Microsoft Remote Desktop Ios



  1. How To Set Up Microsoft Remote Desktop Ios App
  2. Microsoft Remote Desktop Ios Download

Mar 11, 2020 After almost ignoring its Remote Desktop app for iOS for over a year, Microsoft has shown a renewed interest in the tool in recent months. This week, a new update has landed on iPhones and iPads. Jul 12, 2017 Install and Set Up Microsoft Remote Desktop on Your iOS Device Now that you have Remote Desktop configured on the PC to which you want to connect, it’s time to turn your attention to the iOS device from which you want to connect. You’ll first need to download and install Microsoft Remote Desktop. When that’s gone, go ahead and fire it up.

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Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2

Now that you've set up the Remote Desktop client on your device (Android, Mac, iOS, or Windows), you may have questions. Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions about the Remote Desktop clients.

The majority of these questions apply to all of the clients, but there are a few client specific items.

If you have additional questions that you'd like us to answer, leave them as feedback on this article.

Setting up

Which PCs can I connect to?

Check out the supported configuration article for information about what PCs you can connect to.

How do I set up a PC for Remote Desktop?

I have my device set up, but I don't think the PC's ready. Help?

First, have you seen the Remote Desktop Setup Wizard? It walks you through getting your PC ready for remote access. Download and run that tool on your PC to get everything set.

Otherwise, if you prefer to do things manually, read on.

For Windows 10, do the following:

  1. On the device you want to connect to, open Settings.
  2. Select System and then Remote Desktop.
  3. Use the slider to enable Remote Desktop.
  4. In general, it's best to keep the PC awake and discoverable to facilitate connections. Click Show settings to go to the power settings for your PC, where you can change this setting.

    Note

    You can't connect to a PC that's asleep or hibernating, so make sure the settings for sleep and hibernation on the remote PC are set to Never. (Hibernation isn't available on all PCs.)

Make note of the name of this PC under How to connect to this PC. You'll need this to configure the clients.

You can grant permission for specific users to access this PC - to do that, click Select users that can remotely access this PC.Members of the Administrators group automatically have access.

For Windows 8.1, follow the instructions to allow remote connections in Connect to another desktop using Remote Desktop Connections.

Connection, gateway, and networks

Why can't I connect using Remote Desktop?

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 find more help on the Microsoft Community website.

  • The remote PC can't be found. Make sure you have the right PC name, and then check to see if you entered that name correctly. If you still can't connect, try using the IP address of the remote PC instead of the PC name.

  • There's a problem with the network. Make sure you have internet connection.

  • The Remote Desktop port might be blocked by a firewall. If you're using Windows Firewall, follow these steps:

    1. Open Windows Firewall.

    2. Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall.

    3. Click Change settings. You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.

    4. 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 set up on the remote PC. To fix this, scroll back up to How do I set up a PC for Remote Desktop? question in this topic.

  • The remote PC might only allow PCs to connect that have Network Level Authentication set up.

  • The remote PC might be turned off. You can't connect to a PC that's turned off, asleep, or hibernating, so make sure the settings for sleep and hibernation on the remote PC are set to Never (hibernation isn't available on all PCs.).

Why can't I find or connect to my PC?

Check the following:

  • Is the PC on and awake?

  • Did you enter the right name or IP address?

    Important

    Using the PC name requires your network to resolve the name correctly through DNS. In many home networks, you have to use the IP address instead of the host name to connect.

  • Is the PC on a different network? Did you configure the PC to let outside connections through? Check out Allow access to your PC from outside your network for help.

  • Are you connecting to a supported Windows version?

    Note

    Windows XP Home, Windows Media Center Edition, Windows Vista Home and Windows 7 Home or Starter are not supported without 3rd party software.

Why can't I sign in to a remote PC?

If you can see the sign-in screen of the remote PC but you can't sign in, you might not have been added to the Remote Desktop Users Group or to any group with administrator rights on the remote PC. Ask your system admin to do this for you.

Which connection methods are supported for company networks?

