By Ellie / Last Updated July 20, 2023

Quick Assist “A referral was returned from the server”

It is said that there is a situation when you install or run some specific programs and the error "A referral was returned from the server" appears. In fact, this is the case. And according to some users' feedback, when they use Quick Assist to provide help or request help, they may also encounter the error shown in the figure below. How to solve this error?

A Referral Was Returned

Reasons for Quick Assist “A referral was returned from the server”

I'm sure most users would like to get the right solution. However, before we put the solution into practice, let's learn more about the possible causes of the Quick Assist a referral was returned from the server on Windows 10, Windows 11 problem.

In terms of some investigation, we found that the error is related to updates. Most users encounter this problem after updating to the latest version. Also, if your application has some compatibility issues with the operating system, then this error can also appear.

How to fix “A referral was returned from the server” on Quick Assist

The reasons provide us with a thorough direction to deal with the problem. Now, follow me to fix "Quick Assist a referral was returned from the server' on Windows 10, Windows 11.

Method 1. Disable UAC by using Group Policy Editor

Step 1. Press Win + R and then type in “gpedit.msc” to open Group Policy Editor.

Run Box Regedit

Step 2. Navigation:

Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Security Options

Then scroll down to find “User Account Control: Only elevate executables that are signed and validated”.

Only Elevatem Executable

Step 3. Double click on the “Only elevate UIAccess...” and then tick “Disabled” and click on “OK”. 

Disable Elevate Executables

Method 2. Change the value data in Registry Editor

Step 1. Press Win + R and then type in “regedit” and then press “Enter” key to open Registry Editor.

Run Box Regedit

Step 2. Navigation:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\

Step 3. In the right pane, find “ValidateAdminCodeSignatures” and double-click it.

Step 4. Change the value to 0 and click on OK.

Step 5. Go to “EnableUIADesktopToggle” in the same pane and then double-click.

Step 6. Change to value data to 0 and click on “OK”.

Step 7. Reboot your system and check out whether the problem has been addressed.

Method 3. Change UAC by using the control panel

Step 1. Press Win + R and input “control panel” and then click on “OK”.

Run Control Panel

Step 2. Choose "User Accounts".

User Accounts

Step 3. Click on “Change User Account Control settings”.

Change User Account Control Settings

Step 4. Choose "Never notify" and click on “OK”.

Never Notify Me

Final solution: Free & Secure remote assistance software-- AnyViewer

Have you already fixed the issue "Quick Assist a referral was returned from the Server" on Windows 10, Windows 11 now? If it is, I’d appreciate it if my solutions worked for you. If it isn’t, don’t worry, it is also recommended to use the free third-party remote support software, AnyViewer.

It not only can give you a full-screen to realize remote assistance conveniently but also can guarantee a secure connection with ECC encryption. Besides, the operation of AnyViewer is quite easy. Next, I will give you a detailed introduction to the realization of remote assistance through AnyViewer.                             

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/Servers
Secure Download

Step 1. Sign up for an AnyViewer account and then sign in to this account on the two computers. Once logged in, the PC will be assigned to the account automatically. 

Log in AnyViewer

Step 2.   On the client computer,  go to "Device", click the PC that you need to control, and click "One-click control" to achieve unattended access with one click. 

Devices

✍ Note: It's required to upgrade to Professional or Enterprise if you want to access a remote computer in privacy mode and enjoy other advanced features like high-quality image.

Then, the desktop of the host computer will show up on the client computer. 

If you don't want to log in to your AnyViewer account, the following steps are also workable for you:

Step 1. Download and install AnyViewer, run AnyViewer, and then you can see the device ID, Settings, and the temporary code.

Temporary Code

Step 2. Input the device ID of each computer and then click on “Connect”.

Connect

Step 3. On the local PC, choose the first option “Send a control request to your partner”.

Send a Control Request

Step 4. On the remote PC, there will be a pop-up window just like the following picture, tick "Allow", and then the connection is successful. And you can get assistance or provide assistance with AnyViewer.

Request to Control Your Device

Note: To quickly assist on an unattended access computer, you can also choose “Input Security Code”.

Conclusion

It’s not strange for the user to meet with “Quick Assist A referral was returned from the server”. After the practice step by step, I guess you may solve your problem now. Of course, if the solutions above are not useful for you,  it is suggested to try a free third-party software-- AnyViewer, to get you out of trouble.