How to Fix ‘Remote Desktop Connection Not Working’ issue

This article will show you how to Fix ‘Remote Desktop Connection Not Working’ issue. Remote Desktop Connection, also known as RDC, is a powerful tool that gives users the ability to access a computer from a remote location. Nevertheless, it can be extremely frustrating to experience problems with the Remote Desktop Connection not functioning properly.

Windows 11 and Windows 10 come equipped with a useful feature called Remote Desktop, which enables us to control our computer from another device. It goes without saying that you will require a working internet connection in order to activate the Remote Desktop feature. Therefore, you will not be able to make use of this feature if your computer is not properly connected to the internet.

Nevertheless, there are a few other elements that might be responsible for the feature’s inability to function properly; in this article, we will discuss these problems and the solutions to them. We will help you resolve the issue and get your Remote Desktop Connection up and running smoothly by guiding you through the troubleshooting process in this step-by-step guide how to Fix ‘Remote Desktop Connection Not Working’ issue that we have provided for you.

Causes of the ‘Remote Desktop Connection Not Working’ issue

1. Internet Connection: Ensure that both the local and remote devices have a stable internet connection.
2. Firewall Settings: Check firewall settings on both the local and remote machines to ensure they allow Remote Desktop connections.
3. Configuration: Verify that the remote desktop feature is enabled on the target machine.
4. User Permissions: Ensure the user account trying to connect has the necessary permissions for remote access.
5. Port Forwarding: Check if the necessary ports (default is 3389 for Remote Desktop Protocol) are open and forwarded correctly on routers or firewalls.
6. Network Level Authentication (NLA): Ensure that both machines support NLA, and it’s enabled on the Remote Desktop settings.

How to Fix ‘Remote Desktop Connection Not Working’ issue

Verify Remote Desktop is Enabled

1. Right-click on the Start button and select “System.”
2. Click on “Remote settings” on the left sidebar.
3. Under the “Remote” tab, check the box that says “Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer.”

Restart Remote Desktop Services

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type “services.msc” and press Enter.
3. Locate “Remote Desktop Services” in the list, right-click on it, and select “Restart.”

Disable Network Level Authentication (NLA)

1. Open the “System Properties” window as described in Step 2.
2. Go to the “Remote” tab.
3. Uncheck the option that says “Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication.”

Check Remote Desktop Settings

1. On the remote computer, right-click on the Start button and select “System.”
2. Click on “Remote settings” on the left-hand side.
3. Ensure that “Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer” is checked.
4. Check if “Network Level Authentication” is enabled under the “Advanced” tab.

Confirm Firewall Settings

1. Open the Control Panel and navigate to “System and Security.”
2. Click on “Windows Defender Firewall.”
3. Select “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.”
4. Ensure that “Remote Desktop” is checked for both private and public networks.

Verify User Permissions

1. On the remote computer, check if the user account has Remote Desktop access.
2. Go to “Control Panel” > “Administrative Tools” > “Computer Management.”
3. Navigate to “System Tools” > “Local Users and Groups” > “Users.”
4. Right-click on the user and select “Properties.” Ensure that “Remote Desktop Users” is checked.

Conclusion

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is unable to establish a connection with the remote computer for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the following: network connection, Remote settings, user permissions, RDP services status, antivirus software, unmatched credentials, Windows update, and so on.

You will be able to troubleshoot and fix the problem of the ‘Remote Desktop Connection Not Working’ if you follow these detailed steps. If you want your Remote Desktop experience to be smooth, you should always put security measures first and make sure your systems are always up to date.

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