VNC Server is not currently listening for cloud connections

Why is VNC Server not currently listening for connections?

VNC server not currently listening for connections is a typical RealVNC error. There are many causes of the problem, for example:

• VNC Server is experiencing service problems.
• The remote computer is sleeping or not turned on.
• The remote computer is not connected to the Internet.
• Allowing cloud connections is not permitted.
• …

If VNC Server not currently listening for connections on Linux, in addition to the causes above, the problem may also be caused because the Wayland is not disabled.

How to fix VNC Server not currently listening for connections on Windows & Linux

Here are seven solutions to fix VNC Server not currently listening for connections on Windows 10/11 and Linux. Check them out.

Solution 1. Check computer status

If the remote computer is asleep, you won't be able to connect. It is advisable to prevent a remote computer from sleeping or hibernating while remote access is required.

Step 1. In Control Panel, view the items by Large icons. Choose Power Options.

Step 2. Click Change when the computer sleeps.

Step 3. Make sure Put the computer to sleep is set to Never.

Solution 2. Check network connection

Check whether the remote computer is connected to the Internet and the network connection speed. If the computer isn’t connected to the Internet or the network speed is too slow, you won’t be able to connect.

Step 1. Click Start and open Settings on your Windows PC.

Step 2. Go to Network & Internet.

Step 3. Here you can see whether “You’re connected to the Internet”. If you want to check the network speed, you can click Properties.

Step 4. Scroll down; you can see the Link speed.

Solution 3. Enable cloud connections

If you have disabled cloud connections in VNC Server's Options dialog under the Connections heading, you won’t be able to connect.

On the remote computer, open Options in the VNC Server. Then, under Connections, make sure Allow cloud connections is checked.

Solution 4. Restart the service

Restarting the VNC Server service on the remote computer may also help solve the problem.

Step 1. Press Win + R and type in “services.msc”, and click OK.

Step 2. Scroll down and right-click VNC Server > Restart.

Solution 5. Disable Wayland on Linux

There’s one more solution for Linux users. VNC Connect does not currently support Wayland on Linux, so if you use a version of Linux that uses Wayland by default (Ubuntu 18.04 and later, CentOS / RHEL 8 and later), you will need to disable it.

Step 1. Open in Terminal, and locate the correct configuration file for your OS. This is one of /etc/gdm3/custom.conf (Ubuntu) or /etc/gdm/custom.conf (CentOS/RHEL).

Step 2. Open the file with sudo/root privileges.

Step 3. Uncomment WaylandEnable=false by deleting the # at the beginning of the line.

Step 4. Reboot the VNC Server computer.

Solution 6. Contact the support team for help

Please submit a support request if you are still experiencing issues and your membership includes access to technical help. Please upload the log files from VNC Server, and the diagnostics from VNC Server (VNC Server > Information Center > Diagnostics > Save As...). Instead, the log files can be located in the following places:

• Windows: C:\ProgramData\RealVNC-Service\vncserver.log and C:\ProgramData\RealVNC-Service\vncserver.log.bak
• Mac: /Library/Logs/vncserver.log and /Library/Logs/vncserver.log.bak

Solution 7. Resort to a VNC Server alternative

A more straightforward solution is to resort to a VNC Server alternative. If you are a Windows user, you are advised to use AnyViewer. AnyViewer is a remote desktop software providing Windows users with free and stable remote connections.

VNC Server is only free for non-commercial use, so it's best suited for personal projects or lending a helping hand to less tech-savvy friends and family. But AnyViewer is free for any use.

Step 1. Install and run AnyViewer on both of your computers. Navigate to Log in and then Sign up on the Controller computer (if you have already registered on the official website, you can log in directly).

Step 2. Fill out the sign-up form.

Step 3. You should now see that you have successfully logged into AnyViewer. Your device will be assigned to the account to which you have logged in automatically.

Step 4. Log in to the same AnyViewer account on the two devices, then you can click One-click control to achieve a direct connection, click View the screen to see another’s screen, or click File transfer to share files between computers.

Notes:✎...

You can also upgrade your account to a Professional or Enterprise plan to enjoy more rights:

Faster file transfer speed. 

More assigned devices to achieve unattended remote access.

Connect in privacy mode to protect privacy.

Initial more concurrent connections to one computer.

 

The bottom line

This post primarily introduces seven solutions to fix VNC Server is not currently listening for cloud connections. If the first six solutions are not helpful, you’re advised to use a VNC Server alternative, for example, AnyViewer. With it, you can enjoy free and stable remote connections.