We’ve got exciting news for Raspberry Pi enthusiasts! After more than a year in beta and with over 100,000 devices connected, Raspberry Pi Connect is officially out of beta with the release of version 2.5. This powerful tool now offers smarter, leaner, and more efficient remote access to your Raspberry Pi — straight out of the box, from anywhere in the world.
Let’s take a look at what’s new in this major update.
What is Raspberry Pi Connect?
For those unfamiliar, Raspberry Pi Connect is a free and easy-to-use remote access tool that allows you to control your Raspberry Pi devices from a web browser. Whether you're managing devices across the house or around the globe, Connect makes remote desktop access simple and secure.
What’s New in Version 2.5?
1. Smarter Wake-Ups
Previously, devices using Connect would frequently "poll" Raspberry Pi’s servers, making regular HTTP requests to check for connections. While effective, it wasn’t the most efficient. 
Now, with version 2.5, the client maintains a single long-lived HTTP connection. This means your device only wakes up when there's a genuine request — reducing both data usage and power consumption.
2. Optimized Heartbeats
Connect clients send regular “heartbeat” signals to keep the Connect dashboard updated. In older versions, these heartbeats were often sent in bursts — not ideal.
With this release:
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Heartbeats are now debounced, reducing unnecessary traffic.
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Data is compressed, cutting the size of each heartbeat by around 50%.
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This leads to a leaner, faster, and more efficient dashboard experience for users.
How to Update
Updating to the latest version is easy. Just run the following commands on your Raspberry Pi:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade rpi-connectUsing Connect Lite? Just replace
rpi-connectwithrpi-connect-litein the command above.
Alternatively, Raspberry Pi OS has also received a new update that comes bundled with the latest Connect version — making now a great time to consider a full OS upgrade.
New to Raspberry Pi Connect?
If you haven’t tried Raspberry Pi Connect yet, you’re missing out on one of the easiest ways to access your device remotely. Check out the official guide here to get started.
This update marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Raspberry Pi Connect. By streamlining how devices communicate with the server and reducing background data usage, version 2.5 sets the stage for faster, greener, and more reliable remote control.
Whether you're a hobbyist, educator, or IoT developer, this upgrade is definitely worth your attention.
