Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection App

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Microsoft Remote Desktop Client

Save Remote Desktop Connection Settings to RDP File in Windows You can use the Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) or Microsoft Remote Desktop app to connect to and control your Windows PC from a remote device. Remote Desktop Connection is built into Windows but also exists as a Windows 10 Universal app in the Microsoft Store. If you want to access and control a computer from a non-Windows device. Use the Microsoft Remote Desktop app to connect to a remote PC or virtual apps and desktops made available by your admin. The app helps you be productive no matter where you are. This article describes the Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) 8.1 client update that lets you use the new Remote Desktop Services features. These features were introduced in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2, and they are now available for computers that are running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1). How to set up a Remote Desktop connection on Windows 10 S. There are at least two ways to start a Remote Desktop connection on Windows 10 S. You can use the built-in Remote Desktop Connection tool.

Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, and Windows 7

You can use the Remote Desktop client for Windows Desktop to access Windows apps and desktops remotely from a different Windows device.

Note

This documentation is not for the Remote Desktop Connection (MSTSC) client that ships with Windows. It's for the new Remote Desktop (MSRDC) client.
This client currently only supports accessing remote apps and desktops from Windows Virtual Desktop.
Curious about the new releases for the Windows Desktop client? Check out What's new in the Windows Desktop client

Install the client

Choose the client that matches the version of Windows. The new Remote Desktop client (MSRDC) supports Windows 10, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, and Windows 7 client devices.

You can install the client for the current user, which doesn't require admin rights, or your admin can install and configure the client so that all users on the device can access it.

Once you've installed the client, you can launch it from the Start menu by searching for Remote Desktop.

Update the client

You'll be notified whenever a new version of the client is available as long as your admin hasn't disabled notifications. The notification will appear in either the Connection Center or the Windows Action Center. To update your client, just select the notification.

You can also manually search for new updates for the client:

From the Connection Center, tap the overflow menu (...) on the command bar at the top of the client.
Select About from the drop-down menu.
The client automatically searches for updates.
If there's an update available, tap Install update to update the client.

Workspaces

Get the list of managed resources you can access, such as apps and desktops, by subscribing to the Workspace your admin provided you. When you subscribe, the resources become available on your local PC. The Windows Desktop client currently supports resources published from Windows Virtual Desktop.

Subscribe to a Workspace

There are two ways you can subscribe to a Workspace. The client can try to discover the resources available to you from your work or school account or you can directly specify the URL where your resources are for cases where the client is unable to find them. Once you've subscribed to a Workspace, you can launch resources with one of the following methods:

Go to the Connection Center and double-click a resource to launch it.
You can also go to the Start menu and look for a folder with the Workspace name or enter the resource name in the search bar.

Subscribe with a user account

From the main page of the client, tap Subscribe.
Sign in with your user account when prompted.
The resources will appear in the Connection Center grouped by Workspace.

Subscribe with URL

From the main page of the client, tap Subscribe with URL.
Enter the Workspace URL or your email address:
- If you use the Workspace URL, use the one your admin gave you. If accessing resources from Windows Virtual Desktop, you can use one of the following URLs:
  - Windows Virtual Desktop (classic): https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/feeddiscovery/webfeeddiscovery.aspx
  - Windows Virtual Desktop: https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/arm/feeddiscovery
- To use email, enter your email address. This tells the client to search for a URL associated with your email address if your admin has setup email discovery.
Tap Next.
Sign in with your user account when prompted.
The resources will appear in the Connection Center grouped by Workspace.

Workspace details

After subscribing, you can view additional information about a Workspace on the Details panel:

The name of the Workspace
The URL and username used to subscribe
The number of apps and desktops
The date/time of the last refresh
The status of the last refresh

Accessing the Details panel:

From the Connection Center, tap the overflow menu (...) next to the Workspace.
Select Details from the drop-down menu.
The Details panel appears on the right side of the client.

After you've subscribed, the Workspace will refresh automatically on a regular basis. Resources may be added, changed, or removed based on changes made by your admin.

You can also manually look for updates to the resources when needed by selecting Refresh from the Details panel.

Refreshing a Workspace

You can manually refresh a Workspace by selecting Refresh from the overflow menu (...) next to the Workspace.

Unsubscribe from a Workspace

This section will teach you how to unsubscribe from a Workspace. You can unsubscribe to either subscribe again with a different account or remove your resources from the system.

From the Connection Center, tap the overflow menu (...) next to the Workspace.
Select Unsubscribe from the drop-down menu.
Review the dialog box and select Continue.

Managed desktops

Workspaces can contain multiple managed resources, including desktops. When accessing a managed desktop, you have access to all the apps installed by your admin.