If you want to access your office desktop from outside your company network, your company must provide you with a means of remote access. The RD Client currently supports the following:

  • Terminal Server Gateway or Remote Desktop Gateway
  • Remote Desktop Web Access
  • VPN (through iOS built-in VPN options)

VPN doesn't work

VPN issues can have several causes. The first step is to verify that the VPN works on the same network as your PC or Mac computer. If you can't test with a PC or Mac, you can try to access a company intranet web page with your device's browser.

Other things to check:

  • The 3G network blocks or corrupts VPN. There are several 3G providers in the world who seem to block or corrupt 3G traffic. Verify VPN connectivity works correctly for over a minute.
  • L2TP or PPTP VPNs. If you are using L2TP or PPTP in your VPN, please set Send All Traffic to ON in the VPN configuration.
  • VPN is misconfigured. A misconfigured VPN server can be the reason why the VPN connections never worked or stopped working after some time. Ensure testing with the iOS device's web browser or a PC or Mac on the same network if this happens.

How can I test if VPN is working properly?

Verify that VPN is enabled on your device. You can test your VPN connection by going to a webpage on your internal network or using a web service which is only available via the VPN.

How do I configure L2TP or PPTP VPN connections?

If you are using L2TP or PPTP in your VPN, make sure to set Send all traffic to ON in the VPN configuration.

Web client

Which browsers can I use?

The web client supports Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11, Mozilla Firefox (v55.0 and later), Safari, and Google Chrome.

What PCs can I use to access the web client?

The web client supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS. Mobile devices are not supported at this time.

Can I use the web client in a Remote Desktop deployment without a gateway?

No. The client requires a Remote Desktop Gateway to connect. Don't know what that means? Ask your admin about it.

Does the Remote Desktop web client replace the Remote Desktop Web Access page?

No. The Remote Desktop web client is hosted at a different URL than the Remote Desktop Web Access page. You can use either the web client or the Web Access page to view the remote resources in a browser.

Can I embed the web client in another web page?

This feature is not supported at the moment.

Monitors, audio, and mouse

How do I use all of my monitors?

To use two or more screens, do the following:

  1. Right-click the remote desktop that you want to enable multiple screens for, and then click Edit.
  2. Enable Use all monitors and Full screen.

Is bi-directional sound supported?

Bi-directional sound can be configured in the Windows client on a per-connection basis. The relevant settings can be accessed in the Remote audio section of the Local Resources options tab.

What can I do if the sound won't play?

Sign out of the session (don't just disconnect, sign all the way out), and then sign in again.

Mac client - hardware questions

Is retina resolution supported?

Yes, the remote desktop client supports retina resolution.

How do I enable secondary right-click?

In order to make use of the right-click inside an open session you have three options:

  • Standard PC two button USB mouse
  • Apple Magic Mouse: To enable right-click, click System Preferences in the dock, click Mouse, and then enable Secondary click.
  • Apple Magic Trackpad or MacBook Trackpad: To enable right-click, click System Preferences in the dock, click Trackpad, and then enable Secondary click.

Is AirPrint supported?

No, the Remote Desktop client doesn't support AirPrint. (This is true for both Mac and iOS clients.)

Why do incorrect characters appear in the session?

If you are using an international keyboard, you might see an issue where the characters that appear in the session do match the characters you typed on the Mac keyboard.

This can occur in the following scenarios:

Microsoft remote desktop ios mouse
  • You are using a keyboard that the remote session does not recognize. When Remote Desktop doesn't recognize the keyboard, it defaults to the language last used with the remote PC.
  • You are connecting to a previously disconnected session on a remote PC and that remote PC uses a different keyboard language than the language you are currently trying to use.

You can fix this issue by manually setting the keyboard language for the remote session. See the steps in the next section.

How do language settings affect keyboards in a remote session?

There are many types of Mac keyboard layouts. Some of these are Mac specific layouts or custom layouts for which an exact match may not be available on the version of Windows you are remoting into. The remote session maps your keyboard to the best matching keyboard language available on the remote PC.

If your Mac keyboard layout is set to the PC version of the language keyboard (for example, French – PC) all your keys should be mapped correctly and your keyboard should just work.

