---
title: How to activate remote access on an Elastic Metal server
description: Learn how to activate remote access on a Scaleway Elastic Metal server with this step-by-step guide.
tags: remote-access elastic-metal
dates:
  validation: 2025-07-16
  posted: 2022-03-30
---
import Requirements from '@macros/iam/requirements.mdx'

import image from './assets/scaleway-remote-access-ip.webp'


Remote access is available on most Elastic Metal servers. This option allows you to access the keyboard, video, and mouse of the machine remotely through a KVM-over-IP device.

Using remote access, you can access the machine for debugging purposes, even if the installed OS is not working properly. It is also possible to install an Operating System on the machine using a remote ISO file.

<Requirements />

- A Scaleway account logged into the [console](https://console.scaleway.com)
- [Owner](/iam/concepts/#owner) status or [IAM permissions](/iam/concepts/#permission) allowing you to perform actions in the intended Organization
- An [SSH key](/organizations-and-projects/how-to/create-ssh-key/)
- An Elastic Metal server compatible with [remote access](/elastic-metal/concepts/#remote-access)

<Message type="important">
  Remote access is an **optional feature** and not available on all Elastic Metal servers. The following steps can be done only on Elastic Metal servers providing remote access.
</Message>

## Activating remote access

1. Click **Elastic Metal** in the **Bare Metal** section of the [Scaleway console](https://console.scaleway.com) side menu. The Elastic Metal dashboard displays.
2. Click the name of the server you want to access using the remote access option.
3. Scroll down to **Remote access** in the server's information page. Then click **Activate**.
    <Message type="tip">
      If you can not see the button to activate the remote access feature, it means that this option is not available for your Elastic Metal server.
    </Message>
4. Read and accept the terms and conditions for the remote access feature. Tick the box to confirm you understood the conditions of the option, then click **Activate**.
5. Enter the [IP address](https://www.whatsmyip.org/) of your internet connection and click **Create access**.
    <Lightbox image={image} alt="" />

    <Message type="note">
      Make sure to enter the public IP address of your internet connection, as connections to the remote access device are limited to this IP address for security reasons. Currently, only IPv4 addresses are supported by the remote access feature.
    </Message>

The connection details of your remote access displays. Use the credentials provided to log in at the connection URL.

<Message type="note">
  * Each remote access session has an expiration date when the generated credentials become invalid for new connections. You have to regenerate access then.
  * The remote access option remains active for 48 hours after activation, or until you [deactivate remote access](#deactivating-remote-access) from your console.
</Message>

## Renewing a remote access session

Each remote access session has a limited lifetime for security reasons. To renew a remote access session, scroll to the **Remote access** section on your servers' information page. Then click **Create remote access**.

### Revoking access credentials

You can regenerate new access credentials at any time, even before your session has expired. To do so, click **Revoke access** in the remote access session. It will revoke the password and generate a new one.

<Message type="note">
  Revoking access will not stop billing of the feature. To stop billing, you have to deactivate remote access for the server.
</Message>

## Deactivating remote access

To deactivate the remote access feature, scroll to the **Remote access** section on your server's information page. Then click **Disable remote access**.