How to Use Microsoft Remote Desktop on a Windows 11 PC

With the Remote Desktop feature on your Windows device, you can use an app on your Android, iOS, or macOS device or another Windows PC to control the computer from anywhere without being physically present near the system. It can come in very handy when you need to access any files urgently but can’t do so in person.

But there are some things you need to keep in mind before you get all excited to control your PC remotely. First, only the ‘Pro’ version of the Windows operating system supports the Remote Desktop feature. You can check your Windows edition from the Settings app if you’re not certain. Second, you will need to have your computer turned on and connected to an Internet connection whenever you wish to connect to your PC remotely.

Note: While the PC that you wish to remotely access must have the Pro version of Windows, the same is not true for the PC you will be using to access it, that is if you are using a PC. You can also use completely different operating systems, like an Android or iOS device.

Enable the Remote Desktop Feature on your Windows Device

By default, the Remote Desktop feature is disabled and you will first need to enable it from the Settings app on your PC for use in the future.

Head to the Start Menu and click on the ‘Settings’ app to proceed. Alternatively, you can also type Settings to search for it.

Next, make sure you have selected the ‘System’ tab from the left sidebar. Also, make sure you note down the PC name displayed on this screen as it will be crucial to establish a connection remotely in further steps.

Then, from the right section of the window, scroll to locate and click on the ‘Remote Desktop’ tile.

After that, bring the toggle switch to the ‘On’ position by clicking on it. Then, click on the ‘Remote Desktop’ tile to expand the section. Click on the check box preceding the ‘Require devices to use Network Level Authentication to connect’ to restrict unauthorized access to your PC.

Now, click on the ‘System’ tab from the left sidebar to continue.

Next, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the ‘About’ tile to proceed.

Then, click on the ‘Advanced system settings’ option to continue. This will bring an overlay window to your screen.

From the overlay window, click on the ‘Remote’ tab. Next, click on the radio button preceding the ‘Allow remote connections to this PC’ option to continue. Also, ensure the checkbox preceding the ‘Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication’ option is checked. Finally, click on the ‘Apply’ button to confirm and click on the ‘OK’ button to close the window.

That’s it, you have successfully configured your Windows 11 PC for remote access.

Additionally, it is also a good practice to note down the IP address of your PC just to make sure you can connect to it in case the Remote Desktop connection is not established using just the name.

To learn your PC’s IP address, from the main screen of the Settings window, click on the ‘Network & Internet’ tab to continue.

After that, click on the ‘Wi-Fi’ tab.

Then, click on the currently connected network tab to proceed.

After that, scroll down to the bottom and note down the IPv4 address mentioned on the screen.

Note: The address might change if you restart the Windows device or restart your home router/modem. If connecting with an IP address, always make sure that you have the current address of your device.

Connect to the Windows 11 PC Remotely

There are two methods you can use to connect to your home PC remotely, one is via another Windows PC and the other from an Android, iOS, or macOS device. For your ease of convenience, we will cover both cases in this guide.

Connect Using the Remote Desktop App for Windows

If the computer you are trying to connect from is also a Windows computer, the process is as plain sailing as it gets.

In case you do not have the app already downloaded and installed on the client device, head to the Start Menu and click on the Microsoft Store icon to proceed. Alternatively, you can also type Store in the menu to search for it.

After that, search for Remote Desktop using the search bar in the Microsoft Store app. Then from the search results, click on the ‘Remote Desktop’ tile to continue.

Click on the ‘Get/Install’ button to download and install the app on the device.

Once you have installed the app, head to the Start Menu and type Remote Desktop to perform a search for it. Then, click on the ‘Remote Desktop’ tile from the search results to continue.

Now, click on the ‘Add’ button and then click on the ‘PCs’ option to continue.

Then, enter either the PC name or the IP address of the system in the ‘PC Name’ field.

