When a technician needs to restart the remote device, they initiate the reboot from within the Assist session using the Reboot and Reconnect option rather than a standard OS restart command. Assist saves the session state and monitors for the device to come back online. Once the device restarts and the Assist agent or session client reconnects to Zoho’s servers, the technician’s console automatically re-establishes the session without requiring the remote user to perform any action. The technician can then continue working as if the restart had not interrupted the session.
Use Reboot and Reconnect any time a restart is part of the support workflow: after installing updates or patches that require a reboot, after making system configuration changes that only take effect on restart, or when troubleshooting an issue where a clean boot state is necessary. It is especially valuable for unattended device management, where the device may be in a location with no staff who can manually re-initiate the session. Avoid using a standard OS restart during an Assist session, as this will disconnect the session permanently.
The automatic reconnect depends on the Zoho Assist agent being configured to start with the operating system. If the agent is not set to auto-start, or if the device requires a user to log in before the agent can connect, the automatic reconnect will not succeed until someone logs in manually. For attended sessions, the customer’s session client may prompt them to approve the reconnection rather than reconnecting silently. Test this behaviour in your environment before relying on it for critical maintenance windows.
Zoho Assist monitors for the device to come back online for a defined period after the reboot command is issued. If the device does not reconnect within this window, for example due to a failed boot or a network issue, the session is closed and the technician must initiate a new session once the device is accessible again. The exact timeout period may vary; check current Zoho Assist documentation for the specific value for your plan.
Zoho Assist provides a standard reboot option and, in some configurations, a Safe Mode reboot option for Windows devices. Safe Mode reboots are useful for troubleshooting driver or malware issues that prevent normal operation. Whether Safe Mode is available depends on the Assist version and the Windows configuration of the remote device. If Safe Mode is needed, verify that the Assist agent is configured to launch in Safe Mode before relying on reconnection after a Safe Mode restart.
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