Fix: Remote Desktop Not Working on Windows 10 / 11

Whether you want to troubleshoot your friend’s computer or want to access your work computer from another location, Remote Desktop can be a very helpful feature. Within a few clicks, you can take the control of another computer.

This feature on Windows PC has been available for years and has a lot of use cases. However, many Windows 10 and 11 users are not happy with it as they can’t use the Remote Desktop feature. If the Remote Desktop is not working on your Windows 10 or 11 computer, look no further. This guide has a curated list of solutions that will help you quickly fix this issue.

Reasons Why Remote Desktop Is Not Working On Your Computer

These are some possible reasons that can cause issues with the Remote Desktop feature:

Remote desktop is not enabled: The computer you are trying to connect to may not have the Remote Desktop option enabled. It is one of the common mistake people make when using the Remote Desktop feature. You have to check the Remote Desktop settings on another computer.
Incorrect credentials: You may be entering incorrect credentials which is why the Remote Desktop is not working. Double-check the login details or reset the username and password and then try to establish a remote connection.
Firewall issues: The firewall settings on another computer may be blocking the incoming connection request. Go through the firewall settings on both devices and do the required changes. Not sure what to look into the settings? No worries. Check the solutions below for complete details.
Weak or unstable internet connection: To use Remote Desktop, you need to have a fast and stable internet connection on the local computer as well as the remote computer. If the connection is poor, there may be issues with establishing a remote connection.

These are some common reasons why Remote Desktop may not work. However, there are many other reasons such as incompatible Windows version, VPN issues, and more. Now that you got some information about the potential problems, it’s time to troubleshoot them.

Try These Fixes if Remote Desktop Is Not Working On Your Windows 10 or 11 Computer

Here are some ways to fix the Remote Desktop not working issue on your Windows PC. You may not have to try them all. Simply work your way down until you find the one that does the job for you.

1. Make Sure Remote Connections Are Allowed

First things first, you need to check if the remote connection is disabled on the local or another computer. If it is, you have to enable it to use Remote Desktop.

Here’s how to enable it:

In the search box, type “Run” and press “Enter”. It will open the Run dialog box.
Type “sysdm.cpl” and click “OK”.
Go to the “Remote” tab and check the “Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer” box.
Also, select the “Allow remote connections to this computer” option.
Click “OK” to save changes.

After making these changes, try to initiate the Remote Desktop again. You should now be able to successfully establish a remote connection.

2. Change Windows Firewall Settings

Windows Firewall is known to cause many network-related problems. It could be blocking the Remote Desktop connection request. By default, Remote Desktop is not allowed in the Windows Firewall. So, if you are using it for the first time on your computer, you have to allow it through the Firewall.

Here’s how to do it:

In the search box, type “Windows Security” and hit the “Enter” button.
Now, tap on “Firewall and network protection” from the left panel.
Click “Allow an app through firewall”.
Find “Remote Desktop” and check both the “Private” and “Public” boxes next to it.
Finally, click “OK” to save changes.

Initiate the remote desktop connection request again and you should be able to take control of another computer.

If you have installed additional antivirus software, check if that is blocking the Remote Desktop connections.

3. Check Your Internet Connection

Your internet connection could be the source of the problem. To use the Remote Desktop feature, you require a stable internet connection. Not just on your device, but the computer also you are trying to connect to. You should therefore check the internet connection status on both devices before making a remote desktop connection request again.

If you are facing issues with the internet connection, reboot the router once. It is good enough to fix common router problems. You can reboot the router using the device’s settings or simply unplug the power cable for a minute and plug it in again.

4. Turn off Custom Scaling

The custom scaling option seems to have caused issues with the Remote Desktop feature on many computers. Disabling it has helped many users in fixing issues with Remote Desktop. You should therefore give this solution a try.

Follow these steps to turn off custom scaling:

Right-click on the Windows logo at the bottom and select “Settings”.
Tap on “System”.
Under the “Scale and layout” section, you’ll see the message “A custom scale factor is set”. This message won’t show up if you haven’t changed the used custom scaling. On Windows 11, you can find this option by going to Settings > System > Display > Scale.
If custom scaling is set, tap on “Turn off custom scaling and sign out” to turn it off.

Once you turn off custom scaling, you’ll be signed out. Now, sign back into your account, and try using the Remote Desktop feature to check if the problem is fixed.

5. Add a New Key in Registry Editor

Adding a new key in the Registry Editor could fix the Remote Desktop not working issue. Make this small change to the registry and you should be able to use Remote Desktop.

Here are the required steps:

Open the “Run” dialog box by using Windows + R shortcut.
Type “regedit” and hit the “Enter” button. It should open the Registry Editor window.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client.
Right-click on the blank space on the right side and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Set “RDGClientTransport” as the name of the new DWORD.
Double-click on the newly created DWORD to open its properties.
Now, set the Value data to “1” and click “OK”.

After completing these steps, restart your computer and start using Remote Desktop.

6. Remove Saved Credentials

Perhaps, the credentials have changed since the last time a connection was established. You should remove the saved credentials. This solution has worked for many people and hopefully, it will also work for you.