Remote machines

Work with agents on another computer or a Vato Connect machine from Vato Desktop, and add projects on that machine.

From Vato Desktop, you can chat with agents on your other machines: another computer running Vato Desktop, or a server running Vato Connect. The files stay on that machine; you drive the conversation from here.

Before you start

The other machine must be:

  • Signed in with the same Vato account as this computer.
  • Online: Vato Desktop open on it, or Vato Connect installed and signed in. See Install Vato Connect.

Open Remote conversations

Choose one of:

  • On the home screen, click Remote conversations.
  • In the conversation sidebar, open the machine menu (Choose a computer) and pick the machine.

The machine menu lists This computer and your other machines, each marked Online or Offline. If it shows No other computer is connected to this account., open Vato or start Connect on the other machine.

Start a conversation on the remote machine

  1. Select the machine.
  2. Click New Agent. Vato lists the projects of that machine, most recent first.
  3. Pick a project and write your request, like in any conversation.

Add a project on the remote machine

To work on a folder the remote machine hasn't opened yet:

  1. Click the folder button at the top of the sidebar (Add a project on this machine), or choose New project in the project list.
  2. Vato opens Open a project on machine, a folder browser of the remote machine:
    • Favorites gives quick access to the home folder and common folders such as Documents or Desktop.
    • Use Back, Forward and the path bar to move around, and Search to filter.
    • Git repositories are marked Git repository in the Kind column.
  3. Select a folder and click Open.

The project opens in the background on the remote machine, and Vato creates a conversation in it.

What the browser can and can't show:

  • Only folders inside the machine's home folder. The home folder itself can't become a project: Vato asks you to Pick a folder inside your home folder.
  • Only folders. File names and hidden folders are never shared.
  • At most the first 500 folders of a location.

The browsing is end-to-end encrypted and only answers desktops signed in to your own account, never a teammate's.

Which account runs the agent on a Connect machine

On a workspace hosted by Vato Connect, new conversations use a Claude or Codex account from your Vato Desktop. The agent runs on your account while the files stay on the remote machine.

Choose an explicit account for these conversations. Vato can't use Current CLI login with a Connect machine. If no account is available, add one in Settings → Providers.

SSH connections

The SSH connection entry on the home screen isn't available yet. To work on a server today, install Vato Connect on it and use it as a remote machine.