Apporto Virtual USB Installation Guide (v25.1)
The purpose of this document is to aid Apporto customers in installing the virtual USB tool into their Apporto environments.
Last updated 10 June 2025
Overview
Introduction
The Apporto virtual USB tool allows customers to use their USB storage and peripheral devices within virtual desktops.
Product description
The virtual USB tool consists of two components:
- USB server file for installation on your Apporto server
- USB agent file for installation on a local system
System compatibility
This version of the USB tool is compatible with Windows Servers.
Installation
Downloading the latest installer files
To obtain copies of the latest server and agent files, contact Apporto Support.
For Apporto cloud customers, the server file has already been installed for you by the Apporto team.
Installing the USB server
Installing on the remote server
For on-premises customers or those using their own cloud environments, follow the steps below to install the server file.
- Connect to your Windows server as an administrator.
- Extract the USB server ZIP file.
- Run the Apporto USB server installer (ApportoUsbServer.exe), and click Next to proceed.
- Select the appropriate folder for installation, then click Next to proceed.
- Confirm your installation by clicking Install.
- Once installation has completed, you will see a confirmation message.
- Select Yes, restart the computer now and click Finish to exit the installer.
Verify the server is running
- After restarting your Windows server, sign in again as an administrator.
- Open the Windows Device Manager, and verify that the USBip 3.X Emulated Host Controller appears in the USB controller list.
- Open the Windows Task Manager, and verify the following:
- Monitor.exe process is running
- ApportoUSBIPMonitor service is running
Configuring the USB server
To use the USB feature in Apporto guacamole, the 3420 port should be allowed in the firewall of the Windows Server.
Installing the USB agent
Installing on a local device
- Connect to your Windows device as an administrator.
- Extract the USB agent ZIP file.
- Run the Apporto USB agent installer (ApportoUsbAgent.exe), and click Next to proceed.
- Select the appropriate folder for installation, then click Next to proceed.
- Select the appropriate Start Menu folder where the shortcut will be created, then click Next to proceed.
- Confirm your installation by clicking Install.
- Once installation has completed, you will see a confirmation message.
- Select Yes, restart the computer now and click Finish to exit the installer.
Running the agent
- Open the Windows Start menu.
- Select the ApportoUSBAgent app from the start menu.
- You should now see the Apporto icon in the taskbar tray.
- Right-click on the icon to see the app menu. From here, you can view version information.
- Select About to view the current version number. If you are not running the latest version, contact Apporto Support for updated installation files.
Using the USB tool
Mounting a USB device
The Apporto USB tool supports the following types of USB devices:
- Mass storage (external hard drives, memory sticks)
- Printers
- Scanners
Additional device types may be supported in future releases.
Follow the steps below to mount a USB device.
- Run the ApportoUSBAgent.
- Connect a supported USB device to the computer.
- Connect to an Apporto virtual desktop with the USB feature enabled. We recommend using Google Chrome as your browser.
- Click Settings > USB devices from the ribbon bar.
- The USB device list will load as a pop-up. Select from the list of supported devices.
- Click Mount to connect to the device.
- Once the USB device has successfully mounted to the virtual desktop, you will see a confirmation message.
- Click Close to exit the pop-up, or you may click Unmount if you selected the incorrect USB device.
Exiting the tool
Click Exit from the app menu in the taskbar tray to exit the tool.