Use Remote Desktop on your Windows, Android, or iOS device to connect to a Windows 10 PC from afar.
Set up the PC you want to connect to so it allows remote connections:
Make sure you have Windows 10 Pro. To check, go to Start > Settings > System > About and look for Edition. For info on how to get it, go to Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro.
When you're ready, select Start > Settings > System > Remote Desktop, and turn on Enable Remote Desktop.
Make note of the name of this PC under How to connect to this PC. You'll need this later.
Use Remote Desktop to connect to the PC you set up:
On your local Windows 10 PC: In the search box on the taskbar, type Remote Desktop Connection, and then select Remote Desktop Connection. In Remote Desktop Connection, type the name of the PC you want to connect to (from Step 1), and then select Connect.
On your Windows, Android, or iOS device: Open the Remote Desktop app (available for free from Microsoft Store, Google Play, and the Mac App Store), and add the name of the PC that you want to connect to (from Step 1). Select the remote PC name that you added, and then wait for the connection to complete.
Get the Remote Desktop client. Follow these steps to get started with Remote Desktop on your Mac: Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from the Mac App Store. Set up your PC to accept remote connections. (If you skip this step, you can't connect to your PC.) Add a Remote Desktop connection or a remote resource. First, some backgrounds, Microsoft used to bundle Remote Desktop Client in Office 2011. That means you can only remote desktop to Windows machine if you have purchased a copy of Office 2011 for Mac. This limits the number of Mac users to be able to Remote Desktop into a Windows PC.
-->Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2
You can control a remote PC by using a Microsoft Remote Desktop client. The client can run on almost any device, including on your mobile smartphone. The client gives you the same powers you would have if you could reach the PC's keyboard. Through the client, you can:
- Operate the apps that are installed on the PC.
- Access the files and network resources of the PC.
- Leave the apps open when you end the client.
Before you start, see the supported configuration article. The article discusses the PC configurations that the Remote Desktop clients can connect to. Also see the client FAQ article.
The following client apps are available:
| Device | Get the app | Set-up instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Desktop | Windows Desktop client | Get started with the Windows Desktop client |
| Windows Store | Windows 10 client in the Microsoft Store | Get started with the Microsoft Store Client |
| Android | Android client in Google Play | Get started with the Android client |
| iOS | iOS client in the iTunes store | Get started with the iOS client |
| macOS | macOS client in the iTunes store | Get started with the macOS client |
Configuring the remote PC
Microsoft Remote Desktop Client Download
To configure your remote PC before accessing it remotely, see Allow access to your PC.
Remote Desktop client URI scheme
Remote Desktop Connection Manager Microsoft
You can integrate features of Remote Desktop clients across platforms by enabling a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) scheme. Learn about the supported URI attributes that you can use with the iOS, Mac, and Android clients.