Applies to: Windows Server (Semi-Annual Channel), Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016
This article describes the roles within a Remote Desktop Services environment.
The Windows Virtual Desktop client is already available across Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and HTML5. In addition to these platforms, we’re releasing a new Windows Virtual Desktop software development kit (SDK) to our development partners to support the creation of Linux-based thin clients. Remote Desktop Access for iOS (iPhone & iPad) You must know the name of the computer to which you want to connect. If you are connecting to your office PC at Olin, you can determine your computer name by doing the following. In the search box, type “computer name” and click View your PC name. This guide will tell you how to set up the iOS client. Install the iOS client. To get started, download and install the client on your iOS device. Subscribe to a feed. Subscribe to the feed provided by your admin to get the list of managed resources you can access on your iOS device. To subscribe to a feed.
Remote Desktop Session Host
The Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) holds the session-based apps and desktops you share with users. Users get to these desktops and apps through one of the Remote Desktop clients that run on Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Users can also connect through a supported browser by using the web client.
You can organize desktops and apps into one or more RD Session Host servers, called 'collections.' You can customize these collections for specific groups of users within each tenant. For example, you can create a collection where a specific user group can access specific apps, but anyone outside of the group you designated won't be able to access those apps.
For small deployments, you can install applications directly onto the RD Session Host servers. For larger deployments, we recommend building a base image and provisioning virtual machines from that image.
You can expand collections by adding RD Session Host server virtual machines to a collection farm with each RDSH virtual machine within a collection assigned to same availability set. This provides higher collection availability and increases scale to support more users or resource-heavy applications.
In most cases, multiple users share the same RD Session Host server, which most efficiently utilizes Azure resources for a desktop hosting solution. In this configuration, users must sign in to collections with non-administrative accounts. You can also give some users full administrative access to their remote desktop by creating personal session desktop collections.
You can customize desktops even more by creating and uploading a virtual hard disk with the Windows Server OS that you can use as a template for creating new RD Session Host virtual machines.
For more information, see the following articles:
Remote Desktop Connection Broker
Remote Desktop Connection Broker (RD Connection Broker) manages incoming remote desktop connections to RD Session Host server farms. RD Connection Broker handles connections to both collections of full desktops and collections of remote apps. RD Connection Broker can balance the load across the collection's servers when making new connections. If RD Connection Broker is enabled, using DNS round robin to RD Session Hosts for balacing servers is not supported. If a session disconnects, RD Connection Broker will reconnect the user to the correct RD Session Host server and their interrupted session, which still exists in the RD Session Host farm.
You'll need to install matching digital certificates on both the RD Connection Broker server and the client to support single sign-on and application publishing. When developing or testing a network, you can use a self-generated and self-signed certificate. However, released services require a digital certificate from a trusted certification authority. The name you give the certificate must be the same as the internal Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of the RD Connection Broker virtual machine.
You can install the Windows Server 2016 RD Connection Broker on the same virtual machine as AD DS to reduce cost. If you need to scale out to more users, you can also add additional RD Connection Broker virtual machines in the same availability set to create an RD Connection Broker cluster.
Before you can create an RD Connection Broker cluster, you must either deploy an Azure SQL Database in the tenant's environment or create an SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Group.
For more information, see the following articles:
- SQL database in Desktop hosting service.
Remote Desktop Gateway
Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) grants users on public networks access to Windows desktops and applications hosted in Microsoft Azure's cloud services.
The RD Gateway component uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt the communications channel between clients and the server. The RD Gateway virtual machine must be accessible through a public IP address that allows inbound TCP connections to port 443 and inbound UDP connections to port 3391. This lets users connect through the internet using the HTTPS communications transport protocol and the UDP protocol, respectively.
The digital certificates installed on the server and client have to match for this to work. When you're developing or testing a network, you can use a self-generated and self-signed certificate. However, a released service requires a certificate from a trusted certification authority. The name of the certificate must match the FQDN used to access RD Gateway, whether the FQDN is the public IP address' externally facing DNS name or the CNAME DNS record pointing to the public IP address.
