Remote Desktop: Frequently asked questions
With the Remote Desktop app from the Windows Store, you can sit at a PC and connect to another PC in a different location (the remote PC). For example, you can connect to your work PC from your home PC and get to all of your apps, files, and network resources as if you were sitting right in front of your work PC. You can leave apps open at work and then see those same apps on your home PC.
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To connect to another PC, you first need to set it up so that it allows remote connections. You can only allow remote connections to PCs running certain Windows operating systems. For more info, see the “Which PCs can I connect to using Remote Desktop?” question in this topic.
On the PC you plan to connect to remotely, do the following:
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Open System by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering System in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking System.
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Tap or click Remote settings.
You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
In the System Properties dialog box, under Remote Desktop, select one of the two options. For more info about these options, see What types of Remote Desktop connections should I allow?
Tap or click Select Users, and in the Remote Desktop Users dialog box, tap or click Add.
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In the Select Users or Groups dialog box, do the following:
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To choose the search location, tap or click Locations, and then select the location you want to search.
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In Enter the object names to select, enter the name of the person that you want to add, and then tap or click OK. The name will be added to the list of people who can connect to this PC.
Note
You can’t connect to a PC that's asleep or hibernating, so if hibernation is available on the remote PC, make sure the settings for sleep and hibernation are set to Never. For more info, see Power plans: Frequently asked questions.
When you want to connect to a remote PC, you'll need to know the full name of that PC.
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Open System by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering System in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking System.
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The full PC name is listed under Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings.
You can use a PC running Windows 8 or Windows RT to initiate a connection. But you can only connect to PCs that are running these Windows operating systems:
Windows 8 Enterprise
Windows 8 Pro
Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Enterprise
Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows Vista Business
Windows Vista Ultimate
Windows Vista Enterprise
Windows XP Professional
Note
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To find out how to allow remote connections on PCs running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, search this website for "Windows 7 remote desktop connection".
Here are some possible solutions to common problems you might encounter when trying to connect to a remote PC. If these solutions don’t work, you can look for more help on the Microsoft Answers
website.
The remote PC can’t be found. If you see this error, talk to the system admin of the remote PC to make sure you have the right PC name, and then check to see if you entered the name correctly. If you still can't connect, try entering the IP address of the remote PC instead of the PC name.
There’s a problem with the network. Make sure that:
Your router is turned on (home networks only).
The Ethernet cable is plugged into your network adapter (wired networks only).
Your PC’s wireless switch is turned on (laptops on wireless networks only).
Your network adapter is working.
If the problem keeps happening, talk to the person who set up your network.
The Remote Desktop port might be blocked by a firewall. If you're using Windows Firewall, follow these steps:
Open Windows Firewall by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering firewall in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking Windows Firewall.
Tap or click Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall.
Tap or click Change settings.
You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
Under Allowed apps and features, select Remote Desktop, and then tap or click OK.
If you're using a different firewall, make sure the port for Remote Desktop (usually 3389) is open.
Remote connections might not be allowed on the remote PC. To fix this, see the "How do I set up a PC for Remote Desktop Connection?" question in this topic.
The remote PC might only allow PCs to connect that have Network Level Authentication turned on For more info, see What types of Remote Desktop connections should I allow?
The remote PC might be turned off. You can’t connect to a PC that's turned off, asleep, or hibernating, so if the remote PC has supports hibernation, make sure the settings for sleep and hibernation on the remote PC are set to Never. For more info, see Power plans: Frequently asked questions.
No. The Start screen and apps from the Windows Store (like the Remote Desktop app) can only be opened on one screen at a time. If you want to connect to more than one PC and see them simultaneously across multiple monitors, you might want to use the Remote Desktop Connection app on the desktop.
You can change different settings for your remote connection like using remote devices like printers, clipboards, and audio devices and changing the speed of your touch pointer.
To change settings for all remote PCs:
Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Settings.)
Tap or click Connection settings.
To change settings for a specific remote PC:
In the app's home screen, swipe across or right-click the thumbnail of the PC you want.
Tap or click Edit and then turn off Use the same settings for all remote PCs.
Change the settings you want.
