Why it matters
Many DeskCamera users run cameras on shared workstations, kiosk PCs, classroom machines, Remote Desktop hosts, or PCs managed by IT. In these environments, different Windows users can sign in, sign out, or switch sessions during the day.
DeskCamera 6.0 makes that behavior easier to control. The NVR/VMS can keep recording the expected camera, administrators can lock important settings, and camera management no longer has to be done only at the physical PC.
What is new in DeskCamera 6.0
- Multi-user camera modes: Choose whether the PC appears as one shared camera or as a separate camera for each Windows user.
- Lock Settings: Administrators can set camera credentials, ports, network settings, encoding, remote access, app password, and media sources once, then lock them for all users on the PC.
- Browser-based management: Manage DeskCamera from another computer on the same network using a password-protected web page.
- Live browser preview: Check a running camera directly in the management page without opening the NVR/VMS or a separate player.
- More stable RTSP and ONVIF ports: Dynamic ports are kept more consistent across upgrades, restarts, and Windows user switching.
- More reliable camera identity: Multi-camera and per-user setups now report separate stable camera identities, so NVR/VMS systems can tell them apart more reliably.
- Remote Desktop improvements: A single-screen Remote Desktop session keeps a more stable identity across console and remote transitions.
- Cleaner audio handling: In Multiple Channels mode, audio-only sources now appear as profiles of the main camera instead of separate no-video devices.
Shared and per-user camera modes
DeskCamera 6.0 introduces Camera Instance Mode for PCs used by more than one Windows user.
- Shared mode presents the whole PC as one DeskCamera camera. The active Windows session is streamed through that shared camera, so the NVR/VMS keeps one camera entry for the machine.
- Per-user mode gives each Windows user a separate DeskCamera camera with its own settings and ONVIF/RTSP ports.
- Lock Settings lets an administrator keep selected DeskCamera settings the same for all users. Users can see the locked configuration, but they cannot change it until it is unlocked.
Shared mode is intended for PCs where one Windows user is active at a time. On Windows Server, Remote Desktop hosts, or other systems where several people can be signed in at the same time, Shared mode may be refused. Use Per-user mode for those systems.
For setup details, see Camera Instance Mode and Lock Settings and Using DeskCamera with Multiple Windows Users.
Manage DeskCamera from a web browser
DeskCamera 6.0 adds an optional browser management component. When enabled, you can open a DeskCamera management page from another computer on the same network.
From the browser, you can:
- Adjust resolution, frame rate, and bitrate for stream profiles.
- Enable or disable video sources.
- Set the ONVIF username and password used by the NVR/VMS.
- See cameras running on the PC, including cameras from other signed-in users.
- Check whether each camera is started, stopped, or temporarily paused during a session switch.
Browser management is optional during installation. Remote access stays closed until the first password is set at the machine itself. After it is enabled, browser traffic is protected with HTTPS.
For more information, see Managing DeskCamera from a Web Browser. If the password needs to be reset, see Reset the Password for Managing DeskCamera from a Browser.
Live preview in the browser
The management page can now show a live preview of a running DeskCamera stream. This is useful when you want to confirm what the camera is sending before checking the NVR/VMS.
Preview works per stream profile and does not require copying credentials or opening another video player. It is intended for setup and troubleshooting, with a typical delay of about one to two seconds. If a preview cannot be shown for a specific format, DeskCamera shows a clear message instead of leaving the page waiting.
More stable RTSP and ONVIF ports
DeskCamera 6.0 keeps better track of which RTSP and ONVIF ports belong to each camera and Windows user. Once a port is reserved, it stays with that camera while the same mode is used.
This helps prevent an NVR/VMS from reconnecting to the wrong camera after a restart, upgrade, or user switch. If a reserved port cannot be used, DeskCamera now stops with a clearer message instead of silently serving a different camera.
There are still deliberate cases where ports may change. Switching between Shared mode and Per-user mode is treated as a reconfiguration. A dynamic ONVIF port can also move if the number of active sources changes. If you need a permanently fixed ONVIF address, use a static ONVIF port.
For port and firewall details, see Ports used by DeskCamera and Configuring firewall rules.
Better recording across Remote Desktop, multi-camera, and audio setups
DeskCamera 6.0 also improves several areas that affect how NVR/VMS systems recognize and record DeskCamera streams.
- Stable camera identity: In per-user and multi-camera setups, cameras now have separate stable MAC addresses, hardware IDs, and serial numbers. This helps the NVR/VMS keep the same camera pairing after restarts.
- Remote Desktop consistency: A single-screen Remote Desktop stream keeps a stable identity across console and remote transitions, even when Windows changes the display name.
- Audio-only sources: In Multiple Channels mode, audio-only sources are now profiles of the main camera. This gives the NVR/VMS one camera with video and audio profiles instead of a separate no-video device.
If you previously added an older no-video audio device to your NVR/VMS, remove it and add the audio source again as a profile of the main DeskCamera camera.
Related articles: Choosing Multiple Channels or Multiple Cameras Mode, Creating Audio-only RTSP Streams, and Screen Stream Is Black or Frozen After Remote Desktop Disconnects.
Other improvements and fixes
- Log files are stored under the ProgramData folder again.
- External RTSP and HTTP source probing is faster and shows clearer error messages.
- Screen sources have better GPU usage and UI responsiveness under heavy load.
- RTSP, capture, and encoding logs now include more useful troubleshooting details.
- DeskCamera no longer selects a VPN, Hyper-V, or virtual adapter IP during cold boot when the physical network adapter is still starting.
- Temporary DHCP or adapter changes no longer permanently overwrite the selected camera IP.
- The installer no longer silently re-enables Windows Firewall exceptions during upgrade.
- Image media sources with file monitoring are more reliable, including inside Wall and combined sources.
DeskCamera 6.0.1 also refines browser password handling during repair and upgrade, blocks unsupported Shared mode on multi-session systems, protects command-line mode changes when an app password is set, preserves Camera Instance Mode during reset to defaults, improves ONVIF reboot and factory reset, and fixes several sign-out and password-change edge cases.
Useful KB articles
- Camera Instance Mode and Lock Settings
- Using DeskCamera with Multiple Windows Users
- Managing DeskCamera from a Web Browser
- Reset the Password for Managing DeskCamera from a Browser
- Ports used by DeskCamera and Configuring firewall rules
- NVR/VMS Asks for a Username or Password
- DeskCamera Uses the Wrong IP Address
- External RTSP or HTTP Source Cannot Be Added
- Remote Deployment and Configuring DeskCamera
Availability and upgrade
DeskCamera 6.0 is available now. Customers can download the latest version from the DeskCamera website.
If you use multi-user PCs, Multiple Channels mode, Remote Desktop, or a managed deployment, review the related KB articles before upgrading so your NVR/VMS pairing and port settings stay correct.
Download the latest version of DeskCamera: DeskCamera Download.