Have you ever wanted to redirect USB devices with the Citrix Workspace app for HTML5? A lot of you have, and we’ve heard your feedback. Now, you can redirect USB devices to your remote sessions in a Chrome browser with the Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 version 2002 onward.

For example, consider a USB printer that you want to use to print. Once you redirect the printer, you can just print via the remote session. Without USB redirection, you would have to download the file to your client and then print it.

It’s easy to do. First, look for the USB Devices icon in your in-session toolbar.

Click the icon to open the USB Devices dialog box.

Then, click Add to open the Chrome dialog box, which shows a list of available devices.

Select the device to be redirected and click Connect. If your redirection is successful, the device will show as Connected in the USB Devices dialog box. You can then use the device inside the remote session.

Start redirecting USB devices now with the Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 today! And share your feedback in the comments below to help us make the user experience even better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which platforms and browsers can I try this with?
The feature is supported on Chrome, Linux, and Mac operating systems. You can use it with Chrome browser, version 61 or higher, on these operating systems.

I’m using Chrome browser, but I don’t see the USB Devices icon in the in-session toolbar. How can I get it?
If you are an administrator, enable the Client USB device redirection policy on the Domain Controller to enable this feature for your enterprise. Please note, this feature is supported only with sessions launched over HTTPS connections. If you are not an administrator, please contact your IT admin.

How can I see which version of Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 I’m using?
Click on the Aboutbutton under the More section of the in-session toolbar to view the version of Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 that you’re using.

I have physically attached my USB device to the machine. Why am I not seeing it listed in the Chrome dialog box?
Client operating systems such as Windows and Linux sometimes load the default device drivers, which prevent the browser from accessing the USB device. On Linux, you can try setting up the user accounts and providing permissions to open the USB devices as described in the Google developers’ document.

I see my USB device listed in the Chrome dialog box. When I try to redirect it to the session, why does it say, “The device you selected is not compatible with Citrix Workspace app”?
Please refer to the previous answer.

Can I redirect an active USB device from one session to another without manually detaching the device from the machine?
Yes, you can. If you have redirected your USB device to one session, it will show as Already in Use when you check the status in the USB Devices dialog of the second session. Click on the Transfer Here button in the USB Devices dialog box of the second session to redirect it there.

Click here to learn more about Generic USB device redirection with Citrix Workspace app for HTML5.