For tenants with fewer users, the RD Web Access and RD Gateway roles can be combined on a single virtual machine to reduce cost. You can also add more RD Gateway virtual machines to an RD Gateway farm to increase service availability and scale out to more users. Virtual machines in larger RD Gateway farms should be configured in a load-balanced set. IP affinity isn't required when you're using RD Gateway on a Windows Server 2016 virtual machine, but it is when you're running it on a Windows Server 2012 R2 virtual machine.
For more information, see the following articles:
Remote Desktop Web Access
Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access) lets users access desktops and applications through a web portal and launches them through the device's native Microsoft Remote Desktop client application. You can use the web portal to publish Windows desktops and applications to Windows and non-Windows client devices, and you can also selectively publish desktops or apps to specific users or groups.
RD Web Access needs Internet Information Services (IIS) to work properly. A Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) connection provides an encrypted communications channel between the clients and the RD Web server. The RD Web Access virtual machine must be accessible through a public IP address that allows inbound TCP connections to port 443 to allow the tenant's users to connect from the internet using the HTTPS communications transport protocol.
Matching digital certificates must be installed on the server and clients. For development and testing purposes, this can be a self-generated and self-signed certificate. For a released service, the digital certificate must be obtained from a trusted certification authority. The name of the certificate must match the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) used to access RD Web Access. Possible FQDNs include the externally facing DNS name for the public IP address and the CNAME DNS record pointing to the public IP address.
For tenants with fewer users, you can reduce costs by combining the RD Web Access and Remote Desktop Gateway workloads into a single virtual machine. You can also add additional RD Web virtual machines to an RD Web Access farm to increase service availability and scale out to more users. In an RD Web Access farm with multiple virtual machines, you'll have to configure the virtual machines in a load-balanced set.
For more information about how to configure RD Web Access, see the following articles:
Remote Desktop Licensing
Activated Remote Desktop Licensing (RD Licensing) servers let users connect to the RD Session Host servers hosting the tenant's desktops and apps. Tenant environments usually come with the RD Licensing server already installed, but for hosted environments you'll have to configure the server in per-user mode.
The service provider needs enough RDS Subscriber Access Licenses (SALs) to cover all authorized unique (not concurrent) users that sign in to the service each month. Service providers can purchase Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Services directly, and can purchase SALs through the Microsoft Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA) program. Customers looking for a hosted desktop solution must purchase the complete hosted solution (Azure and RDS) from the service provider.
Small tenants can reduce costs by combining the file server and RD Licensing components onto a single virtual machine. To provide higher service availability, tenants can deploy two RD License server virtual machines in the same availability set. All RD servers in the tenant's environment are associated with both RD License servers to keep users able to connect to new sessions even if one of the servers goes down.
For more information, see the following articles:
-->Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2
You can use the Remote Desktop client for iOS to work with Windows apps, resources, and desktops from your iOS device (iPhones and iPads).
Use the following information to get started. Be sure to check out the FAQ if you have any questions.
Note
- Curious about the new releases for the iOS client? Check out What's new for Remote Desktop on iOS?.
- The iOS client supports devices running iOS 6.x and newer.
Get the Remote Desktop client and start using it
This section will tell you how to download and set up the Remote Desktop client for iOS.
Download the Remote Desktop client from the iOS store
First you'll need to download the client and configure your PC to connect to remote resources.
To download the client:
- Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from the iOS App Store or iTunes.
- Set up your PC to accept remote connections.
Add a PC
After you've downloaded the client and configured your PC to accept remote connections, it's time to actually add a PC.
To add a PC:
Windows Remote Desktop Ios
- In the Connection Center, tap +, then tap Add PC.
- Enter the following information:
- PC name – the name of the computer. The PC name can be a Windows computer name, an Internet domain name, or an IP address. You can also append port information to the PC name (for example, MyDesktop:3389 or 10.0.0.1:3389).
