How to Connect to an RDP Server from Windows, Mac and Phone

To connect to an RDP server you need three things from your provider: the server's IP address, the username (usually Administrator) and the password. On a Windows PC you open Remote Desktop Connection by pressing Win + R and typing mstsc. On a Mac, iPhone, iPad or Android phone you install Microsoft's free Windows App and add the server as a PC. This guide covers each device, then the errors people hit most often and how to fix them.

If you're still deciding what to buy, start with what an RDP server is and how admin RDP differs from shared RDP.

Connect from a Windows PC

Every edition of Windows 10 and 11 includes Remote Desktop Connection, so there is nothing to install.

1. Press Win + R, type mstsc and press Enter. You can also search the Start menu for "Remote Desktop Connection".
2. In Computer, type the server's IP address, for example 203.0.113.25.
3. Click Show Options and type Administrator in User name. Tick "Allow me to save credentials" if this is your own PC.
4. Click Connect, enter the password, and click OK.
5. You'll see a warning that "the identity of the remote computer cannot be verified". That is normal for a new server, which uses its own certificate. Check that the name shown is your server, tick Don't ask me again for connections to this computer, and click Yes.

The server's desktop opens in a window. A few settings in Show Options are worth knowing:

• General, Save As saves the connection as an .rdp file, so next time you just double-click it.
• Display sets the window size; full screen is the default.
• Local Resources controls the clipboard (on by default, so copy and paste work both ways) and, under More, lets you share a drive from your PC. A shared drive shows up on the server in File Explorer, which is the easiest way to copy files across.

Inside the session, Ctrl + Alt + End does what Ctrl + Alt + Del does on a normal PC, for example to change the password or open Task Manager. Ctrl + Alt + Break switches between full screen and a window.

Connect from a Mac

Microsoft's Mac app is now called Windows App; it replaced the older Microsoft Remote Desktop app. It's free on the Mac App Store.

1. Install Windows App from the Mac App Store and open it.
2. Click + and choose Add PC.
3. In PC name, type the server's IP address. Under credentials, add the username Administrator and the password, or leave it to ask each time.
4. Click Add, then double-click the new PC to connect, and accept the certificate warning the first time.

On a Mac keyboard, the Windows key is the Cmd key inside the session, and right-click is a two-finger click as usual.

Connect from an Android phone, iPhone or iPad

The same Windows App is free on Google Play and the App Store, and it replaced the old Remote Desktop app on phones too.

1. Install Windows App and open it.
2. Tap +, choose Add PC, and type the server's IP address as the PC name.
3. Add the username Administrator and the password, then save.
4. Tap the PC to connect, and accept the certificate warning the first time.

On a touch screen you can switch between moving the mouse pointer and touching the screen directly from the toolbar at the top of the session. A phone is fine for checking that a program is still running or restarting it; for real work, a tablet with a keyboard, or a laptop, is much easier.

On Linux, use Remmina, which most desktop distributions include or offer in their software centre: create a new connection, choose RDP, and enter the IP, username and password.

Why RDP won't connect, and how to fix it

"Remote Desktop can't connect to the remote computer"

Your computer couldn't reach the server on port 3389. Work through these in order:

• The server is still being set up. A new Windows server can take up to an hour to finish installing before it accepts Remote Desktop. Wait a few minutes and try again.
• The server is stopped. Check its status in your control panel and start it.
• A firewall is blocking port 3389. If you turned on a firewall for the server, it must allow TCP port 3389. On HostEthical, that's the Remote Desktop rule in your dashboard's Network tab.
• Your network blocks it. Some office, college and hotel Wi-Fi block outgoing Remote Desktop. Try your phone's mobile hotspot: if that works, the network you were on is the problem.
• A typo in the IP address. Copy it from your control panel rather than typing it.

"The credentials that were used to connect did not work"

• Check the username is Administrator. If your PC belongs to a company domain, Windows may try your work domain instead; type .\Administrator so it uses the server's own account.
• When you paste the password, make sure no space came with it at the end.
• If you just reset the password from your control panel, give the server a minute or two to apply it; it may restart once.
• If Windows saved an old password, open mstsc, click Show Options, and use the delete link next to the saved credentials.

A black screen after signing in

The first sign-in to a new server takes longer while Windows sets up your profile, so give it a minute. If the screen stays black, disconnect, then in Show Options, Experience, untick Persistent bitmap caching and connect again.

It works, but it's slow

Remote Desktop sends the screen over the internet, so distance and a weak connection show up as lag. In Show Options, Experience, pick a lower connection speed, or reduce the window size and colour depth on the Display tab. A server closer to you also helps: a server in Europe adds a fraction of a second to every click from India, which you notice when typing but not for software left running on its own.

You're locked out completely

If a firewall rule or a changed setting stops Remote Desktop altogether, use the provider's console, which shows the server's screen without going through RDP. On HostEthical, the Console (VNC) is in your dashboard's Recovery tab: set a VNC password there and connect with a free VNC app such as RealVNC Viewer. The password reset is on the service page, and you can switch the firewall's Remote Desktop rule back on from the Network tab.

Disconnect, don't sign out, to keep programs running

This is the most important habit for anyone running a trading terminal, a bot or a long download:

• Closing the Remote Desktop window (the X at the top) disconnects you. Your session stays open on the server and every program keeps running. Next time you connect, everything is exactly where you left it.
• Signing out from the Start menu closes all your programs, just like signing out of a normal PC.

Windows restarts after some updates, which also closes programs. Set software that must always run to start automatically, for example with a shortcut in the Startup folder or a scheduled task that runs at sign-in.

Keep your RDP server secure

Bots scan the internet for open port 3389 and try common passwords all day, so a few minutes here is worth it:

1. Change the password you were given. Press Ctrl + Alt + End inside the session and choose Change a password. Use a long passphrase you don't use anywhere else.
2. Allow Remote Desktop only from your own IP, if it doesn't change often. In the HostEthical dashboard's Network tab, untick the open Remote Desktop rule and add a line such as tcp 3389 from 198.51.100.7/32 under Other ports, with your own IP address. Most home broadband and mobile connections in India change IP from time to time, so if you suddenly can't connect, update that line first.
3. Leave Windows Update on, and restart when it asks, at a time that suits you.
4. Take a snapshot before installing new software or making big changes, so you can roll back in minutes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I connect to an RDP server from Windows?

Press Win + R, type mstsc and press Enter to open Remote Desktop Connection. Type the server's IP address in Computer, click Show Options and enter Administrator as the user name, then click Connect and type the password. The first time, Windows warns that the remote computer's identity can't be verified, which is normal for a new server; check the name and click Yes.

How do I use RDP on Android or iPhone?

Install Microsoft's free Windows App from Google Play or the App Store; it replaced the older Remote Desktop app. Tap +, choose Add PC, type the server's IP address, and add Administrator with the password. Tap the PC to connect and accept the certificate warning the first time. You can switch between mouse-pointer and touch modes from the toolbar at the top of the session.

How do I connect to RDP from a Mac?

Install Windows App from the Mac App Store, click + and choose Add PC. Enter the server's IP address as the PC name, add the username Administrator and the password, and click Add. Double-click the PC to connect. Windows App replaced Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac, so if you have the old app, install the new one.

Why is my RDP not connecting?

Usually the server is still finishing Windows setup, it is stopped, or a firewall is blocking TCP port 3389, either on the server or on the network you are using. Office and college Wi-Fi often block outgoing Remote Desktop, so try a mobile hotspot. If Windows says your credentials did not work, check the username is Administrator, or type .\Administrator on a work PC.