List of Remote Desktop Protocol clients

Remote Desktop Protocol clients allow users to connect to servers running Remote Desktop Services, Azure Virtual Desktop, or non-Microsoft server software to enable remote desktop functionality. Since the release of Remote Desktop Connection, there have been several additional Remote Desktop Protocol clients created by both Microsoft and other parties.

Remote Desktop Connection (RDC, also called Remote Desktop or just RD) is the client application for RDS. The program has the filename mstsc.exe and in Windows 2000 and prior, it was known as Microsoft Terminal Services Client (MSTSC or tsclient). It allows a user to remotely log into a networked computer running the Remote Desktop Services. RDC presents the desktop interface (or application GUI) of the remote system, as if it were accessed locally. In addition to regular username/password for authorizing for the remote session, RDC also supports using smart cards for authorization. Although replacements have been released, as of the release of the Windows App, Remote Desktop Connection is still recommended for use.

RDC 6.0 was released as part of Windows Vista. With RDC 6.0, the resolution of a remote session can be set independently of the settings at the remote computer. If the Desktop Experience component is plugged into the remote server, remote application user interface elements (e.g., application windows borders, Maximize, Minimize, and Close buttons etc.) will take on the same appearance of local applications. In this scenario, the remote applications will use the Aero theme if the user connects to the server from a Windows Vista machine running Aero. Later versions of the protocol also support rendering the UI in full 32-bit color, as well as resource redirection for printers, COM ports, disk drives, mice and keyboards. With resource redirection, remote applications can use the resources of the local computer. Audio is also redirected, so that any sounds generated by a remote application are played back at the client system. Moreover, a remote session can also span multiple monitors at the client system, independent of the multi-monitor settings at the server. RDC can also be used to connect to Windows Media Center (WMC) remote sessions; however, since WMC does not stream video using RDP, only the applications can be viewed this way, not any media.

RDC prioritizes UI data as well as keyboard and mouse inputs, as opposed to print jobs or file transfers. so as to make the applications more responsive. It redirects plug and play devices such as cameras, portable music players, and scanners, so that input from these devices can be used by the remote applications as well. RDC can also be used to connect to computers which are exposed via Windows Home Server RDP Gateway over the Internet. Finally, few shortcuts that will be handy

Microsoft Remote Desktop, also called Remote Desktop, is a modern client for RDS released in September 2012. Compared to the older Remote Desktop Connection, the program offers a touch-friendly interface. It allows users to connect to remote PCs, RemoteApp programs, session-based desktops, and virtual desktops. The program is available on Windows as an Universal Windows Platform on the Microsoft Store, MacOS as Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and on all platforms as a web client. The Windows version of the app is no longer being updated with new features or support for Azure Virtual Desktop. Instead, Azure users are recommend to use the Remote Desktop client for Windows.

In April 2025, Microsoft announced that support for the Remote Desktop app will end on May 27, 2025, urging users to transition to its successor, the Windows App.

In late 2018 Microsoft released an HTML5 web client for Microsoft Remote Desktop. The client allows users to connect to their remote apps or to their remote desktops without using an installed remote desktop client. It is one of the components of Microsoft Windows that allow a user to initiate and control an interactive session. The web client uses the TLS secured port 443 and does not use the RD Gateway to transport traffic, instead relying solely on the remote desktop session host aspect of remote desktop services.

As of today there are several companies that offer a browser-based RDP client that allow remote desktop access via any modern web browser, eliminating the need for local client software. Thincast provides an HTML5-based RD WebClient for seamless access to Windows desktops and apps. Apache Guacamole is a popular open-source option supporting RDP, VNC, and SSH. Other notable solutions include Chrome Remote Desktop, Ericom AccessNow or TSPLus.