9 Fixes to Use if Remote Desktop Connection is Not Working

Remote Desktop is a handy Windows 10 feature which allows us to control our computer from another device.

Of course, to enable the Remote Desktop feature, you need an active internet connection. So, if your computer is not correctly connected to the internet, you won’t be able to use this feature.

However, even some other factors could cause the feature to stop working, and we will talk about these issues and solutions for them in this article.

Why is my remote desktop connection not working?

There are many variations of the remote desktop connection not issue, as reported by users. Below are some of them and the prevalent causes:

• Remote Desktop can’t connect to the remote computer for one of these reasons Windows 10: Sometimes you might get this error message on your PC. If you encounter this problem, try all the solutions in this article.
• Windows 10 RDP client not working: Sometimes, the RDP client won’t work on your PC. This can be due to your system configuration. To fix that, make sure that you’re using a private network.
• RDP this computer can’t connect to the remote computer: This is another common problem with RDP. To fix this issue, check both your antivirus and firewall.
• Remote Desktop not working after Windows 10 upgrade: Sometimes issues with Remote Desktop can occur after installing a Windows update. To fix the issue, remove the update, and the problem will be fixed.
• Unable to connect to remote PC, please verify Remote Desktop is enabled: This is another common problem with Remote Desktop. However, you should be able to fix the problem using one of our solutions.
• Windows 10 Remote Desktop credentials did not work: If you encounter this error on your PC, you might be able to fix it simply by removing your saved credentials.
• Remote Desktop cannot connect error, certificate expired invalid, in the time allotted: There are various errors that can appear while trying to use the Remote Desktop feature. However, you should be able to fix them using one of our solutions.
• Remote Desktop won’t connect over the Internet: This is another problem related to the Remote Desktop feature. If Remote Desktop can’t connect, check your firewall and antivirus settings.

How can I tell if RDP is running?

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run utility.
2. Type regedit32 in the run box and click OK.
   
3. Navigate to the paths below in the left pane: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlTerminal Server HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows NTTerminal Services
   
4. If the value of the fDenyTSConnections is set to 1, RDP is disabled. But if it is cleared to 0, RDP is enabled.
   

If RDP is disabled, you can enable it to run from here.

What can I do if the remote desktop is not working?

1. Check your internet connection

As mentioned earlier, the Internet is required for Remote Desktop to connect with another device. So, check if everything is okay with your internet connection.

If you determine that you have some problems connecting to the internet, check out our articles about Internet problems and Limited internet connection in Windows 10, and you might find the solution.

2. Check if remote connections are allowed

1. Go to Search, type remote settings, and open Allow Remote connections to your computer.
   
2. Check Allow remote connections to this computer and click OK to save changes.
   

Just like you need to allow Remote Desktop through the Firewall, you also need to enable remote connections on your computer if you’re using this feature for the first time.

Remote connections are now enabled, and you should try to connect again. We also noticed another possible issue that could prevent using Remote Desktop.

If the computer you want to connect to remotely is in the Sleep or Hibernate mode, the connection won’t be possible, so check if the computer is ‘awake,’ and then try to connect again.

3. Remove your credentials from Remote Desktop

1. Press Windows key + S and enter remote desktop.
2. Click on Remote Desktop Connection from the menu.
   
3. Click the Advanced tab, followed by the Settings button.
   
4. Now, click on Delete Credentials.

According to users, sometimes Remote Desktop won’t connect due to problems with your credentials. However, you can fix that issue simply by removing the saved credentials. 

After deleting your credentials, check if the problem persists. Many users reported that this solution fixed the problem, so try it out.

4. Turn off custom scaling

1. Press the Windows key + I keys to open Settings.
2. Select the System option.
   
3. If custom scaling is turned on, you should see A custom scale factor is set message. Click on Turn off custom scaling and sign out.
   

If Remote Desktop doesn’t connect, the problem might be related to custom scaling. Many users use custom scaling on larger monitors, but sometimes this feature can cause issues with Remote Desktop.

Once you sign back in, the scaling should be set to default, and all problems with Remote Desktop will be resolved. Many users reported that this solution worked for them, so we strongly recommend you try it out.

6. Make changes to your registry

1. Press Windows key + R and type regedit.
2. Click OK to start Registry Editor.
   
3. In the left pane, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftTerminal Server Client key
4. In the right pane, right-click the space and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Enter RDGClientTransport as the name of the new DWORD.
   
6. Double-click the newly created RDGClientTransport DWORD to open its properties.
7. Set Value data to 1 and click on OK to save changes.

According to users, you might be able to fix this problem by making one small change to your registry. 

After making these changes, check if the problem persists. This might be a slightly advanced solution, but many users reported that it worked for them, so you might want to try it out.

7. Add the IP address and server name to the hosts file

Several users reported that they could not use Remote Desktop due to their host’s file.

According to them, you need to manually add the IP address and server name to the host’s file on your PC to fix the issue.

To do that, navigate to This directory and edit the hosts file with Notepad: C:WindowsSystem32Driversetc

Remember that the host’s file is a system file, so if you want to modify it, you’ll need administrative privileges.

For more information on how to modify your host’s file and gain administrative privileges, we strongly recommend checking Access denied when editing the host’s file article.

Once you change your host’s file, the issue with Remote Desktop should be resolved.

8. Check if the 3389 port is enabled

If Remote Desktop won’t connect, the problem might be your firewall. Your firewall can block specific ports to protect your PC, but sometimes your firewall can block particular ports by mistake.

For example, port 3389 is used by Remote Desktop, and if your firewall is blocking this port, you won’t be able to use this feature at all.

If this port is enabled, but the issue still appears, try disabling and enabling your firewall. Sometimes a quick firewall reset can fix the problem, so you might want to try that.

9. Change your connection from Public to Private

1. Click the network icon in the bottom right corner of your Taskbar and click on your network connection. In our case, the network connection name is Network, but it might be different on your PC.
   
2. Click on your network connection name.
   
3. Select Private as your network profile.
   

To protect your PC, remote connections are disabled if you use a public connection. After doing that, the problem with the Remote Desktop should be resolved entirely.

Also, if none of the solutions worked, you can use Mikogo to solve the connectivity problems. With this remote desktop software, you get complete security and control of your PC. 

How do I force a remote desktop connection?

1. Open the Run utility, type regedit32 in the run box, and press Enter.
   
2. Follow the paths below in the left pane: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlTerminal Server HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows NTTerminal Services
   
3. If the value of the fDenyTSConnections is set to 1, clear it to 0 to enable RDP.
   

With this, you can force a Remote Desktop connection on Windows.

Remote Desktop not working over VPN

Remote desktop not connecting through VPN cases are more frequent than you can imagine.

While the potential culprits can be diverse, ranging from connectivity issues (ports, network adapters, and so on) to communication and protocols, the problem is likely caused by an incorrect setup.

Whether the VPN disconnects when Remote Desktop is activated or the Remote Desktop fails with the VPN connected, getting the two of them to collaborate harmoniously is essential.

Here are some quick tips to consider:

• Allow Remote Desktop connections on the server PC
• Create a VPN server using your router
• Set up a VPN connection on the client’s PC
• Connect to the server PC

If you want to find out how to set up a VPN with Remote Desktop Connection on Windows 10/11, we got your back. So don’t be shy to explore the topic and follow the presented instructions.

That’s about it. We hope at least some of these solutions helped you with connection problems with Remote Desktop in Windows 10.

If you have any comments or questions, reach out to the comment section below, and we’ll try to assist you further.