Desktop settings

You can configure some of the settings for desktop resources to ensure the experience meets your needs. To access the list of available settings right-click on the desktop resource and select Settings.

The client will use the settings configured by your admin unless you turn off the Use default settings option. Doing so allows you to configure the following options:

Display configuration selects which displays to use for the desktop session and impacts which additional settings are available.
- All displays ensures the session always uses all your local displays even when some of them are added or removed later.
- Single display ensures the session always uses a single display and allows you to configure its properties.
- Select displays allows you to choose which displays to use for the session and provides an option to dynamically change the list of displays during the session.
Select the displays to use for the session specifies which local displays to use for the session. All selected displays must be adjacent to each other. This setting is only available in Select display mode.
Maximize to current displays determines which displays the sessions will use when going full screen. When enabled, the session goes full screen on the displays touched by the session window. This allows you to change displays during the session. When disabled, the session goes full screen on the same displays it was on the last time it was full screen. This setting is only available in Select display mode and is disabled otherwise.
Single display when windowed determines which displays are available in the session when exiting full screen. When enabled, the session switches to a single display in windowed mode. When disabled, the session retains the same displays in windowed mode as in full screen. This setting is only available in All displays and Select display modes and is disabled otherwise.
Start in full screen determines whether the session will launch in full-screen or windowed mode. This setting is only available in Single display mode and is enabled otherwise.
Fit session to window determines how the session is displayed when the resolution of the remote desktop differs from the size of the local window. When enabled, the session content will be resized to fit inside the window while preserving the aspect ratio of the session. When disabled, scrollbars or black areas will be shown when the resolution and window size don't match. This setting is available in all modes.
Update the resolution on resize makes the remote desktop resolution automatically update when you resize the session in windowed mode. When disabled, the session always remains at whichever resolution you specify in Resolution. This setting is only available in Single display mode and is enabled otherwise.
Resolution lets you specify the resolution of the remote desktop. The session will retain this resolution for its entire duration. This setting is only available in Single display mode and when Update the resolution on resize is disabled.
Change the size of the text and apps specifies the size of the content of the session. This setting only applies when connecting to Windows 8.1 and later or Windows Server 2012 R2 and later. This setting is only available in Single display mode and when Update the resolution on resize is disabled.

Give us feedback

Have a feature suggestion or want to report a problem? Tell us with the Feedback Hub.

You can also give us feedback by selecting the button that looks like a smiley face emoticon in the client app, as shown in the following image:

Note

To best help you, we need you to give us as detailed information about the issue as possible. For example, you can include screenshots or a recording of the actions you took leading up to the issue. For more tips about how to provide helpful feedback, see Feedback.

Access client logs

You might need the client logs when investigating a problem.

To retrieve the client logs:

Ensure no sessions are active and the client process isn't running in the background by right-clicking on the Remote Desktop icon in the system tray and selecting Disconnect all sessions.
Open File Explorer.
Navigate to the %temp%DiagOutputDirRdClientAutoTrace folder.

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Applies to: Android 7.0 and later

You can use the Remote Desktop client for Android to work with Windows apps and desktops directly from your Android device or a Chromebook that supports the Google Play Store.

This article will show you how to get started using the client. If you have any additional questions, make sure to check our FAQ.

Note

Curious about the new releases for the Android client? Check out What's new for the Android client.
The Android client supports devices running Android 6.0 and later, as well as Chromebooks with ChromeOS 53 and later. Learn more about Android applications on Chrome at Chrome OS Systems Supporting Android Apps.

Download the Remote Desktop client

Here's how to set up the Remote Desktop client on your Android device:

Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from Google Play.
Launch RD client from your list of apps.
Add a Remote Desktop connection or remote resources. Remote Desktop connections let you connect directly to a Windows PC and remote resources to access apps and desktops published to you by an admin.

Add a Remote Desktop connection

Now that you have the client on your device, you can add Remote Desktop connections to access your remote resources.

Before you add a connection, if you haven't done so already, set up your PC to accept remote connections.

