How to Use Remote Desktop in Windows 11

How to Use Remote Desktop in Windows 11

Remote Desktop lets you sit at one computer and use another one as if you were in front of it - its apps, files and desktop. It's built into Windows 11, but it has one catch that trips up most people: not every edition can be controlled remotely. This guide shows how to check your edition, turn Remote Desktop on, connect from another device, and keep it safe.

Step 1: Check Your Windows Edition

According to Microsoft, the PC you want to connect to (the host) must run Windows 11 Pro (business editions such as Enterprise and Education work too). Windows 11 Home can't be a host. The PC you connect from can run any edition, or even macOS, iOS or Android.

To check: open Settings > System > About and look at Edition under Windows specifications.

If the host runs Home, you can upgrade to Pro, or use a remote support tool instead. Our post on remote IT support explains how on-demand support sessions work.

Step 2: Turn On Remote Desktop on the Host PC

1. On the host PC, open Start > Settings > System > Remote Desktop.
2. Turn Remote Desktop on and select Confirm.
3. Leave Require devices to use Network Level Authentication to connect turned on (expand the Remote Desktop setting to see it). It makes users sign in before a session starts.
4. Note the PC name shown on the same page - you'll need it to connect.

Windows adds the firewall rule for Remote Desktop by itself when you turn it on.

Step 3: Make Sure the Account Can Sign In

You connect with an account that exists on the host PC:

• Microsoft account: use the email address and its password (a Windows Hello PIN doesn't work for Remote Desktop).
• Local account: use the account name and its password. The account needs a password - accounts with a blank password can't sign in remotely.

Administrators on the host can connect by default. To let a standard user connect, open Settings > System > Remote Desktop > Remote Desktop users and add them.

Step 4: Connect From Another Device

From a Windows PC:

1. Press Windows + R, type mstsc and press Enter (or search for Remote Desktop Connection in Start).
2. Type the host's PC name and select Connect.
3. Enter the account's user name and password.
4. If you see a certificate warning the first time on your own network, you can accept it for that PC.

From a Mac or iPhone/iPad: install Windows App from the App Store, add a PC, and type the PC name.

From Android: install Microsoft's Remote Desktop app from Google Play (Microsoft is moving these apps to the Windows App name, so the app may be listed under that name).

If the PC name doesn't work, use the host's IP address instead: on the host run ipconfig in Command Prompt and use the IPv4 Address line.

Step 5: Keep the Host Available

• The host must be on and awake. In Settings > System > Power & battery, set sleep to Never while plugged in if you connect often, or wake it before you need it.
• A laptop host should stay on mains power.
• Both devices need to be on the same network, unless you use a VPN (see below).

Security: Don't Expose Remote Desktop to the Internet

Remote Desktop is a common target for attackers when it's reachable from the internet. Keep it safe:

• Don't forward port 3389 on your router to the PC.
• To connect from outside your home or office, first join your network through a VPN (many routers and business firewalls include one), then connect as if you were on site.
• Use a strong, unique password on every account that can connect.
• Keep Network Level Authentication on and keep Windows updated.
• Turn Remote Desktop off when you no longer need it.

Remote Desktop Not Working?

• "Remote Desktop can't find the computer": check the PC name spelling, or use the IP address.
• Can't connect at all: make sure the host is on, awake and on the same network, and that Remote Desktop is still on.
• "Your credentials did not work": use the account password, not the PIN; for a Microsoft account, type the full email address.
• No Remote Desktop page in Settings: the host is probably Windows 11 Home.
• Check the host's version and updates - see how to check your Windows 11 version and build number.

Still Not Working?

If you need someone to reach a PC that you can't get to yourself, a remote support session doesn't need Remote Desktop set up first. The GetQuickTechSupport team can help with that.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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