Remote Desktop lets you connect to another Windows PC over a network and control it as if you were sitting in front of it. It is built into Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise — you do not need any third-party software. This guide covers how to enable it, connect using the Remote Desktop Connection app (mstsc), and configure every setting in the connection options so your printers, clipboard, drives and audio all work correctly.
Before You Start
Remote Desktop requires:
- Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise on the PC you are connecting to. Home edition can only connect out, not receive incoming connections.
- Both PCs on the same network — or a VPN if connecting remotely
- The host PC to be powered on and not sleeping
The PC you connect from can be any edition of Windows, including Home.
Step 1: Enable Remote Desktop on the Host PC
The host is the PC you want to connect to. You need to turn on Remote Desktop on that machine first.
- Go to Settings → System → Remote Desktop
- Toggle Remote Desktop to On
- Click Confirm when prompted
Below the toggle, note the PC name shown — you will need this to connect. You can also find it at Settings → System → About → Device name.
Windows Firewall is updated automatically when you enable Remote Desktop. If you use a third-party firewall, you may need to allow TCP port 3389 manually.
Step 2: Open Remote Desktop Connection
On the PC you want to connect from:
- Press Win + R, type
mstsc, and press Enter
Alternatively, search for Remote Desktop Connection in the Start menu.
In the Computer field, enter the PC name or IP address of the host. For a local network, the PC name (e.g. DESKTOP-ABC123) usually works. For remote connections over a VPN, use the internal IP address.
Before clicking Connect, click Show Options to access the full settings — this is where all the useful configuration lives.
Step 3: Configure the Connection Settings
Clicking Show Options reveals five tabs. Most people skip these and then wonder why their printer or clipboard does not work.
General Tab
- Computer: The hostname or IP of the PC you are connecting to
- User name: The Windows username on the host PC (e.g.
stuartstaffordorDOMAIN\username) - Save credentials: Tick this to avoid re-entering your password each time
At the bottom of this tab, you can Save the connection as an .rdp file. Double-clicking that file will open the connection with all your settings pre-configured — useful if you connect to several different machines.
Display Tab
- Display configuration: Drag the slider to set the remote desktop resolution. Full Screen is the default; you can also choose a fixed resolution if you want the remote desktop to appear in a window.
- Use all my monitors for the remote session: Tick this if you have multiple monitors and want to span the remote session across all of them
- Display the connection bar when I use the full screen: Keeps the blue title bar at the top visible so you can minimise or disconnect
- Colour depth: Higher colour depth looks better but uses more bandwidth. On a fast local network, leave it at the maximum (32-bit). On a slow connection, drop to 16-bit.
Local Resources Tab — The Most Important Tab
This tab controls what local devices and features are shared with the remote PC. Most problems people have with Remote Desktop — missing printers, no clipboard paste, drives not visible — are fixed here.
Remote Audio
- Play on this computer: Audio from the remote PC plays through your local speakers — the most common setting
- Play on remote computer: Audio stays on the host machine (useful if others are using it)
- Do not play: Mutes remote audio entirely
The Record from this computer option allows your local microphone to work within the remote session — needed for Teams or Zoom calls run on the remote PC.
Keyboard
This controls where Windows keyboard shortcuts (like Alt + Tab, Win + D) apply. Only when using the full screen is the most practical setting — shortcuts work on the remote PC in full screen, and on your local PC when windowed.
Local Devices and Resources
This is where you enable printers, clipboard, drives and other devices to be shared with the remote session.
- Printers: Tick this to make your local printers available inside the remote session. When connected, your printers appear in the remote PC’s printer list with “(redirected)” in the name. This is how you print to your local printer from a remote desktop session.
- Clipboard: Tick this to copy and paste text and files between your local PC and the remote PC. This is enabled by default. Without it, you cannot paste anything from one machine to the other.
