Mac cannot connect to Remote Desktop

Estimated reading time: 2 min

Remote Desktop Protocol or RDP is a protocol provided by Microsoft to securely connect to remote Windows instances using the graphical user interface. All Snel Windows servers come with RDP enabled. An initial administrator user is created and credentials are sent via email.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to connect to your remote Windows server through RDP using macOS. This tutorial is written on macOS Mojave but it should be applicable on all recent releases macOS including High Sierra and Catalina.

Prerequisites

Step 1 – Install Microsoft Remote Desktop App

As macOS does not have an inbuilt application for connection remote servers over RDS, we will need to install the official Microsoft Remote Desktop App. Open the Apple App Store by clicking on the  App Store in Dock [bottom bar].

Search for the Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 in the left side search bar. Click on the GET button to install the application into your system. You may need to log in using your Apple ID to install the software from the App store.

Step 2 – Open Microsoft Remote Desktop app

Once installed, you can open the application by clicking on the Launchpad icon on bottom dock bar and then clicking on the Microsoft Remote Desktop app icon.

Upon opening the application for the first time, it will ask your permission to share usage and performance information with Microsoft. Choose Yes or Not now according to your preferences.

Next, it will ask you to provide the microphone and camera access to the remote desktop app. Click Continue and accept the prompt by macOS by clicking the Ok button.

Step 3 – Add Remote Desktop Connection

To add a new remote desktop, click on the [ + ] icon on the top and click on the Desktop option from the drop-down.

This will open up the interface to add a new remote desktop. Provide the actual IP address of your Snel windows machine in PC name textbox. Now, under User account, select Add User Account. Adding a user account is optional. If we add a user account while adding the desktop, we won’t have to give a username and password every time we want to connect.

This will open a pop-up to add a new user account. Provide the username and password of your windows server instance. You can also provide a friendly name to identify the user account. Click on Add button to save the user account.

Upon adding the user account, you will be taken back to Add a Desktop interface. Select the user from User account we just created. You can provide an optional friendly name to your server. Leave all other settings as it is and click on Add button to add the remote windows server.

This will immediately add the server to the list of Desktops on the default interface.

Step 4 – Connect to Remote Desktop

To connect to the remote server we just added, simply double click on the server icon on the default interface.

If you have not added your user credentials at the time of adding the server, you will be asked to provide the password.

On your first connection to the remote desktop, you may see a certificate warning.

Press the Continue button to proceed, it should connect you to your desktop.

Step 5 – Close Remote Desktop Session

To close the remote desktop session, you can sign out from your windows instance by clicking on Start menu icon, then clicking on user account icon on the left side of the start menu and finally click on Sign out button.

Conclusion

Congratulation, you have successfully connected to your remote Windows server instance on your computer running macOS.

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Remote Desktop Connection for Macintosh

Here’s how you can remotely connect and control one Macintosh computer from another. Due to changes in our firewall, a VPN is now required when doing this from off-campus. The on-campus computer must be left on and not in hibernation.

On the machine you wish to remotely connect to:

1. Go to System Preferences in the Apple menu at top left.
2. Click on Sharing in the Internet & Wireless group.
3. If necessary, click the lock at bottom left and enter your password to make changes.
4. Put a check mark next to Screen Sharing on the left
5. Click the Computer Settings… button on the right.
6. Put a check mark next to “VNC viewers may control screen with password:” and set a password to use for screen sharing.
7. Click OK.
8. Below that make sure it’s set to “Allow access for: Only these users.” Click the plus button at the bottom of the list.
9. Select your name [or the name of the user account you use] from the list and click the Select button. If you would like to enable file sharing as well, put a check mark next to File Sharing on the left.
10. By default every Mac OS user account gets a Public folder. Confirm that your user account [or the user account you use] has Read & Write access to that folder.
11. One thing you’ll need to take with you: write down the IP address of the computer. In Screen Sharing it will be preceded by “vnc:” and in File Sharing it will be preceded by “afp:“. You will need this to connect from the remote computer. If you’d like, click the lock at bottom left to prevent further changes.

On the machine you’ll be remotely connecting from:

1. Make sure you’re in Finder [it says “Finder” next to the apple icon at top left. You can click on the desktop to go to finder or Command+Tab to get to Finder.
2. Select Connect to Server from the Go menu.
3. In the Server Address field type in the IP address of your remote computer preceded by “vnc:” as it appeared in Screen Sharing above.
4. Click the Connect button and it will open the remote desktop in a new window. You will have control over the keyboard and mouse as if you were sitting down at that computer.
5. When you’re done, simply close that window.
6. To access files and folders on the remote computer select Go to Folder from the Go menu.
7. Type in the IP address of the computer you wish to connect to preceded with “afp:” as it appeared in File Sharing above.
8. Click the Go button and the folders you have access to on the remote computer will open in a new Finder window.
9. When you’re done, simply close that window.

Related Pages
Accessing the Windows Network on a Macintosh Computer

External Links
Apple’s Web Site
My First Mac: Help Buying and Getting Started with Your New Mac
VNC

The following page[s] contain instructions on using Remote Desktop to connect to Faculty & Staff Windows computers on the UMKC campus [from off-campus]. Your campus computer must be powered on to receive connections.

Don't know your computer name or don't know if your account has the correct permissions? Find out here. If you need assistance, please contact the IS Technology Support Center or your IT Liaison.

Support Matrix

Please note: Before you attempt to connect to UMKC resources remotely, please make sure your operating system [Apple OS X] has all applicable security updates installed.

To connect to your campus Windows PC from a Mac you will need to use the Microsoft Remote Desktop application for Mac version 10.3.8 [or higher]. If you are using a university-owned Mac, you may already have this app installed. Please contact the Technology Support Center or your IT Liaison if you have questions about using this software on a university-owned Mac.

Supported	Default Icon	Client Name
		Microsoft RDP v10 Link to Download
		Microsoft RDP v8
		Apple RDC

Mac OS X Remote Desktop Connection Instructions

1. Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop application
2. Click the "+" icon
3. Select PC
4. For PC Name, enter the name of the remote computer to connect to. Or check How to find my computer name
5. For User Account, click the dropdown to change the setting
6. Click Add User Account
7. For User Name, type in Domain\Username
8. For Password, type your UMKC Username Password. Note: you will need to update your Remote Desktop settings every time you change your UMKC Username password.
9. Click Save
10. For Friendly Name, enter the PC name
11. Click on no gateway to change the setting
12. Select Add Gateway from the dropdown
13. For Server Name, enter tsg.umkc.edu
14. For User Account, click Use PC User account
15. Select your UMKC username from the list
16. Click Add
17. Click Add again
18. To initiate the connection, double click on your PC Name tile
19. Click Show Certificate
20. Click Always Trust to prevent seeing this warning again for the PC specified
21. Click Continue

If you have not recently connected to this computer there will be a delay as your profile is created. This is normal.
You are now connected!