Frequently Asked Question

Multi-user mode is the DeskCamera setting that controls how a PC appears in the NVR/VMS when more than one Windows user can sign in to the same PC.

Use it for shared workstations, Remote Desktop hosts, and terminal server environments.

In DeskCamera, open Options > Application and find Multi-user mode. The available choices are Shared and Per-user.

Shared mode

All Windows users on the PC use one DeskCamera camera entry in the NVR/VMS. The NVR/VMS sees one camera from that PC, and users share the same camera address and ports.

Use Shared mode when the NVR/VMS should keep one stable camera entry for the PC, regardless of which Windows user is currently signed in.

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 on those systems.

Per-user mode

Each Windows user appears as a separate DeskCamera camera in the NVR/VMS. Each user has separate settings and separate ONVIF/RTSP ports.

Use Per-user mode when different Windows users need their own DeskCamera camera, media sources, or camera entry in the NVR/VMS.

Changing Multi-user mode

1) Open DeskCamera.
2) Go to Options > Application.
3) Set Multi-user mode to Shared or Per-user.

When the mode is changed, DeskCamera shows a confirmation message. Windows may ask for administrator approval. After switching, cameras may need to be re-added in the NVR/VMS, and settings, ONVIF camera login, or media sources may need to be reconfigured.

If an App Password is already set, command-line or remote deployment changes to Multi-user mode are protected and may be refused. For deployment examples, see Remote Deployment and Configuring DeskCamera.

Resetting DeskCamera settings to defaults does not change Multi-user mode. To switch between Shared and Per-user mode, change this option directly in Options > Application.

Lock Settings

In Per-user mode, DeskCamera can lock Media Sources and Application Settings across all Windows users on the PC.

Lock Settings does not combine all users into one camera. Each Windows user can still appear as a separate Per-user camera in the NVR/VMS, but the locked configuration is shared across users.

When settings are locked, individual users cannot change these settings. This is useful for shared workstations, kiosk PCs, classrooms, dispatch stations, and managed deployments where the administrator wants all users to use the same DeskCamera configuration.

To lock settings:

1) Set Multi-user mode to Per-user.
2) Click Lock Settings.
3) Confirm the administrator approval prompt.

When settings are locked, DeskCamera displays a locked-settings notification. Users can still run the camera, but they cannot change the locked configuration until settings are unlocked.

To unlock settings, click Unlock Settings. After unlocking, users return to their own Per-user configuration.

Important notes for NVR/VMS systems

Changing Multi-user mode can change how DeskCamera is discovered by the NVR/VMS.

In Shared mode, the NVR/VMS should normally see one camera from the PC.

In Per-user mode, the NVR/VMS may see one camera per Windows user. Each Per-user camera has its own ONVIF identity and its own ONVIF/RTSP ports.

DeskCamera keeps automatically selected ports stable while the same cameras continue to run. If the number of cameras or media sources is reduced, a camera may move to another port and the NVR/VMS may need to rediscover it. For port details, see Ports used by DeskCamera and Configuring firewall rules.

After changing this setting, check the camera in the NVR/VMS. In some cases it may be necessary to update the camera address, rediscover the camera, or add the Per-user camera as a new device.

If settings look different after Windows user switching

A disconnected Remote Desktop session should not overwrite the saved settings of the active session.

If settings still look different after user switching, check that you are viewing the expected Windows user session, the expected Multi-user mode, and the expected Lock Settings state. Also check that the NVR/VMS is connected to the correct Shared or Per-user camera.

If the issue repeats, update DeskCamera and collect logs. For log steps, see Collecting DeskCamera Log Files.