Remote Desktop Connection Remote Desktop Connection (
RDC, also called
Remote Desktop or just
RD) is the client application for RDS. The program has the filename mstsc.exe and in Windows 2000 and prior, it was known as
Microsoft Terminal Services Client (
MSTSC or
tsclient). It allows a user to remotely log into a networked computer running the
Remote Desktop Services. RDC presents the desktop interface (or application GUI) of the remote system, as if it were accessed locally. In addition to regular username/password for authorizing for the remote session, RDC also supports using smart cards for authorization. RDC 6.0 was released as part of Windows Vista. With RDC 6.0, the resolution of a remote session can be set independently of the settings at the remote computer. If the
Desktop Experience component is plugged into the remote server, remote application user interface elements (e.g., application windows borders, Maximize, Minimize, and Close buttons etc.) will take on the same appearance of local applications. In this scenario, the remote applications will use the
Aero theme if the user connects to the server from a Windows Vista machine running Aero. Moreover, a remote session can also span multiple monitors at the client system, independent of the multi-monitor settings at the server. RDC can also be used to connect to Windows Media Center (WMC) remote sessions; however, since WMC does not stream video using RDP, only the applications can be viewed this way, not any media. RDC prioritizes UI data as well as keyboard and mouse inputs, as opposed to print jobs or file transfers. so as to make the applications more responsive. It redirects plug and play devices such as cameras, portable music players, and scanners, so that input from these devices can be used by the remote applications as well. Finally, few shortcuts that will be handy • To achieve effect on remote desktop, you can use the key combination. • To alternate between the full screen and window mode of remote desktop, you can use ( on certain HP laptops).
Microsoft Remote Desktop |
Windows 8,
8.1,
10,
11 |
MacOS,
Android,
iOS,
iPadOS,
web}} |
Remote Desktop client for Windows (for Azure Virtual Desktop) |
Windows App}} }}
Microsoft Remote Desktop, also called
Remote Desktop, is a modern client for RDS released in September 2012. Compared to the older Remote Desktop Connection, the program offers a touch-friendly interface. It allows users to connect to remote PCs,
RemoteApp programs, session-based desktops, and virtual desktops. The program is available on Windows as a
Universal Windows Platform on the
Microsoft Store, MacOS as
Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac,
Android,
iOS,
iPadOS, and on all platforms as a web client. The Windows version of the app is no longer being updated with new features or support for
Azure Virtual Desktop. Instead, Azure users are recommend to use the
Remote Desktop client for Windows. In April 2025, Microsoft announced that support for the Remote Desktop app will end on May 27, 2025, urging users to transition to its successor, the
Windows App. It is one of the components of
Microsoft Windows that allow a user to initiate and control an interactive session. The web client uses the TLS secured port 443 and does not use the RD Gateway to transport traffic, instead relying solely on the remote desktop session host aspect of remote desktop services. As of today there are several companies that offer a browser-based RDP client that allow remote desktop access via any modern web browser, eliminating the need for local client software. Thincast provides an HTML5-based RD WebClient for seamless access to Windows desktops and apps. Apache Guacamole is a popular open-source option supporting RDP, VNC, and SSH. Other notable solutions include Chrome Remote Desktop, Ericom AccessNow or TSPLus.
Remote Desktop client for Windows }} The
Remote Desktop client for Windows (
MSRDC), branded as
Microsoft Remote Desktop and
Azure Virtual Desktop if installed from the Microsoft Store, is a client that uses the
Remote Desktop Protocol to allow users to connect to
Azure Virtual Desktops on feeds made available by enterprise administrators. The program can be downloaded as an
MSI installer as Remote Desktop or from the Microsoft Store as Azure Virtual Desktop. In contrast with Microsoft Remote Desktop and like the older Remote Desktop Connection program, MSRDC allows for the redirection of local USB and serial devices. In May 2025, Microsoft announced that the MSRDC is no longer supported on March 27, 2026 and replaced by the
Windows App.
Windows App }} The
Windows App is a Remote Desktop Protocol client that allows users to connect to
Windows 365,
Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box instances. Additionally, on non-Windows platforms excluding the browser, the Windows App allows users to connect to servers running
Remote Desktop Services and remote PCs. On Windows, Microsoft advises users to use
Remote Desktop Connection to connect to remote PCs and
Remote Desktop client for Windows to connect to Remote Desktop Services. The app was developed as a unified way to access Windows PCs remotely and as replacement for
Microsoft Remote Desktop. == Non-Microsoft ==