- User name – The user name you'll use to access the remote PC. You can use the following formats: user_name, domainuser_name, or
user_name@domain.com
. You can also select Ask when required to be prompted for a user name and password when necessary.
- You can also set the following additional options:
- Friendly name (optional) – An easy-to-remember name for the PC you're connecting to. You can use any string, but if you don't specify a friendly name, the PC name is displayed instead.
- Gateway (optional) – The Remote Desktop gateway that you want to use to connect to virtual desktops, RemoteApp programs, and session-based desktops on an internal corporate network. Get the information about the gateway from your system administrator.
- Sound – Select the device to use for audio during your remote session. You can choose to play sound on the local devices, the remote device, or not at all.
- Swap mouse buttons – Whenever a mouse gesture would send a command with the left mouse button, it sends the same command with the right mouse button instead. Swapping mouse buttons is necessary if the remote PC is configured for left-handed mouse mode.
- Admin Mode - Connect to an administration session on a server running Windows Server 2003 or later.
- Clipboard - Choose whether to redirect text and images in your clipboard to your PC.
- Storage - Choose whether to redirect storage to your PC.
- Tap Save.
Need to edit these settings? Press and hold the desktop you want to edit, then tap the settings icon.
Add a workspace
To get a list of managed resources you can access on your iOS, add a workspace by subscribing to the feed provided by your admin.
To add a workspace:
- On the Connection Center screen, tap +, and then tap Add workspace.
- In the Feed URL field, enter the URL for the feed you want to add. This URL can be either a URL or an email address.
- If you use a URL, use the one your admin gave you.
- This URL is usually a Windows Virtual Desktop URL. Which one you use depends on which version of Windows Virtual Desktop you're using.
- For Windows Virtual Desktop (classic), use
https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/feeddiscovery/webfeeddiscovery.aspx
. - For Windows Virtual Desktop, use
https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/arm/feeddiscovery
.
- For Windows Virtual Desktop (classic), use
- This URL is usually a Windows Virtual Desktop URL. Which one you use depends on which version of Windows Virtual Desktop you're using.
- If you use an email address, enter your email address. Entering your email address tells the client ot search for a URL associated with your email address if your admin configured the server that way.
- If you use a URL, use the one your admin gave you.
- Tap Next.
- Provide your credentials when prompted.
- For User name, give the user name of an account with permission to access resources.
- For Password, give the password for the account.
- You may also be prompted to give additional information depending on the settings your admin configured authentication with.
- Tap Save.
After you've finished, the Connection Center should display the remote resources.
Once subscribed to a feed, the feed content will update automatically on a regular basis. Resources may be added, changed, or removed based on changes made by your administrator.
Manage your user accounts
When you connect to a PC or workspace, you can save the user accounts to select from again.
To create a new user account:
- In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap User Accounts.
- Tap Add User Account.
- Enter the following information:
- User Name - The name of the user to save for use with a remote connection. You can enter the user name in any of the following formats:
user_name
,domainuser_name
, oruser_name@domain.com
. - Password - The password for the user you specified.
- User Name - The name of the user to save for use with a remote connection. You can enter the user name in any of the following formats:
- Tap Save.
To delete a user account:
- In the Connection Center, tap Settings, and then tap User Accounts.
- Select the account you would like to delete.
- Tap Delete.
Connect to an RD Gateway to access internal assets
A Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) lets you connect to a remote computer on a corporate network from anywhere on the Internet. You can create and manage your gateways using the Remote Desktop client.
To set up a new gateway:
- In the Connection Center, tap Settings > Gateways.
- Tap Add gateway.
- Enter the following information:
- Gateway name – The name of the computer you want to use as a gateway. The gateway name can be a Windows computer name, an Internet domain name, or an IP address. You can also add port information to the server name (for example, RDGateway:443 or 10.0.0.1:443).
- User name - The user name and password to be used for the Remote Desktop gateway you're connecting to. You can also select Use connection credentials to use the same user name and password that you used for the remote desktop connection.
Navigate the Remote Desktop session
This section describes tools you can use to help navigate your Remote Desktop session.
