Raspberry Pi wants Windows admins to Connect – or it might pull the plug

What happened

Raspberry Pi launched its Connect remote access tool in 2024, offering users a browser-based interface to manage Raspberry Pi devices remotely. The initial release was free for individual users, followed by Connect for Organizations, a commercial tier priced at $0.50 per device per month for enterprise customers managing fleets of Pi hardware. This pricing undercuts most established remote access solutions, which often charge $5 or more per device monthly for similar features.

In response to customer queries, the company released an experimental Windows version of the Connect daemon at the end of April 2026. The build is explicitly marked as non-production ready, with no guarantees of stability or security. Gordon Hollingworth, CTO of Software at Raspberry Pi, told The Register that the Windows version is in early beta, and the company may remove the capability entirely if it does not receive sufficient registered interest from administrators. Hollingworth also confirmed that the Connect daemon is currently closed source, though the team plans to open source the implementation eventually to enable porting to additional architectures beyond Linux and Windows.

The potential Windows expansion comes alongside other enterprise-focused updates to Connect. Customers can now apply custom tags to devices to track location, purpose, or ownership, and Connect for Organizations requires two-factor authentication for all member accounts. These changes align with Raspberry Pi's broader push into enterprise markets, where its low-cost hardware, including the computer-in-a-keyboard Pi 500 and Pi 500+, is increasingly used as thin client replacements for traditional desktops.

Legal framework and compliance requirements

Remote access tools like Connect process personal data tied to device users, administrators, and connected endpoints, placing them under the scope of global data protection regulations including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Under GDPR, any organization processing the personal data of EU residents must adhere to core principles including data minimization, purpose limitation, and technical security safeguards. Data controllers, which include enterprises using Connect for Organizations, are responsible for determining how and why data is processed, and must only work with data processors that provide verifiable guarantees of compliance. Raspberry Pi acts as a data processor for Connect for Organizations customers, meaning it must follow the controller's instructions for data handling and submit to compliance audits. Fines for GDPR non-compliance can reach up to 4% of a company's global annual revenue or €20 million, whichever is higher.

CCPA applies to the personal data of California residents, granting users rights to access, delete, and opt out of the sale of their data. Statutory fines for intentional CCPA violations reach up to $7,500 per incident, with additional private right of action for data breaches involving unencrypted personal information.

The current closed-source nature of the Connect daemon creates a compliance gap for enterprise customers. Controllers cannot audit the daemon's code to verify that data is encrypted in transit, stored securely, or deleted when requested, as required by GDPR and CCPA. Raspberry Pi's plan to open source the daemon would resolve this gap, allowing customers and third-party auditors to review data handling practices publicly. However, open sourcing also introduces new compliance risks, including the potential for bad actors to identify and exploit unpatched vulnerabilities in the code if Raspberry Pi does not maintain a rigorous security update process.

Recent changes to Raspberry Pi OS also tie into compliance requirements. The operating system recently ended its open-door sudo policy, which previously allowed unauthenticated administrative access to devices. This change reduces the risk of unauthorized data access, aligning with GDPR security safeguards, and lowers the likelihood of breaches that could trigger regulatory fines.

Impact on stakeholders

Several groups face distinct impacts from the potential Windows version of Connect, ranging from cost savings to regulatory risk.

Enterprise administrators

Admins managing mixed fleets of Windows and Raspberry Pi devices currently rely on separate remote access tools for each platform, increasing administrative overhead and software costs. A unified Connect tool would let them manage all devices from a single interface at a per-device cost far lower than competitors like TeamViewer or AnyDesk. If Raspberry Pi scraps the Windows version, these admins will either have to accept fragmented workflows or migrate to more expensive tools, which could strain IT budgets already pressured by recent Raspberry Pi hardware price hikes.

End users

Employees or individuals whose devices are managed via Connect have enforceable rights under GDPR and CCPA. They can request access to their personal data, correct inaccuracies, or demand deletion, and must be provided with clear privacy notices explaining how their data is used. Closed-source daemons make it difficult for users to verify that these rights are being respected, as there is no public visibility into what data Connect collects, how long it is retained, or who it is shared with. Open sourcing the daemon would give privacy advocates and users a way to audit these practices, strengthening digital rights protections for millions of device users.

Raspberry Pi

Proceeding with the Windows version would mark the company's first major entry into the Windows remote access market, competing with established players with decades of enterprise experience. This would require Raspberry Pi to scale its compliance operations, handle larger volumes of sensitive customer data, and face increased regulatory scrutiny from EU and US authorities. Success could accelerate the company's enterprise growth, particularly in the US and China markets where semiconductor and hardware sales are already climbing. Scrapping the Windows version would let the company focus on its core Linux-based ecosystem, but would slow its push into enterprise markets and cede mixed-fleet management to competitors.

What comes next

Raspberry Pi has not set a timeline for a production release of the Windows version of Connect, and Hollingworth emphasized that the feature is still in active investigation. Administrators interested in the Windows build can register their interest via the Raspberry Pi Connect portal, though the company has not specified what threshold of interest will be required to keep the project alive.

If the Windows version receives sufficient demand, Raspberry Pi will move the tool to production, open source the Connect daemon, and expand its enterprise feature set to support mixed-device fleets. This would give organizations a low-cost, unified remote management tool, provided the company maintains rigorous compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other global data protection regulations. If interest falls short, the Windows build will be removed, and Raspberry Pi will focus on Linux-only Connect development and other enterprise features like device tagging and mandatory two-factor authentication.

For now, enterprise customers using Connect for Organizations should review their compliance documentation to ensure the current closed-source daemon meets their regulatory requirements, and monitor Raspberry Pi's announcements for updates on the Windows beta and open source timeline.