Every designated family engineering enthusiast has had the call from Aunty Ethel asking for help with their PC, but what if they alive too far abroad to realistically travel there? Fortunately, you tin utilise a remote desktop connection to fix the computer from the comfort of your own chair.

Unfortunately, remote desktop connections don't always work how you want. Here are several tips on fixing remote desktop bug so you can continue your role as the family system admin, no affair where you are.

1. Y'all Tin't Connect to the Remote Computer

First, bank check your network settings. Do both computers have a network connection? Information technology is always the easiest connection consequence that sneaks nether the radar!

If both computers have a network connection, you can movement on. The Windows Remote Desktop Connexion requires either an IP address or a name for the console you are attempting to view.

remote desktop connection windows 10

Make sure you have the correct IP address for the remote computer. On the remote reckoner, you tin can visit whatismyip and copy down the address. If you lot are not with the remote computer, you must ask someone at the location to do this for y'all, then ship over the IP accost.

Similarly, to find out the computer name of the remote device, head to Start Carte > Command Panel > System and view the computer proper name and workgroup.

2. Remote Connections Not Immune

You lot might find that remote connections are disabled on the terminal you are trying to reach. Yous can alter this setting on the same Organisation page as above. To the correct of the computer name and workgroup, select Change Settings to open up the System Backdrop menu. Select the Remote tab.

remote desktop connection properties

Windows ten offers the aforementioned Remote Desktop Connection options as older Windows versions. Nether Remote Desktop, there are two options:

  • Allow remote connections to this computer
  • Allow connections simply from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)

Once you allow remote connections, you lot also have the choice of only accepting remote connections using Network Level Authentication. As stated on Microsoft Community, Network Level Authentication is "an authentication method that completes user authentication before you lot found a full Remote Desktop connection and the logon screen appears."

It provides an additional layer of security from malicious software and users while using fewer resources in the process. However, if y'all struggle to create a remote desktop connexion after switching Network Level Authentication on, try turning it off.

You can check if your version of Remote Desktop supports Network Level Authentication by clicking the superlative-left of the dialog box and select About.

about remote desktop connection

iii. Remote Desktop Connectedness for Windows 10 Dwelling house Using RDP Wrapper Library

Windows ten Habitation users struggle with Remote Desktop. Why? Considering Windows 10 Home doesn't support incoming connections. At least, non natively.

Windows 10 Abode users tin brand an outgoing Remote Desktop connection to a different reckoner (not running Windows x Home!), but not vice versa. Thankfully, a simple, software-based prepare works around the issue: the RDP Wrapper Library.

The RDP Wrapper Library uses the existing Windows Terminal Service and adds new Windows Firewall rules to remote desktop connections. The RDP Wrapper Library also provides an interface to manage remote desktop connections, as Windows 10 Home doesn't have an integrated solution.

Here's how you allow remote desktop connections on Windows ten Home using RDP Wrapper Library:

  1. Head to the RDP Wrapper Library GitHub Releases page.
  2. Download the RDPWInst.zip file. After downloading, right-click the file and excerpt the archive to a new folder. For example, using vii-Zip, I would select vii-Zip > Extract to RDPWrap-v1.6.two.
  3. Open the new folder, then run bat.
  4. After installation, run bat.
  5. Now, run exe to make certain the process is working.
  6. You lot tin utilize exe to manage advanced configuration settings.

Confused? Check out the following video. It will guide you through the tricky bits of the installation, likewise as how to set upwards your Windows 10 Domicile RDP Wrapper Library remote connectedness.

four. You Tin't Re-create Text From the Remote Calculator

You can apply Remote Desktop Connectedness to re-create text from 1 terminal to your own. If the re-create text characteristic isn't working, you need to enable the Clipboard redirect function to use it on the remote computer.

  1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box by typing remote in your Start menu search bar, then selecting the Best lucifer.
  2. Select Prove Options. Head to the Local Resources tab. Under Local devices and resource, put a check in the Clipboard box. The option should be turned on past default.

5. The Remote Window Isn't the Right Size

Wrong window size is another mutual Remote Desktop Connexion upshot. When you create the remote desktop connexion, the window is as well big, likewise small, or doesn't correlate to the settings you input.

