This script generates a new AnyDesk ID (Windows only for now, I'm working on the Linux one) by deleting the directories where AnyDesk stores it's ID data (C:\ProgramData\AnyDesk
in Windows, /root/.anydesk
and/or /etc/anydesk
in Linux). It also deletes all the AnyDesk user profiles from local users, since the AnyDesk ID is also copied in the user profiles (C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\AnyDesk
in Windows, /home/<username>/.anydesk
in Linux).
Some people might call this method destructive (sice it destroys all AnyDesk settings, including history, recent sessions, etc.), but I call it failsafe. Yes, the AnyDesk ID is stored in system.conf
(located in the AnyDesk system wide directory, C:\ProgramData\AnyDesk
for Windows, /root/.anydesk
and/or /etc/anydesk
for Linux), but I've had cases where I've deleted the system.conf
file and the ID just wouldn't change. The "nuke everything" method has proven to be most effective. Yes, it deletes all of the settings you might have changed in AnyDesk from the defaults, but at least you get a fresh new ID.
You have to run the script as an administrator in Windows (right click --> Run as administrator
) or as root in Linux (first you need to give the script execution privileges, chmod +x /path/to/script
).
If you'd like to get rid of the commercial use nags and disconnects, use an older version of AnyDesk (6.0.8 for Windows, 6.0.1 for Linux and 6.0.1 for FreeBSD). Yes, I know about the AnyDesk server breach, but data (and passwords) regarding AnyDesk's clients are stored on the devices where AnyDesk is running, not on AnyDesk's servers (yes, they do actually know storing them on the servers as well is not good practice). The new signature keys AnyDesk rolled out were a precaution (I'm still trying to understand from what... if you hold nothing but user IDs, there is nothing to fear... probably a PR stunt to keep the public at ease) and in all real world scenarios, there is no way anyone could actually connect to your PC without knowing the password... brute forcing comes to mind, but that will probably take a very very long time (even if they use Tor... we're talking years or decades here, depending on your password's complexity). And I seriously doubt anyone would bother with brute forcing someone's AnyDesk ID just to prove a point (there are other simpler ways to breach a target).
If it brings you any piece of mind, I'm still using 6.0.8 on all my Windows installs and 6.0.1 on all my Linux installs. No, I'm not planing on upgrading them. AnyDesk got enshitified, same as all of the ones before it, end of story (everything with a financial incentive does eventually). I'll run those till they stop being supported and probably consider switching to another remote client afterwards.