted by system administrators, MSPs, and IT professionals worldwide, PDQ is an autonomous endpoint management solution for Windows and macOS devices, supporting patching, software deployment, and vulnerability management. Founded in 2001 and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, PDQ serves over 33,000 customers and has received G2 Leader and High Performer awards across Endpoint Management, Patch Management, and Remote Support. Learn more at pdq.com. Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. You just read: October 15, 2026, 14:00 GMT EIN Presswire's priority is author transparency. We do our best to weed out false and misleading content. The content above is the sole responsibility of the author who makes it available. If you have any complaints, kindly contact the author above. Meredith Kreisa

PDQ names Jeff Pinkston chief technology officer. Former Microsoft engineering leader brings 25+ years of experience in endpoint management, security and enterprise software to PDQ. PDQ has named Jeff Pinkston its chief technology officer, bringing to the company an engineering leader with decades of experience building and leading device management and security products. As CTO, Pinkston will lead PDQ's technology strategy and help accelerate the company's endpoint management capabilities across patching, software deployment, vulnerability management, and remote device management. His experience building enterprise-scale device management and security platforms will support PDQ as it continues expanding the tools IT teams use to manage, secure, and automate their environments. "Jeff has spent over a decade running engineering for one of the biggest device management platforms IT admins use every day," said Dan Cook, CEO of PDQ. "His depth of experience makes him the right engineering leader for a company of our stage and size, and I'm confident his experience will make our products better for the people actually using them." Pinkston joins PDQ after 24 years at Microsoft, most recently as vice president and general manager of Defender for Office, where he led product and engineering for security tools protecting email, Teams, and Office 365. He previously spent more than 11 years with Microsoft Intune, advancing from group engineering manager to director before leading all of Intune engineering. Before Intune, Pinkston led engineering for the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, a collection of patching and deployment tools for Windows devices. The experience closely aligns with PDQ's focus on helping IT teams keep environments patched, deployed and under control. Pinkston started his career in consulting at Deloitte. In some of his first projects, he was the IT administrator helping organizations establish IT tools and processes for managing devices. "I've spent a large part of my career on the tools IT admins depend on," said Pinkston. "PDQ builds for the people actually doing the work to make it easy and fast - that's unique and special. I look forward to bringing my experiences to our customers."