Last updated on March 31st, 2020
In this article you will find detailed instructions on how to enable and use Remote Desktop in Windows 10. Remote Desktop is a Windows application that allows users to connect from a computer running Windows to any other remote computer running Windows. It can also be used to connect to remote desktops or app made available by your admin.
Windows 10 came with some new features and enhancements, one of them being the introduction of the new Remote Desktop application that can be downloaded from Microsoft store. Below are some of the features supported by the remote desktop app:
- Connect to remote PCs running Windows Server, Windows Professional and Enterprise. (Windows 10 Home is not supported)
- Connect to remote resources that have been published by your IT administrator.
- Connect remotely through a Remote Desktop Gateway.
- A rich multi-touch experience that supports Windows gestures.
- Secure connection to your data and applications.
- A Simple management interface for your connections from your connection center.
- High-quality video and audio streaming.
Remote desktop, however, is not enabled by default. In this article, we are going to review the steps you need to take to successfully use Remote Desktop in Windows 10 to connect to another computer (Workstation or Server) running Windows.
Prerequisites for connecting to a remote computer using Remote Desktop.
1. The remote computer you want to connect to must be turned on.
2. Remote Desktop must be enabled on the remote computer.
3. Network access to the remote computer is mandatory. This can be over the local area network or the internet.
4. You must have the appropriate permissions required to connect to the remote computer (This is usually a valid user name and password. The user should have permission to log on through remote desktop.).
5. Ensure that your firewall allows remote desktop connections.
How to Enable Remote Desktop in Windows 10.
To Allow the Remote Connections to the computer you want to connect to:
1. Click the Search icon next to Start menu
2. In Search box, type “control panel“
3. Click at Control Panel result.
4. At the top right of the control panel window, type “Remote Desktop” on the search bar.
5. Click on Allow remote access to your computer.
6. By default, the “Don’t allow remote connections to this computer” option is selected by default. (This disables remote desktop). To enable the Remote Desktop, change this to Allow remote connections to this computer“.
7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK to complete the task. *
* Note: By default, all the administrator users, has remote desktop access. So, if you are an administrator on the computer, then your account will automatically have remote desktop permissions. If you want to give remote desktop permissions (access) to other users, then click the “Select Users” button and add them.
How to Connect to Remote Desktop in Windows 10.
With the introduction of the new Remote Desktop application that can be downloaded from Microsoft store, you now have two options available for connecting to a remote computer using remote desktop.
Option 1. Connecting to a remote computer using the Remote Desktop Connection on Windows 10.
The first method, to remote desktop another computer, is by using the Remote Desktop Connection method (classic method). To do that:
1. Open Windows “run” by pressing the Windows + R keys at the same time, and type mstsc (shortcut for opening remote desktop) to open the Remote Desktop Connection application.
2. Type the IP address (or the computer name) for the remote computer you want to connect to.
3. Click Connect.
4. This will bring up a prompt requiring you to input the remote computer’s user name and password.
5. Click OK to connect to the remote computer.
6. When you get the “untrusted certificate” prompt, select “Don’t ask about this certificate again” in case you don’t want to get the prompt in the future and click OK.
7. If everything is working well, you will now be able to connect to the remote computer.
Option 2. Connecting to a remote computer using the Remote Desktop app from Microsoft Store.
Step 1. Download the Remote Desktop app from Microsoft Store.
1. Click the Start menu and then click Microsoft Store.
2. Type “remote desktop” on the search bar and then click Microsoft Remote Desktop App.
3. Finally click Get to install the app on your PC.
Step 2. Connect to Remote Desktop with the Microsoft Remote Desktop app.
1. Click the Start menu and click Remote Desktop to launch the Remote Desktop application.
2. Click on the Add (+) option to create a new remote desktop connection.
3. Click on the first option (Desktop) to connect to the remote computer.
4. Fill in the details for the remote computer.
- Under PC name enter the remote computer name or the remote computer IP address.
- Under user account, enter the details for the remote user allowed to log in using remote desktop.
5. When done, click Save.
6. This will bring up a list of all the available connections that have been added. Select the one we added on the previous steps.
7. When you get the “untrusted certificate” prompt, select “Don’t ask about this certificate again” in case you don’t want to get the prompt in the future, and click Connect.
8. If everything is working well, you will now be able to connect to the remote computer.
That’s it!
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