To add a Remote Desktop connection:

In the Connection Center, tap +, and then tap Desktop.
Enter the name of the remote PC into PC name. This name can be a Windows computer name, an Internet domain name, or an IP address. You can also append port information to the PC name (for example, MyDesktop:3389 or 10.0.0.1:3389). This field is the only required field.
Select the User name you use to access the Remote PC.
- Select Enter every time for the client to ask for your credentials every time you connect to the remote PC.
- Select Add user account to save an account that you use frequently so you don't have to enter credentials every time you sign in. To learn more about user accounts, see Manage your user accounts.
You can also tap on Show additional options to set the following optional parameters:
- In Friendly name, you can enter an easy-to-remember name for the PC you're connecting to. If you don't specify a friendly name, the PC name is displayed instead.
- The Gateway is the Remote Desktop gateway you'll use to connect to a computer from an external network. Contact your system administrator for more information.
- Sound selects the device your remote session uses for audio. You can choose to play sound on your local device, the remote device, or not at all.
- Customize display resolution sets the resolution for the remote session. When turned off, the resolution specified in global settings is used.
- Swap mouse buttons switches the commands sent by right and left mouse gestures. Ideal for left-handed users.
- Connect to admin session lets you connect to an admin session on the remote PC.
- Redirect local storage enables local storage redirection. This setting is disabled by default.
When you're done, tap Save.

Need to edit these settings? Tap the More options menu (...) next to the name of the desktop, and then tap Edit.

Want to remove the connection? Again, tap the More options menu (...), and then tap Remove.

Tip

If you get an error name '0xf07' that says something like 'We couldn't connect to the remote PC because the password associated with the user account has expired,' try again with a new password.

Add remote resources

Remote resources are RemoteApp programs, session-based desktops, and virtual desktops published by your admin. The Android client supports resources published from Remote Desktop Services and Windows Virtual Desktop deployments.

To add remote resources:

In the Connection Center, tap +, and then tap Remote Resource Feed.
Enter the Feed URL. This URL can be a URL or an email address:
- The URL is the RD Web Access server provided to you by your admin. If accessing resources from Windows Virtual Desktop, you can use one of the following URLs depending on which version you're using:
  - If you're using Windows Virtual Desktop (classic), use: https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/feeddiscovery/webfeeddiscovery.aspx.
  - If you're using Windows Virtual Desktop, use: https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/arm/feeddiscovery.
- If you plan to use Email, enter your email address in this field. Filling out this field tells the client to search for an RD Web Access server associated with your email address if it was configured by your admin.
Tap Next.
Provide your sign-in information when prompted. The credentials you should use can vary based on the deployment and can include:
- The User name that has permission to access the resources.
- The Password associated with the user name.
- Additional factor, which you may be prompted for a if authentication was configured that way by your admin.
When you're done, tap Save.

The remote resources will be displayed in the Connection Center.

Remove remote resources

To remove remote resources:

In the Connection Center, tap the overflow menu (...) next to the remote resource.
Tap Remove.
Confirm you've removed the resource.

Pin a connection to your home screen

The Remote Desktop client supports using the Android widget feature to pin connections to your home screen. The widget adding process depends on which type of Android device and Android OS version you're using.

To add a widget:

Tap Apps to launch the apps menu.
Tap Widgets.
Swipe through the widgets and look for the Remote Desktop icon with the description: Pin Remote Desktop.
Tap and hold that Remote Desktop widget and move it to the home screen.
When you release the icon, you'll see the saved remote desktops. Choose the connection that you want to save to your home screen.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection App For Mac

Now you can start the remote desktop connection directly from your home screen by tapping it.

Note

If you rename the desktop connection in the Remote Desktop client, its pinned label won't update.

Manage general app settings

To change the general app settings, go to the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap General.

You can set the following general settings:

Show desktop previews lets you see a preview of a desktop in the Connection Center before you connect to it. This setting is enabled by default.
Pinch to zoom remote session lets you use pinch-to-zoom gestures. If the app you're using through Remote Desktop supports multi-touch (introduced in Windows 8), disable this feature.
Enable Use scancode input when available if your remote app doesn't respond properly to keyboard input sent as scancode. Input is sent as unicode when disabled.
Help improve Remote Desktop sends anonymous data about how you use Remote Desktop for Android to Microsoft. We use this data to improve the client. To learn more about our privacy policy and what kinds of data we collect, see the Microsoft Privacy Statement. This setting is enabled by default.

Manage display settings

To change the display settings tap Settings, and then tap Display from the Connection Center.

You can set the following display settings:

Orientation sets the preferred orientation (landscape or portrait) for your session.
Note
If you connect to a PC running Windows 8 or earlier, the session won't scale correctly if the orientation of the device changes. To make the client scale correctly, disconnect from the PC, then reconnect in the orientation you want to use. You can also ensure correct scaling by using a PC with Windows 10 instead.
Resolution sets the remote resolution you want to use for desktop connections globally. If you have already set a custom resolution for an individual connection, this setting won't change that.
Note
When you change the display settings, the changes only apply to new connections you make after the you changed the setting. To apply your changes to the session you're currently connected to, refresh your session by disconnecting and reconnecting.