If your Mac keyboard layout is set to the Mac version of a keyboard (for example, French) the remote session will map you to the PC version of the French language. Some of the Mac keyboard shortcuts you are used to using on OSX will not work in the remote Windows session.

If your keyboard layout is set to a variation of a language (for example, Canadian-French) and if the remote session cannot map you to that exact variation, the remote session will map you to the closest language (for example, French). Some of the Mac keyboard shortcuts you are used to using on OSX will not work in the remote Windows session.

How To Set Up Microsoft Remote Desktop Ios App

If your keyboard layout is set to a layout the remote session cannot match at all, your remote session will default to give you the language you last used with that PC. In this case, or in cases where you need to change the language of your remote session to match your Mac keyboard, you can manually set the keyboard language in the remote session to the language that is the closest match to the one you wish to use as follows.

Use the following instructions to change the keyboard layout inside the remote desktop session:

On Windows 10 or Windows 8:

  1. From inside the remote session, open Region and Language. Click Start > Settings > Time and Language. Open Region and Language.
  2. Add the language you want to use. Then close the Region and Language window.
  3. Now, in the remote session, you'll see the ability to switch between languages. (In the right side of the remote session, near the clock.) Click the language you want to switch to (such as Eng).

You might need to close and restart the application you are currently using for the keyboard changes to take effect.

Specific errors

Microsoft Remote Desktop Ios Download

Why do I get an 'Insufficient privileges' error?

You are not allowed to access the session you want to connect to. The most likely cause is that you are trying to connect to an admin session. Only administrators are allowed to connect to the console. Verify that the console switch is off in the advanced settings of the remote desktop. If this is not the source of the problem, please contact your system administrator for further assistance.

Why does the client say that there is no CAL?

When a remote desktop client connects to a Remote Desktop server, the server issues a Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL) stored by the client. Whenever the client connects again it will use its RDS CAL and the server will not issue another license. The server will issue another license if the RDS CAL on the device is missing or corrupt. When the maximum number of licensed devices is reached the server will not issue new RDS CALs. Contact your network administrator for assistance.

Why did I get an 'Access Denied' error?

The 'Access Denied' error is a generated by the Remote Desktop Gateway and the result of incorrect credentials during the connection attempt. Verify your username and password. If the connection worked before and the error occurred recently, you possibly changed your Windows user account password and haven't updated it yet in the remote desktop settings.

What does 'RPC Error 23014' or 'Error 0x59e6' mean?

In case of an RPC error 23014 or Error 0x59E6 try again after waiting a few minutes, the RD Gateway server has reached the maximum number of active connections. Depending on the Windows version running on the RD Gateway the maximum number of connections differs: The Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard implementation limits the number of connections to 250. The Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation implementation limits the number of connections to 50. All other Windows implementations allow an unlimited number of connections.

What does the 'Failed to parse NTLM challenge' error mean?

This error is caused by a misconfiguration on the remote PC. Make sure the RDP security level setting on the remote PC is set to 'Client Compatible.' (Talk to your system admin if you need help doing this.)

What does 'TS_RAP You are not allowed to connect to the given host' mean?

This error happens when a Resource Authorization Policy on the gateway server stops your user name from connecting to the remote PC. This can happen in the following instances:

  • The remote PC name is the same as the name of the gateway. Then, when you try to connect to the remote PC, the connection goes to the gateway instead, which you probably don't have permission to access. If you need to connect to the gateway, do not use the external gateway name as PC name. Instead use 'localhost' or the IP address (127.0.0.1), or the internal server name.
  • Your user account isn't a member of the user group for remote access.
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Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2

You can use the Remote Desktop client for iOS to work with Windows apps, resources, and desktops from your iOS device (iPhones and iPads).

Use the following information to get started. Be sure to check out the FAQ if you have any questions.

Note

  • Curious about the new releases for the iOS client? Check out What's new for Remote Desktop on iOS?.
  • The iOS client supports devices running iOS 6.x and newer.

Get the Remote Desktop client and start using it

This section will tell you how to download and set up the Remote Desktop client for iOS.

Download the Remote Desktop client from the iOS store

First you'll need to download the client and configure your PC to connect to remote resources.