You take two potential fixes hither. Outset, you can force the Remote Desktop connection to apply a specific size via the Run function. Hitting Windows key + R, then input:

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Where "Ten" is the height and width of the Remote Desktop viewing window y'all want. Remote Desktop Connection will remember your settings for future remote viewing settings.

2nd, the Remote Desktop Connection client has a handy screen resolution slider that scrolls from 640x480 up to Total Screen for your screen. Brand sure to set the slider to Full Screen if you want a full-screen remote connection for each connection.

remote desktop connection adjust display configuration

6. Delete Your Credentials to Reset Remote Desktop Connexion Login

At times, Windows Remote Desktop Connexion finds your login details confusing. There is likewise the chance the login details for your arrangement or the remote system are different from your final remote connection. You can remove and replace your existing credentials to try and fix the event.

  1. In the Remote Desktop Connection client, head to the Advanced tab.
  2. Select Settings, then make sure Automatically find RD Gateway server settings is selected.

vii. How to Relieve Your Remote Desktop Connection Custom Settings

If you regularly connect to several different servers or clients, saving a custom configuration for each Remote Desktop will save fourth dimension in the future. You can set the optimum width, height, and color settings for each server or terminal.

  1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection dialog, then select Evidence Options.
  2. You volition now see the Connection settings options. Select Save As, specify your save location, and then select Relieve to create a custom Remote Desktop Connection file (.RDP). Save it to a memorable location because you're going to need it instantly.
  3. Now, browse to the Remote Desktop Connection configuration file. Y'all can edit the configuration file using a text editor, such equally Notepad or Notepad++. Right-click the configuration file and select Open up with, then select your text editor.
remote desktop connection edit configuration file

The first iv lines show your remote connection screen size options (plus whether multi-monitor mode is bachelor). You can edit the screen mode to prepare whether the remote window session appears full screen. For instance, id:i:ii sets full-screen, whereas id:i:1 sets the remote connexion to appear in a window.

If you ready the screen way to "2" for full screen, the desktopwidth and desktopheight values automatically match the screen size of the host client. However, if yous are using screen style "i," yous tin use the desktopwidth and desktopheight settings to set a specific window size.

After you ostend your settings, add the following string to the stop of the file:

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Smart sizing allows you to dynamically modify your screen settings without messing around with configuration files while the Remote Desktop connection is agile. However, y'all must add the string for each custom configuration you lot create.

If you want to customize your remote desktop configuration file farther, check out Donkz Remote Desktop file setting overview.

8. Handy Remote Desktop Connexion Shortcuts

You tin boost your Remote Desktop Connexion productivity using a handful of keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts are designed to work when y'all access Remote Desktop using the Run dialog.

  • Start Remote Desktop in full-screen manner: mstsc /f
  • Start Remote Desktop in Admin Mode: mstsc /admin
  • Matches your Remote Desktop session with the local virtual desktop: mstsc /span
  • Matches your Remote Desktop session to the Client Layout: mstsc /multimon
  • Open the .RDP file for editing---change "connection file" to your file proper name before running the command: mstsc /edit "connection file"

You tin can utilise the following Remote Desktop shortcuts once your Remote Desktop connection is live:

  • Switches your Remote Desktop client between full-screen and windowed mode: Ctrl + Alt + Pause
  • Forcefulness the Remote Desktop into full-screen style: Ctrl + Alt + Suspension
  • Takes a screenshot of the active Remote Desktop window: Ctrl + Alt + Minus
  • Takes a screenshot of the entire Remote Desktop: Ctrl + Alt + Plus
  • Reboots the remote computer: Ctrl + Alt + End

Resolving Remote Desktop Connectedness Issues for Windows 10

You can now connect to beloved Aunty Ethel'southward computer from the comfort of your own dwelling house using a Remote Desktop Connection in Windows 10. Yous are saving yourself time and attempt while hopefully lining y'all upwards for another sensational hand-knitted jumper.

Fortunately, if you want to remotely help someone on a Windows machine using a Mac PC, you lot can practice that too. This comes in handy if you're a huge fan of macOS but the rest of your family unit runs Windows machines.

Microsoft Remote Desktop: How to Access Windows From Your Mac

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Virtually The Author

Gavin Phillips (1052 Articles Published)

Gavin is the Junior Editor for Applied science Explained, a regular contributor to the Really Useful Podcast, and a frequent product reviewer. He has a degree in Gimmicky Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, and more than a decade of professional writing experience. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football.

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