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Updated on in Remote access, Troubleshooting

Windows Remote Desktop Not Working: 6 Tips to Fix

Author: Helga York
Helga York Article author

It can be a real problem when Windows Remote Desktop is not working correctly. If you can’t connect to Remote Desktop on Windows 10 or it’s your Windows 11 Remote Desktop not working, we have some tips that might help you fix the problem yourself. The following are some common issues and ways to resolve them without engaging a system administrator.

1. Can't Connect to Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop often fails for simple reasons. Start by confirming that both PCs are on the same network and can communicate. Next, check that you’re connecting to the right computer by using the correct IPv4 address or its exact computer name – small typing mistakes here are a frequent cause of Windows 10 RDP failures.

  1. Make sure both PCs are on the same network: connect them to the same Wi-Fi or the same router with Ethernet.

  2. Make sure RDP enabled on your PCs: go to Start (right click) → Search → Remote Desktop Settings. Check if the “Enable Remote Desktop” option is on.

    Enabling Windows Remote Desktop title: Remote Desktop Windows Menu

  3. Get the exact details of the remote PC.

    • Computer name: On the remote PC, go to Start → Control Panel → System. Note the Computer name.

    Finding out computer name

    • IPv4 address (local): Press Win+R → type: cmd → press Enter → then type: ipconfig → press Enter. Write down the IPv4 Address.

  4. Connect using Remote Desktop by opening Remote Desktop Connection (search in Start) and entering either the remote computer name or the IPv4 address. Click Connect.

    Connecting to remote desktop

  5. If the computer name doesn’t work, try the IPv4 address (and vice versa). Small typos are a common cause of connection failures.

Discover a Better Windows Remote Desktop Alternative

To bypass issues with Remote Desktop and screen connections, consider shifting to HelpWire – a trusted and free Windows remote desktop alternative. HelpWire provides all the crucial features for easy on-demand remote support and unattended remote access. It’s compatible not only with Windows, but also with Mac and Linux systems. 

Equally effective for both professional and private use, HelpWire features an easy-to-navigate interface that simplifies remote desktop session setups, eliminating the hassle of complex configurations.

2. Remote Connections Are Disabled on Target Machine

Sometimes RDC (Remote Desktop Connection) fails simply because Remote Desktop is disabled or because Network Level Authentication (NLA) is getting in the way. Check and adjust these settings on the PC you want to connect to.

Enable Remote Desktop

  1. Open Start → Control Panel → System.

  2. Click Change settings to open System Properties.

  3. Go to the Remote tab.

  4. Under Remote Desktop, choose Allow remote connections to this computer.

    (Recommended) If your environment supports it, select Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication for stronger security.

    Allowing Windows Remote Desktop connection

If you still can’t connect, try toggling NLA

  1. Return to System Properties → Remote tab.

  2. Temporarily clear the checkbox for Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication.

  3. Retry your RDC connection.

If it works with NLA off, the issue is likely an NLA mismatch (e.g., older client, domain trust, or credential issue). You can re-enable NLA after updating the client or fixing authentication.

Why NLA matters

• What it does: Authenticates the user before the full Remote Desktop session starts and before the Windows sign-in screen appears.

• Why it’s good: Helps block malware and unauthorized access.

• Why it can break RDC: Older clients or misconfigured credentials can’t complete NLA, preventing the session from starting.

Tip:  In the Remote tab, the NLA option is the checkbox beneath Allow remote connections. If RDC suddenly stopped working, verifying whether this box is checked can quickly reveal if NLA is the culprit.

3. Remote Desktop Connection for Windows 10 Home needs the RDP Wrapper Library

Windows 10 comes in different flavors that provide varying levels of functionality. Connecting to a remote computer running Windows 10 Home Edition can be problematic unless it is set up correctly.

By default, outgoing Remote Desktop connections are enabled in Windows 10 Home. Inbound connections to the machine running Windows 10 are not possible without installing the RDP Wrapper Library.

The RDP Wrapper library provides users with an interface for managing Remote Desktop Connections, a feature missing from Windows 10 Home. The library updates firewall rules and interacts with Windows Terminal Service to enable incoming Remote Desktop connections.

Set it up on Windows 10 Home:

  1. Download RDPWInst.zip from the project’s GitHub Releases and extract it to a new folder.

  2. Run RDPWInst.exe, then run install.bat.

  3. When the script completes, open RDPConf.exe

  4. Configure Remote Desktop sessions on Windows 10 Home as in example.

Configuring remote session on Windows 10

4. Windows Remote Desktop Copy Paste Not Working

An established Remote Desktop Connection should let you seamlessly transfer text from the remote computer to your desktop. When this Remote Desktop feature is not working on Windows 10, you may have to enable clipboard redirection on the remote computer. Use these steps to fix this problem:

  1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box. You can easily do this by typing “remote” in the Windows search bar on the Start menu.

  2. Select Show Options.

    More options in Windows Remote Desktop

  3. Click the Local Resources tab. Check the Clipboard box in the Local Devices and Resources section. This option is enabled by default but may have been disabled inadvertently.

    Enabling clipboard Windows RDP

5. How to change Remote Desktop Window Size

Users can experience problems with the size of the RDP window. It may seem like the Remote Desktop Connection to a Windows 10 machine is not working, but it’s often just a matter of adjusting the size of the window pane. If it’s not the right size, it can impact your ability to use the remote connection effectively.

You can adjust the size of the Remote Desktop in two different ways:

First option: The Remote Desktop Connection client provides a screen resolution slider that lets you choose anything from a 640×480 size display to a full screen. Setting the slider to full screen mode ensures each connection will present a full screen to the user.

Changing Windows RDP window size
Second option: You can also modify the screen size by running the RDP mstsc command. 

  1. In the Windows Run box, type: mstsc.exe /h:X /w:X

  2. Replace the Xs with the preferred height and width of the connection window.

Remote Desktop will keep the settings and use them for subsequent connections.

6. How to Remove Credentials to Reset Remote Desktop Connection

Windows Remote Desktop Connection may occasionally obtain stale or incorrect login information. Perhaps the credentials have changed since the last time the connection was established. You can fix this issue by performing the following simple procedure.

  1. Click the Advanced tab in the Remote Desktop Connection client.

  2. Choose Settings and verify that the “Automatically detect RD Gateway server settings” is selected.

    Removing Credentials Windows RDP
Tags:
RDP, Tips & Tricks, Windows