AnyDesk Unattended Access Installer for Linux Mint

A Bash script that installs AnyDesk from the official repository on Linux Mint (and other Debian/Ubuntu-based systems) and sets a password for unattended access.

What it does

Verifies it is running as root on an apt-based system.
Gets the unattended access password (from an environment variable or an interactive prompt).
Adds the official AnyDesk apt repository and GPG signing key.
Installs AnyDesk and enables its systemd service.
Sets the unattended access password via stdin, so it never appears in the process list.
Prints the AnyDesk ID so you can connect right away.

Requirements

Linux Mint (tested target), or another Debian/Ubuntu-based distribution
Root access (sudo)
Internet access to keys.anydesk.com and deb.anydesk.com
An X11 desktop session (the Linux Mint default). AnyDesk does not support Wayland.

Usage

Make the script executable:

chmod +x install_anydesk_unattended.sh

Interactive

You will be prompted for the password twice (input is hidden):

sudo ./install_anydesk_unattended.sh

Non-interactive

Pass the password as an environment variable, useful for automation or deploying to multiple machines:

sudo ANYDESK_PASSWORD='your-long-password' ./install_anydesk_unattended.sh

Note that sudo VAR=value keeps the value out of the process arguments of the script, but it will still be stored in your shell history. Clear it afterwards, or read the value from a secrets manager or protected file instead:

sudo ANYDESK_PASSWORD="$(cat /root/anydesk_pw)" ./install_anydesk_unattended.sh

Output

On success the script prints something like:

AnyDesk installed and unattended access password set.
AnyDesk ID: 123456789

Use that ID and the password you set to connect from another AnyDesk client.

Password requirements

The script enforces a minimum of 10 characters. Use a long, unique password.

Security recommendations

Use a strong, unique password. An exposed AnyDesk ID with a weak password is a common way machines are compromised.
If your AnyDesk plan supports it, enable two-factor authentication and an access control list (allowlist of permitted AnyDesk IDs) in AnyDesk's settings.
Avoid leaving the password in shell history, scripts under version control, or world-readable files.
Disable or uninstall AnyDesk on machines that no longer need remote access.

Limitations

The machine must be powered on and at the login screen or logged in. AnyDesk cannot wake a sleeping or powered-off machine (use Wake-on-LAN or similar for that).
Wayland sessions are not supported.
Re-running the script is safe: it reinstalls/updates the package, rewrites the repo entry, and resets the password.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
`Failed to set the AnyDesk password`	Make sure the service is running: `sudo systemctl status anydesk`. Then retry.
AnyDesk ID shows as unavailable	The service may still be starting. Run `anydesk --get-id` after a few seconds.
Can't connect / black screen	Check you are on an X11 session, not Wayland. At the login screen, select the Cinnamon (X11) session.
Repo or key download fails	Check network and proxy settings, and that `keys.anydesk.com` and `deb.anydesk.com` are reachable.

Uninstalling

sudo systemctl disable --now anydesk
sudo apt-get remove --purge -y anydesk
sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/anydesk-stable.list /etc/apt/keyrings/anydesk.gpg
sudo apt-get update

Disclaimer

This script is provided as-is. AnyDesk is a trademark of AnyDesk Software GmbH; this project is not affiliated with or endorsed by AnyDesk. Only use it on systems you own or are authorized to administer.