Manage your RD Gateways

A Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) lets you connect to a remote computer on a private network from anywhere on the Internet. You can create and manage your gateways using the Remote Desktop client.

To set up a new RD Gateway:

In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap Gateways.
Tap + to add a new gateway.
Enter the following information:
- Enter the name of the computer you want to use as a gateway into Server name. This name can be a Windows computer name, an Internet domain name, or an IP address. You can also add port information to the server name (for example: RDGateway:443 or 10.0.0.1:443).
- Select the User account you'll use to access the RD Gateway.
  - Select Use desktop user account to use the same credentials that you specified for the remote PC.
  - Select Add user account to save an account that you use frequently so you don't have to enter credentials every time you sign in. For more information, see Manage your user accounts.

To delete an RD Gateway:

In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap Gateways.
Tap and hold a gateway in the list to select it. You can select multiple gateways at once.
Tap the trash can to delete the selected gateway.

Manage your user accounts

You can save user accounts to use whenever you connect to a remote desktop or remote resources.

To save a user account:

In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap User accounts.
Tap + to add a new user account.
Enter the following information:
- The User Name to save for use with a remote connection. You can enter the user name in any of the following formats: user_name, domainuser_name, or user_name@domain.com.
- The Password for the user you specified. Every user account that you want to save to use for remote connections needs to have a password associated with it.
When you're done, tap Save.

To delete a saved user account:

In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap User accounts.
Tap and hold a user account in the list to select it. You can select multiple users at the same time.
Tap the trash can to delete the selected user.

Start a Remote Desktop connection

Now that you've set up your Remote Desktop Android client, let's learn how to start a Remote Desktop session.

To start a session:

Tap the name of your Remote Desktop connection to start the session.
If you're asked to verify the certificate for the remote desktop, tap Connect. You can also select Don't ask me again for connections to this computer to always accept the certificate by default.

Use the connection bar

The connection bar gives you access to additional navigation controls. By default, the connection bar is placed in the middle at the top of the screen. Drag the bar to the left or right to move it.

Pan Control: The pan control enables the screen to be enlarged and moved around. Pan control is only available for direct touch.
- To show the pan control, tap the pan icon in the connection bar to display the pan control and zoom the screen. Tap the pan icon again to hide the control and return the screen to its original size.
- To use the pan control, tap and hold it, then drag it in the direction you want to move the screen.
- To move the pan control, double-tap and hold it to move the control around on the screen.
Additional options: Tap the additional options icon to display the session selection bar and command bar.
Keyboard: Tap the keyboard icon to display or hide the keyboard. The pan control is displayed automatically when the keyboard is displayed.

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Use the session selection bar

You can have multiple connections open to different PCs at the same time. Tap the connection bar to display the session selection bar on the left side of the screen. The session selection bar lets you view your open connections and switch between them.

When you're connected to remote resources, you can switch between apps within that session by tapping the expander menu ( > ) and choosing from the list of available items.

To start a new session within your current connection, tap Start New, then choose from the list of available items.

To disconnect a session, tap X in the left side of the session tile.

Use the command bar

Tap the connection bar to display the command bar on the right side of the screen. On the command bar, you can switch between mouse modes (direct touch and mouse pointer) or tap the Home button to return to the Connection Center. You can also tap the Back button to return to the Connection Center. Returning to the Connection Center won't disconnect your active session.

Touch gestures and mouse modes

The Remote Desktop for Android client uses standard touch gestures. You can also use touch gestures to replicate mouse actions on the remote desktop. The following table explains which gestures match which mouse actions in each mouse mode.

Note

Native touch gestures are supported in Direct Touch mode in Windows 8 or later.

Mouse mode	Mouse action	Gesture
Direct touch	Left-click	Tap with one finger
Direct touch	Right-click	Tap with one finger and hold, then release
Mouse pointer	Zoom	Use two fingers and pinch to zoom out or move fingers apart to zoom in.
Mouse pointer	Left-click	Tap with one finger
Mouse pointer	Left-click and drag	Double-tap and hold with one finger, then drag
Mouse pointer	Right-click	Tap with two fingers
Mouse pointer	Right-click and drag	Double-tap and hold with two fingers, then drag
Mouse pointer	Mouse wheel	Tap and hold with two fingers, then drag up or down

Join the Beta channel

Microsoft Remote Desktop Free Download

If you want to help us test new builds or find issues in upcoming version updates before they're released, you should join our Beta channel. Enterprise admins can use the Beta channel to validate new versions of the Android client for their users.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Client

To join the Beta, download our Beta client and give consent to access preview versions and download the client. You'll receive preview versions directly through the Google Play Store.