Click More to see additional devices that can be shared:
- Drives: Share your local drives (C:, D:, USB drives) with the remote PC. They appear in File Explorer on the remote desktop under This PC → Redirected drives. Useful for transferring files without needing a shared network folder.
- Ports: Share local COM and LPT ports — useful for connecting serial devices to the remote PC
- Smart cards: Share a locally inserted smart card or security key (such as a YubiKey) with the remote session for authentication
- Video capture devices: Share your local webcam with the remote PC — useful for video calls run on the remote machine
- Other supported Plug and Play devices: Shares connected USB and PnP devices not covered by the categories above
Experience Tab
This tab adjusts visual quality to match your connection speed. Windows usually detects this automatically, but you can override it.
- Connection speed: Set to the appropriate connection type. On a local network (gigabit), choose LAN (10 Mbps or higher). Over VPN or a slower internet connection, choose a lower setting to reduce lag.
- Lower connection speeds automatically disable desktop backgrounds, font smoothing, animations, and window drag effects to improve responsiveness
- Reconnect if connection is dropped: Leave this ticked — it will automatically reconnect if the session is briefly interrupted
Advanced Tab
- Server authentication: Warn me controls what happens if the remote PC’s identity cannot be verified. Leave this at the default (Warn me) unless you know the certificate is valid and trust the host.
- Connect from anywhere: Lets you specify an RD Gateway server if your organisation uses one for remote access. Most small business users do not need this.
Step 4: Connect
Once your settings are configured, click Connect. You will be prompted for the password for the user account on the host PC. After signing in, the remote desktop appears.
If you saved an .rdp file, you can right-click it and choose Edit to change settings at any time, or double-click to connect directly.
Useful Remote Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts
Standard Windows shortcuts behave differently inside a remote session. These replacements apply when connected in full screen:
- Alt + Tab — switches windows on the remote PC (not your local PC)
- Ctrl + Alt + End — equivalent to Ctrl + Alt + Del on the remote PC (opens lock/task manager screen)
- Win + D — shows the remote desktop
- Ctrl + Alt + Break — toggles between full screen and windowed mode
- Ctrl + Alt + Home — activates the connection bar in full screen mode
Saving Multiple RDP Connections
If you connect to several different machines, save each one as a separate .rdp file with a descriptive name (e.g. Office-Server.rdp, Home-PC.rdp). Store them in a folder you can access easily. Double-clicking any of them opens the connection immediately with your saved settings and credentials.
You can also pin .rdp files to the taskbar or Start menu for one-click access.
Troubleshooting
Cannot Connect — “Remote Desktop can’t connect to the remote computer”
- Confirm Remote Desktop is enabled on the host PC
- Check both PCs are on the same network (or VPN is connected)
- Verify the computer name or IP address is correct — try pinging it:
ping DESKTOP-ABC123 - Check Windows Firewall on the host allows Remote Desktop (TCP 3389)
- Make sure the host is not in Sleep or Hibernate mode
Printer Not Appearing in Remote Session
- Check Printers is ticked on the Local Resources tab before connecting
- The redirected printer driver must be compatible. If it does not appear, try installing the printer driver on the remote PC manually — redirected printers use the driver installed there.
- Some printer manufacturers block redirection — check the printer’s advanced properties
Cannot Paste — Clipboard Not Working
- Check Clipboard is ticked on the Local Resources tab
- If clipboard stops working mid-session, the RDP clipboard service has crashed. In Task Manager on the remote PC, find and restart rdpclip.exe
Drives Not Visible on Remote PC
- Tick Drives under More on the Local Resources tab
- If still not visible, the policy on the host PC may be blocking drive redirection — check Group Policy at
Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Device and Resource Redirection
“Your credentials did not work”
- Confirm you are using the correct Windows username and password for the host PC — not a Microsoft account email address, but the local account name
- For domain accounts use
DOMAIN\usernameformat - Make sure the account is allowed to use Remote Desktop: on the host, go to Settings → System → Remote Desktop → User accounts and add the user if needed
