Icon of program: Microsoft Remote Desktop …

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac

  • Free
  • In English
  • V10.7.6
  • 3.7
  • (267)
Avatar of Cathy Buggs
Cathy BuggsUpdated 2 years ago

Access Windows remote PCs in Mac device

Microsoft Remote Desktop is a free-of-charge utility and tool developed by one of the biggest multinational technology companies in the world, Microsoft Corporation. It is a dedicated remote control application that allows you to remotely access computers that run Windows Professional or Enterprise, as well as Windows Server in your Mac device. You can also connect to remote PCs, virtual apps, or desktops in order to access managed resources published by your admin. 

Easy to setup

Microsoft Remote Desktop can be set up on your system with ease. When you have the main dialog box open, all you need to do is enter the network name of the computer you want to connect to or its network ID. A connection will be established immediately as long as Terminal Services and Remote Desktop Services are activated on the host—otherwise, the connection will be rejected. There are many preferences you can configure according to the resolution you want to use for the shared window and which hard drives you want to make accessible. 

Before connecting to a remote PC, you should ensure that your computer is turned on, have a network connection, have network access to the remote computer which could also be through the Internet, have permission to connect, and the Remote Desktop is enabled. You must be part of the list of computer users in order to have permission to connect. One more thing before you start is it is suggested for you to search the name of the computer you plan to remotely access and make sure that Remote Desktop connections are allowed through its firewall.

Moreover, Microsoft Remote Desktop provides you a simple organization of your connections and user account from the Connection Center. With this, you can connect through a Remote Desktop Gateway. It enables you to stream audio and video, and redirects you to folders, clipboards, and local devices including microphones and cameras. On top of that, it serves a highly-secured connection to your data and applications by providing the Network Level Authentication (NLA) option.

Mac version is lackluster

However, Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection does have a tendency to be unstable from time to time and you will also suffer from dropped connections. You will find that it occasionally freezes during a sharing session and it lacks many of the features found in the Windows version. It will be difficult for you to manage multiple connections in the Mac version. Overall, it's simply less powerful than when on Windows. 

Be productive wherever you are

Microsoft Remote Desktop is an essential software that allows you to remotely access your computer device, even when you are not physically sitting in front of it. Although, if it’s possible for you to utilize the Windows version, then you should stick to that one because you will feel that the Mac version is lacking compared to the Windows one. 

  • Pros

    • Remotely access your PC wherever you are
    • Set up with ease
    • A simple organization of your connections and user account
    • A highly-secured connection
  • Cons

    • Unstable at times
    • Freezes during sharing session oft-times
    • Lacks certain features that Windows version contains
 0/3

App specs

Program available in other languages


Icon of program: Microsoft Remote Desktop …

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac

  • Free
  • In English
  • V10.7.6
  • 3.7
  • (267)

User reviews about Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection

Have you tried Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection? Be the first to leave your opinion!

You may also like

Alternatives to Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection

Explore Apps

Latest articles

Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country. We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws.
Softonic
Your review for Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection
Softonic

In Softonic we scan all the files hosted on our platform to assess and avoid any potential harm for your device. Our team performs checks each time a new file is uploaded and periodically reviews files to confirm or update their status. This comprehensive process allows us to set a status for any downloadable file as follows:

Clean

It’s extremely likely that this software program is clean.

What does this mean?

We have scanned the file and URLs associated with this software program in more than 50 of the world's leading antivirus services; no possible threat has been detected.

Warning

This software program is potentially malicious or may contain unwanted bundled software.

Why is the software program still available?

Based on our scan system, we have determined that these flags are possibly false positives.

What is a false positive?

It means a benign program is wrongfully flagged as malicious due to an overly broad detection signature or algorithm used in an antivirus program.

We’d like to highlight that from time to time, we may miss a potentially malicious software program. To continue promising you a malware-free catalog of programs and apps, our team has integrated a Report Software feature in every catalog page that loops your feedback back to us.

Flag any particular issues you may encounter and Softonic will address those concerns as soon as possible.