Start a Remote Desktop connection
- Tap the remote desktop connection to start the remote desktop session.
- If you're asked to verify the certificate for the remote desktop, tap Accept. To accept by default, set Don't ask me again for connections to this computer to On.
Connection bar
The connection bar gives you access to additional navigation controls.
- Pan Control: The pan control enables the screen to be enlarged and moved around. Pan control is only available using direct touch.
- To enable or disable the pan control, tap the pan icon in the connection bar to display the pan control. The screen will zoom in while the pan control is active. the pan icon in the connection bar again to hide the control and return the screen to its original resolution.
- To use the pan control, tap and hold the pan control. While holding, drag your fingers in the direction you want to move the screen.
- To move the pan control, double-tap and hold the pan control to move the control on the screen.
- Connection name: The current connection name is displayed. Tap the connection name to display the session selection bar.
- Keyboard: Tap the keyboard icon to display or hide the keyboard. The pan control is displayed automatically when the keyboard is displayed.
- Move the connection bar: Tap and hold the connection bar. While holding the bar, drag it over to its new location. Let go of the bar to place it at the new location.
Microsoft Remote Desktop
Session selection
You can have multiple connections open to different PCs at the same time. Tap the connection bar to display the session selection bar on the left-hand side of the screen. The session selection bar enables you to view your open connections and switch between them.
Here's what you can do with the session selection bar:
- To switch between apps in an open remote resource session, tap the expander menu and choose an app from the list.
- Tap Start New to start a new session, then choose a session from the list of available sessions.
- Tap the X icon on the left side of the session tile to disconnect from your session.
Command bar
The command bar replaced the Utility bar starting in version 8.0.1. You can use the command bar to switch between mouse modes and return to the connection center.
Use touch gestures and mouse modes in a remote session
The client uses standard touch gestures. You can also use touch gestures to replicate mouse actions on the remote desktop. The mouse modes available are defined in the table below.
Note
In Windows 8 or later, the native touch gestures are supported in Direct Touch mode. For more information on Windows 8 gestures, see Touch: Swipe, tap, and beyond.
Mouse mode | Mouse operation | Gesture |
---|---|---|
Direct touch | Left-click | Tap with one finger |
Direct touch | Right-click | Tap and hold with one finger |
Mouse pointer | Left-click | Tap with one finger |
Mouse pointer | Left-click and drag | Tap and hold with one finger, then drag |
Mouse pointer | Right-click | Tap with two fingers |
Mouse pointer | Right-click and drag | Double-tap and hold with two fingers, then drag |
Mouse pointer | Mouse wheel | Double-tap and hold with two fingers, then drag up or down |
Mouse pointer | Zoom | With two fingers, pinch to zoom out and spread fingers apart to zoom in |
Supported input devices
The client has Bluetooth mouse support for iOS 13 and iPadOS as an accessibility feature. You can use Swiftpoint GT or ProPoint mice for deeper mouse integration. The client also supports external keyboards that are compatible with iOS and iPadOS.
For more information about device support, see What's new in the iOS client and the iOS App Store.
Tip
Swiftpoint is offering an exclusive discount on the ProPoint mouse for iOS client users.
Use a keyboard in a remote session
You can use either an on-screen keyboard or physical keyboard in your remote session.
For on-screen keyboards, use the button on the right edge of the bar above the keyboard to switch between the standard and additional keyboard.
If Bluetooth is enabled on your iOS device, the client automatically detects the Bluetooth keyboard.
While certain key combinations might not work as expected in a remote session, many of the common Windows key combinations, such as CTRL+C, CTRL+V, and ALT+TAB will work.
Tip
Connect Iphone To Remote Desktop
Questions and comments are always welcome. However, if you post support requests or product feedback in this article's comments section, we won't be able to respond to your feedback. If you need help or want to troubleshoot your client, we highly recommend you go to the Remote Desktop client forum and start a new thread. If you have a feature suggestion, you can tell us using the Client UserVoice forum.