To download the client:

  1. Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from the iOS App Store or iTunes.
  2. Set up your PC to accept remote connections.

Add a PC

After you've downloaded the client and configured your PC to accept remote connections, it's time to actually add a PC.

To add a PC:

  1. In the Connection Center, tap +, then tap Add PC.
  2. Enter the following information:
    • PC name – the name of the computer. The PC name can be a Windows computer name, an Internet domain name, or an IP address. You can also append port information to the PC name (for example, MyDesktop:3389 or 10.0.0.1:3389).
    • User name – The user name you'll use to access the remote PC. You can use the following formats: user_name, domainuser_name, or user_name@domain.com. You can also select Ask when required to be prompted for a user name and password when necessary.
  3. You can also set the following additional options:
    • Friendly name (optional) – An easy-to-remember name for the PC you're connecting to. You can use any string, but if you don't specify a friendly name, the PC name is displayed instead.
    • Gateway (optional) – The Remote Desktop gateway that you want to use to connect to virtual desktops, RemoteApp programs, and session-based desktops on an internal corporate network. Get the information about the gateway from your system administrator.
    • Sound – Select the device to use for audio during your remote session. You can choose to play sound on the local devices, the remote device, or not at all.
    • Swap mouse buttons – Whenever a mouse gesture would send a command with the left mouse button, it sends the same command with the right mouse button instead. Swapping mouse buttons is necessary if the remote PC is configured for left-handed mouse mode.
    • Admin Mode - Connect to an administration session on a server running Windows Server 2003 or later.
    • Clipboard - Choose whether to redirect text and images in your clipboard to your PC.
    • Storage - Choose whether to redirect storage to your PC.
  4. Tap Save.

Need to edit these settings? Press and hold the desktop you want to edit, then tap the settings icon.

Add a workspace

To get a list of managed resources you can access on your iOS, add a workspace by subscribing to the feed provided by your admin.

To add a workspace:

  1. On the Connection Center screen, tap +, and then tap Add workspace.
  2. In the Feed URL field, enter the URL for the feed you want to add. This URL can be either a URL or an email address.
    • If you use a URL, use the one your admin gave you.
      • This URL is usually a Windows Virtual Desktop URL. Which one you use depends on which version of Windows Virtual Desktop you're using.
        • For Windows Virtual Desktop (classic), use https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/feeddiscovery/webfeeddiscovery.aspx.
        • For Windows Virtual Desktop, use https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/arm/feeddiscovery.
    • If you use an email address, enter your email address. Entering your email address tells the client ot search for a URL associated with your email address if your admin configured the server that way.
  3. Tap Next.
  4. Provide your credentials when prompted.
    • For User name, give the user name of an account with permission to access resources.
    • For Password, give the password for the account.
    • You may also be prompted to give additional information depending on the settings your admin configured authentication with.
  5. Tap Save.

After you've finished, the Connection Center should display the remote resources.

Once subscribed to a feed, the feed content will update automatically on a regular basis. Resources may be added, changed, or removed based on changes made by your administrator.

Manage your user accounts

When you connect to a PC or workspace, you can save the user accounts to select from again.

To create a new user account:

  1. In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap User Accounts.
  2. Tap Add User Account.
  3. Enter the following information:
    • User Name - The name of the user to save for use with a remote connection. You can enter the user name in any of the following formats: user_name, domainuser_name, or user_name@domain.com.
    • Password - The password for the user you specified.
  4. Tap Save.

To delete a user account:

  1. In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap User Accounts.
  2. Select the account you would like to delete.
  3. Tap Delete.

Connect to an RD Gateway to access internal assets

A Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) lets you connect to a remote computer on a corporate network from anywhere on the Internet. You can create and manage your gateways using the Remote Desktop client.

To set up a new gateway:

  1. In the Connection Center, tap Settings > Gateways.
  2. Tap Add gateway.
  3. Enter the following information:
    • Gateway name – The name of the computer you want to use as a gateway. The gateway name can be a Windows computer name, an Internet domain name, or an IP address. You can also add port information to the server name (for example, RDGateway:443 or 10.0.0.1:443).
    • User name - The user name and password to be used for the Remote Desktop gateway you're connecting to. You can also select Use connection credentials to use the same user name and password that you used for the remote desktop connection.

