> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gcore.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect to a Virtual Machine via the Gcore customer portal

> Connect to a Gcore Virtual Machine using the browser-based VNC console for Windows and Linux troubleshooting.

The [VNC console](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Network_Computing) in the [Gcore Customer Portal](https://portal.gcore.com) provides browser-based access to a Virtual Machine (VM) without requiring internet access on the VM — useful for troubleshooting connectivity issues. Both Windows and Linux VMs are supported.

Connecting to a Linux Virtual Machine via the Customer Portal requires a [password](/cloud/virtual-instances/customize-initial-setup-for-your-instance#set-a-password-for-an-instance) set during VM creation. Without one, use [SSH keys](/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-via-ssh) instead.

**Connect to a Windows Virtual Machine**

> [!NOTE]
>
> On Windows VMs, the password is set in the **Access** field during VM creation — the **User data** field cannot be used for passwords on Windows. Enter that password at the login screen.

To connect to a Virtual Machine:

1\. In the Customer Portal, navigate to **Cloud** > **Virtual Instances**.

2\. Find the VM to access and click its name to open it.

![Virtual Instances list in the Gcore Customer Portal](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/3Ju99x240BAsT7PX/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/vm-list.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3Ju99x240BAsT7PX\&q=85\&s=3905e51427c73a771737e9ffff4491b5)

3\. Next to the VM's IP address, select the **Access to Console** link. The VNC console will open.

![VM overview with IP address, Access to Console button, and SSH login link](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/3Ju99x240BAsT7PX/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/vm-access-to-console.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3Ju99x240BAsT7PX\&q=85\&s=e2dc0826a1aea0fe6a19b6779dc1b4b0)

4\. In the top-right corner of the screen, click **Send CtrlAltDel**.

5\. Enter the password set during VM creation. The username for all Windows VMs is `Admin`.

![Windows login screen](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/YEsPf7l6EvNuxMEL/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/windows-login.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=YEsPf7l6EvNuxMEL\&q=85\&s=37f3affd865572d522f072a8fe2f0cac)

The VM connection is established.

![Windows desktop after connecting to the VM](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/3Ju99x240BAsT7PX/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/windows-connected.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3Ju99x240BAsT7PX\&q=85\&s=f383d57003c237b5c7381715606209ed)

**Connect to a Linux Virtual Machine**

Linux VMs without a configured password cannot connect via the Customer Portal — use SSH keys instead.

> [!NOTE]
>
> For VMs in a private subnet only, the [Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol](/cloud/virtual-instances/create-an-instance#enable-DHCP) must be enabled in the subnet settings for password-based login to work.

To connect to a Virtual Machine:

1\. In the Customer Portal, navigate to **Cloud** > **Virtual Instances**.

2\. Find the VM to access and click its name to open it.

![Virtual Instances list in the Gcore Customer Portal](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/3Ju99x240BAsT7PX/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/vm-list.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3Ju99x240BAsT7PX\&q=85\&s=3905e51427c73a771737e9ffff4491b5)

3\. Next to the VM's IP address, select the **Access to Console** link. The VNC console will open.

![VM overview with IP address, Access to Console button, and SSH login link](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/3Ju99x240BAsT7PX/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/vm-access-to-console.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3Ju99x240BAsT7PX\&q=85\&s=e2dc0826a1aea0fe6a19b6779dc1b4b0)

4\. Log in using the following credentials:

* **username** : Shown next to the **Access to Console** button in the format `[username]@[ip-address]` — typically the OS name, for example `ubuntu`. The VNC terminal displays this as `login:`.

* **password** : The password set in the **User data** field under **Additional options** during instance creation.

![Ubuntu terminal displaying the VNC login prompt](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/3Ju99x240BAsT7PX/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/linux-login-prompt.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3Ju99x240BAsT7PX\&q=85\&s=83521a70d534a965e482f931d5d3ca5e)

> [!TIP]
>
> If a password was set during VM creation but is no longer known: connect to the VM via SSH and run `sudo cat /var/lib/cloud/instance/user-data.txt`. The password appears in the line: `password: [password]`. If a hash was used, the hash appears instead of a readable value.

The Virtual Machine connection is established.

![Ubuntu terminal displaying successful connection to an instance](https://mintcdn.com/gcore/3Ju99x240BAsT7PX/images/docs/cloud/virtual-instances/connect/connect-to-your-instance-via-control-panel/linux-connected.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3Ju99x240BAsT7PX\&q=85\&s=160b7effda50a82b0754c32f1cb00d77)