Connecting to your Windows VPS from macOS, Linux, Android or iOS

Remote Desktop relies on the RDP protocol. It was published by Microsoft but clients exist everywhere. You always need the same three items: the IP address of your VPS, your user name and your password. They are on your service page under My services.

How do I connect to my Windows VPS from a Mac?

With Windows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop), the official Microsoft client, free on the Mac App Store.

1. Install Windows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop) from the Mac App Store. It is the official Microsoft client and it is free.
2. Open it and click + > Add PC.
3. In PC name, enter the IP address of your VPS.
4. In User account, choose Add User Account and store your user name and password so you do not retype them every session.
5. Confirm, then double-click the tile that was created.
6. Accept the certificate warning on first launch, after checking the IP address.

Enable Redirect folders in the options if you want to move files from your Mac to the server.

How do I connect to my Windows VPS from a Linux desktop?

Install Remmina if you want a graphical interface, or FreeRDP (xfreerdp) if you prefer the command line.

Two clients cover almost every need.

Remmina, with a graphical interface, available in most distributions:

sudo apt install remmina remmina-plugin-rdp

Create an RDP connection, fill in the server (the IP address), the user and the password, then connect.

FreeRDP, on the command line, convenient for scripting or troubleshooting:

sudo apt install freerdp2-x11
xfreerdp /v:IP_ADDRESS /u:Administrator /dynamic-resolution +clipboard

The self-signed certificate triggers a confirmation prompt the first time: read the fingerprint, then accept. /dynamic-resolution matches the resolution to the window size and +clipboard enables copy and paste.

How do I connect to my Windows VPS from a phone or a tablet?

With Microsoft's Windows App, on the Play Store as well as the App Store: add a PC, enter the IP address, then your credentials.

1. Install the Windows App (Microsoft) from the Play Store or the App Store.
2. Add a PC, enter the IP address, then your credentials.
3. Connect and accept the certificate warning.

On a touch screen the pointer works either in mouse mode (relative movement) or in touch mode (you tap the element directly). Mouse mode is far more comfortable for administration work. A tablet with a keyboard is a stopgap, not a lasting workstation.

Which settings make an RDP session more comfortable?

Four of them: set the resolution before connecting, enable the clipboard, redirect a local folder, and switch printers and audio off.

• Resolution: pick it before connecting. Changing it mid-session often forces a reconnect.
• Clipboard: enable it to copy and paste text between your machine and the server.
• Local drives: folder redirection is the simplest way to transfer a file without opening another port.
• Printers and audio: turn them off when you do not need them; the session is smoother.

What should I do when no RDP client connects at all?

Check four points: the VPS is started, installation has finished, your network lets port 3389 out, and the Windows firewall still allows Remote Desktop.

Test in this order:

1. Is the VPS running? Check its state on the service page and click Start if needed.
2. Has installation finished? While the installation screen is showing, no network service is listening yet.
3. Does your network allow outgoing port 3389? Many corporate, school and public networks block it. Test through a mobile hotspot.
4. Does the Windows firewall on the server still allow Remote Desktop? A badly set rule cuts access silently: see the firewall guide.

If all four check out, open the rescue console from the client area: it shows the screen of the machine without using the network, and lets you fix things from inside.