After that, click on the ‘+’ icon to add an account you wish to log in to using the remote connection. If you wish to log in to multiple users, leave the option as ‘Ask me every time’. You will need to enter the credentials every time you connect with the PC remotely.

If you chose to add an account, enter the email address linked with the user account and then type in the password. You can also enter a Display Name to easily recognize the connection. Once done, click on the ‘Save’ button to proceed.

If you wish to connect as an admin, click on the ‘Show more’ button to expand the section.

After that, click on the checkbox preceding the ‘Connect to admin session’ field. Then, click on the ‘Save’ button.

Connect Using the Remote Desktop Connection for Windows

In case you are not able to connect using the Remote Desktop app, you can also try the legacy method and use the Remote Desktop Connection app.

First, head to the Start Menu and type Remote to perform a search. Then, from the search results, click on the ‘Remote Desktop Connection’ tile to proceed.

Then, click on the ‘Show Options’ button to continue.

After that, enter the name of the PC that you had noted down earlier in the guide in the ‘Computer:’ field. Next, enter the email address connected with your Windows account. Finally, click on the ‘Connect’ button to remotely establish the connection to your PC.

Once the connection is established, you will be required to enter your password to provide authentication.

Connect Using Android, iOS, and macOS Devices

You can also connect with your PC remotely by simply downloading the ‘Remote Desktop’ app on your handheld device or a macOS device. Since the process to install the app is different on all platforms, we will be showcasing all of them. Fortunately, the process to connect with the remote PC is similar for all of them.

Download Remote Desktop on Android Device

Head to the Playstore either from the home screen or the app drawer of your device.

After that, search for the Remote Desktop using the search bar present on the top. After that, from the search results, tap on the ‘Get’ button to download and install the app on your device.

Once downloaded, you can find the app on your home screen or in the app drawer.

Download Remote Desktop on iOS

First, head to the App Store either from the home screen or the app library of your device.

Then, search for ‘Remote Desktop’ using the search bar present on the top. Then, from the search results, click on the ‘Get’ button to download and install the button.

Once downloaded, you will be able to locate the app either on the home screen or in the app library.

Download Remote Desktop on macOS

To download the app on your macOS device, head to the App Store either from the dock or from the launchpad.

Next, type Remote Desktop in the search bar present in the right corner and hit Enter to search for it. Then, from the search results, click on the ‘Get’ button to download and install the app on your macOS device.

Initiate the Remote Connection Using the Remote Desktop App

Once you have downloaded the app on your device, you can simply connect to the PC by entering the PC name and username. To showcase the process, we will be using the iOS device.

First, head to the ‘Remote Desktop’ app, either from the home screen or the app library of your device. After that, tap on the ‘+’ sign from the top right corner. Next, tap on the ‘Add PC’ button.

On the next screen, tap on the ‘PC Name’ field to continue.

After that, either enter the PC name or the IP address of the device you wish to connect to and tap on the ‘Back’ button to save.

Next, tap on the ‘User Account’ field to continue.

Now, enter the credentials for the user account you wish to log in to. In case you wish to log in to multiple user accounts, leave the field blank and you will be asked to enter credentials every time you connect. Then, tap on the ‘Save’ button to save the credentials.

If you need to perform administrative tasks, toggle on the switch following the ‘Admin Mode’ field. Once done, click on the ‘Save’ button to save the account information.

After that, tap on the account tile that you just added to connect to the PC.

Once the connection has been established, you will be able to see the computer screen on your mobile device.

Operate your PC Using your Mobile Device Efficiently

Operating your Windows PC and managing active sessions can prove to be a bit tricky when using the Remote Desktop app. However, there are some tips, tricks, and general guidelines on navigating the app.

To activate the on-screen keyboard, tap on the keyboard icon present in the top toolbar.

If you wish to use a keyboard shortcut, you can tap to select a key on the special key bar on the top of the keyboard and then proceed to tap on the shortcut identifier key.