Every designated family unit technology enthusiast has had the call from Aunty Ethel asking for help with their PC, but what if they live too far away to realistically travel there? Fortunately, you can use a remote desktop connection to gear up the calculator from the comfort of your own chair.

Unfortunately, remote desktop connections don't ever work how you want. Hither are several tips on fixing remote desktop problems so you lot can go on your role as the family arrangement admin, no matter where you are.

1. You Can't Connect to the Remote Computer

Offset, check your network settings. Do both computers have a network connection? It is always the easiest connectedness issue that sneaks under the radar!

If both computers have a network connection, you tin can motility on. The Windows Remote Desktop Connection requires either an IP address or a proper noun for the console you lot are attempting to view.

remote desktop connection windows 10

Brand sure you have the correct IP accost for the remote computer. On the remote computer, you can visit whatismyip and copy down the address. If y'all are non with the remote computer, you must inquire someone at the location to do this for y'all, so send over the IP address.

Similarly, to find out the computer name of the remote device, caput to Start Menu > Command Panel > Organization and view the figurer proper name and workgroup.

ii. Remote Connections Non Allowed

You might observe that remote connections are disabled on the terminal you are trying to attain. You can alter this setting on the same System page as above. To the correct of the computer proper name and workgroup, select Change Settings to open the System Properties carte du jour. Select the Remote tab.

remote desktop connection properties

Windows 10 offers the aforementioned Remote Desktop Connection options as older Windows versions. Under Remote Desktop, there are 2 options:

  • Let remote connections to this figurer
  • Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)

Once you allow remote connections, you also accept the selection of but accepting remote connections using Network Level Authentication. As stated on Microsoft Community, Network Level Authentication is "an hallmark method that completes user authentication before you establish 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 you struggle to create a remote desktop connectedness afterwards switching Network Level Authentication on, try turning it off.

Y'all can check if your version of Remote Desktop supports Network Level Hallmark by clicking the elevation-left of the dialog box and select Nigh.

about remote desktop connection

3. Remote Desktop Connection for Windows x Habitation Using RDP Wrapper Library

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

Windows 10 Home users tin make an approachable Remote Desktop connexion to a different calculator (not running Windows ten Domicile!), but not vice versa. Thankfully, a elementary, software-based fix works around the issue: the RDP Wrapper Library.

The RDP Wrapper Library uses the existing Windows Final 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 x Home doesn't take an integrated solution.

Here'due south how you allow remote desktop connections on Windows 10 Home using RDP Wrapper Library:

  1. Head to the RDP Wrapper Library GitHub Releases page.
  2. Download the RDPWInst.nil file. After downloading, correct-click the file and excerpt the annal to a new folder. For instance, using 7-Zip, I would select seven-Zip > Extract to RDPWrap-v1.6.2.
  3. Open the new folder, then run bat.
  4. After installation, run bat.
  5. At present, run exe to make sure the process is working.
  6. You lot tin can use exe to manage avant-garde configuration settings.

Confused? Bank check out the post-obit video. It will guide you through the tricky bits of the installation, as well as how to set up your Windows 10 Dwelling RDP Wrapper Library remote connection.

4. You Can't Re-create Text From the Remote Computer

You tin can utilize Remote Desktop Connection to copy text from ane concluding 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 past typing remote in your Outset menu search bar, so selecting the All-time match.
  2. Select Show Options. Head to the Local Resource tab. Under Local devices and resource, put a check in the Clipboard box. The pick should be turned on past default.

5. The Remote Window Isn't the Correct Size

Incorrect window size is another mutual Remote Desktop Connectedness issue. When yous create the remote desktop connection, the window is too big, too small, or doesn't correlate to the settings you input.

You have two potential fixes here. First, you can forcefulness the Remote Desktop connectedness to use a specific size via the Run function. Hit Windows central + R, then input:

          The specified linguistic communication : markup does not be'
              Code generation failed!!            
'

Where "X" is the height and width of the Remote Desktop viewing window you lot desire. 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 Full Screen for your screen. Make certain to set the slider to Full Screen if you desire a total-screen remote connexion for each connexion.

remote desktop connection adjust display configuration

6. Delete Your Credentials to Reset Remote Desktop Connection Login

At times, Windows Remote Desktop Connection finds your login details confusing. There is also the take a chance the login details for your organisation or the remote system are different from your last remote connection. Yous tin can remove and supercede your existing credentials to try and set the issue.

  1. In the Remote Desktop Connectedness customer, caput to the Advanced tab.
  2. Select Settings, then brand sure Automatically detect RD Gateway server settings is selected.

7. How to Salve 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 salve fourth dimension in the futurity. You can ready the optimum width, height, and color settings for each server or terminal.

  1. Open up the Remote Desktop Connection dialog, so select Show Options.
  2. You will at present run across the Connectedness settings options. Select Save As, specify your salve location, and so select Save to create a custom Remote Desktop Connection file (.RDP). Save it to a memorable location because yous're going to need it instantly.
  3. At present, scan to the Remote Desktop Connection configuration file. Yous tin can edit the configuration file using a text editor, such as Notepad or Notepad++. Right-click the configuration file and select Open up with, and so select your text editor.
remote desktop connection edit configuration file

The first four lines show your remote connectedness screen size options (plus whether multi-monitor way is available). Y'all tin edit the screen mode to set whether the remote window session appears full screen. For example, id:i:2 sets full-screen, whereas id:i:one sets the remote connectedness to appear in a window.

If you set the screen mode to "two" for total screen, the desktopwidth and desktopheight values automatically lucifer the screen size of the host customer. Nevertheless, if you are using screen mode "1," you can utilise the desktopwidth and desktopheight settings to set a specific window size.

After you confirm your settings, add the following string to the end of the file:

          The specified language : markup does not be'
              Code generation failed!!            
'

Smart sizing allows you to dynamically alter your screen settings without messing around with configuration files while the Remote Desktop connection is active. However, you must add together the string for each custom configuration you create.

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

viii. Handy Remote Desktop Connection Shortcuts

You can boost your Remote Desktop Connection productivity using a handful of keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts are designed to work when yous access Remote Desktop using the Run dialog.

  • Get-go Remote Desktop in total-screen mode: mstsc /f
  • Kickoff Remote Desktop in Admin Mode: mstsc /admin
  • Matches your Remote Desktop session with the local virtual desktop: mstsc /bridge
  • Matches your Remote Desktop session to the Customer Layout: mstsc /multimon
  • Open the .RDP file for editing---alter "connection file" to your file proper noun earlier running the command: mstsc /edit "connection file"

You lot can use the following Remote Desktop shortcuts once your Remote Desktop connection is live:

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

Resolving Remote Desktop Connection Issues for Windows x

You can at present connect to dear Aunty Ethel'due south figurer from the comfort of your own home using a Remote Desktop Connectedness in Windows 10. You are saving yourself time and effort while hopefully lining you upwards for another sensational hand-knitted jumper.

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