Navigate the Remote Desktop session

This section describes tools you can use to help navigate your Remote Desktop session.

Start a Remote Desktop connection

  1. Tap the remote desktop connection to start the remote desktop session.
  2. If you're asked to verify the certificate for the remote desktop, tap Accept. To accept by default, set Don't ask me again for connections to this computer to On.

Connection bar

The connection bar gives you access to additional navigation controls.

  • Pan Control: The pan control enables the screen to be enlarged and moved around. Pan control is only available using direct touch.
    • To enable or disable the pan control, tap the pan icon in the connection bar to display the pan control. The screen will zoom in while the pan control is active. the pan icon in the connection bar again to hide the control and return the screen to its original resolution.
    • To use the pan control, tap and hold the pan control. While holding, drag your fingers in the direction you want to move the screen.
    • To move the pan control, double-tap and hold the pan control to move the control on the screen.
  • Connection name: The current connection name is displayed. Tap the connection name to display the session selection bar.
  • Keyboard: Tap the keyboard icon to display or hide the keyboard. The pan control is displayed automatically when the keyboard is displayed.
  • Move the connection bar: Tap and hold the connection bar. While holding the bar, drag it over to its new location. Let go of the bar to place it at the new location.

Session selection

You can have multiple connections open to different PCs at the same time. Tap the connection bar to display the session selection bar on the left-hand side of the screen. The session selection bar enables you to view your open connections and switch between them.

Here's what you can do with the session selection bar:

  • To switch between apps in an open remote resource session, tap the expander menu and choose an app from the list.
  • Tap Start New to start a new session, then choose a session from the list of available sessions.
  • Tap the X icon on the left side of the session tile to disconnect from your session.

Command bar

The command bar replaced the Utility bar starting in version 8.0.1. You can use the command bar to switch between mouse modes and return to the connection center.

Use touch gestures and mouse modes in a remote session

The client uses standard touch gestures. You can also use touch gestures to replicate mouse actions on the remote desktop. The mouse modes available are defined in the table below.

Note

In Windows 8 or later, the native touch gestures are supported in Direct Touch mode. For more information on Windows 8 gestures, see Touch: Swipe, tap, and beyond.

Mouse modeMouse operationGesture
Direct touchLeft-clickTap with one finger
Direct touchRight-clickTap and hold with one finger
Mouse pointerLeft-clickTap with one finger
Mouse pointerLeft-click and dragTap and hold with one finger, then drag
Mouse pointerRight-clickTap with two fingers
Mouse pointerRight-click and dragDouble-tap and hold with two fingers, then drag
Mouse pointerMouse wheelDouble-tap and hold with two fingers, then drag up or down
Mouse pointerZoomWith two fingers, pinch to zoom out and spread fingers apart to zoom in

Supported input devices

The client has Bluetooth mouse support for iOS 13 and iPadOS as an accessibility feature. You can use Swiftpoint GT or ProPoint mice for deeper mouse integration. The client also supports external keyboards that are compatible with iOS and iPadOS.

For more information about device support, see What's new in the iOS client and the iOS App Store.

Tip

Swiftpoint is offering an exclusive discount on the ProPoint mouse for iOS client users.

Use a keyboard in a remote session

You can use either an on-screen keyboard or physical keyboard in your remote session.

For on-screen keyboards, use the button on the right edge of the bar above the keyboard to switch between the standard and additional keyboard.

If Bluetooth is enabled on your iOS device, the client automatically detects the Bluetooth keyboard.

While certain key combinations might not work as expected in a remote session, many of the common Windows key combinations, such as CTRL+C, CTRL+V, and ALT+TAB will work.

Tip

Questions and comments are always welcome. However, if you post support requests or product feedback in this article's comments section, we won't be able to respond to your feedback. If you need help or want to troubleshoot your client, we highly recommend you go to the Remote Desktop client forum and start a new thread. If you have a feature suggestion, you can tell us using the Client UserVoice forum.