How to Enable Remote Desktop on Windows 10

Introduction

Remote Desktop (RDP) is one of the most useful tools built into Windows: it lets you connect to a computer from somewhere else over the network. That’s especially valuable when you work with a Windows VPS, because you can manage your server from your own computer without any extra software.

Remote Desktop isn’t enabled by default in Windows 10, though. Before your machine can accept remote connections, you have to turn the feature on manually. This guide shows you how to do it step by step from Control Panel.

What you’ll need

Before you start, keep the following in mind:

Windows 10 edition: Remote Desktop is only available on the Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 10. The Home edition can’t act as a host (though it can still connect to other machines).
Administrator access: You need an account with administrator privileges to change system settings.
Access to the machine: You have to be connected to the computer where you want to enable Remote Desktop, either physically or through the noVNC console if it’s a VPS.

Step 1: Open Control Panel

On the machine where you want to enable Remote Desktop, open Control Panel. There are a couple of ways to do it:

Click the Windows search bar, type Control Panel, and select it from the results.
Press Windows + R, type control, and press Enter.

The Control Panel window opens with the different system settings categories.

Step 2: Go to System and Security

Inside Control Panel, find and click the System and Security category. This section groups every setting related to system properties, the firewall, backups, and power options.

Step 3: Click Allow remote access

Under the System section, look for the option labeled Allow remote access. Clicking it opens the System Properties window directly on the Remote tab.

Another way to reach the same window is:

Right-click This PC > Properties > Remote settings (in the left sidebar).

Step 4: Turn on remote connections

On the Remote tab of System Properties, you’ll see the Remote Desktop section. Select this option:

“Allow remote connections to this computer”

Checking this box enables the RDP protocol so other machines can connect to this one remotely.

Network Level Authentication (NLA) settings

Just below that option there’s a checkbox labeled “Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)”.

Leave it checked if you want stronger security. With NLA, users have to authenticate before the full remote session is established, which protects against certain kinds of attacks.
Uncheck it only if you need to connect from computers running older versions of Windows or RDP clients that don’t support NLA.

Step 5: Choose who’s allowed to connect

Click the Select Users button to view and manage which user accounts can connect remotely. The administrator account already has access by default.

If you need other users to connect to the machine:

Click Add.
Type the user account name.
Click Check Names to verify it exists.
Click OK to add it.

If you’re the only person who will access the server, you can leave this setting as it is.

Step 6: Confirm and apply your changes

Click OK to close the user selection window, then click OK again in the System Properties window to apply the changes. Remote Desktop is now enabled.

Powerful VPS from $4.99/month. Our VPS servers running Windows come with RDP preconfigured and dedicated resources so you can work without interruptions. See VPS plans →

How to connect after enabling RDP

Once Remote Desktop is enabled, you can connect from another computer like this:

On your local computer, open Remote Desktop Connection (search for “mstsc” in the search bar, or press Win + R and type mstsc).
Enter the IP address of the remote machine (or the computer name if you’re both on the same network).
Click Connect.
Enter the username and password for the remote machine.
Accept the security certificate if the warning appears.

That’s it — you’ll be working on the remote machine’s desktop as if you were sitting right in front of it.

Check that the firewall allows RDP

In most cases, enabling Remote Desktop automatically configures the firewall to allow incoming connections on port 3389 (the standard RDP port). If you have trouble connecting, though, check the following:

Open Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall.
Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
Find Remote Desktop in the list and make sure it’s checked for both Private and Public networks (depending on what you need).

Troubleshooting common problems

I can’t find the Remote Desktop option

If you don’t see an option to enable Remote Desktop, you’re probably running Windows 10 Home, which can’t act as an RDP host. Your options are:

Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.
Use an alternative tool such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer for remote access.

I connect but the screen stays black

This usually comes down to video driver issues on the remote machine. Try lowering the screen resolution in the mstsc connection options before you connect.

The connection is refused or times out

Confirm the remote machine is powered on and connected to the internet.
Verify that Remote Desktop is actually enabled.
Check that the firewall allows connections on port 3389.
If the machine sits behind a router, make sure port 3389 is forwarded correctly.

Conclusion

Enabling Remote Desktop on Windows 10 is a quick process you can finish in under a minute. Once it’s on, you can reach your computer or VPS from anywhere in the world with nothing more than an internet connection and the RDP tool built into Windows.

If you work with VPS servers, this setup is essential. It lets you manage your server comfortably and efficiently without depending on third-party tools or your provider’s web console.

Need a Windows VPS? Truobox offers VPS plans with dedicated resources, a static IP, and expert technical support, ready for you to connect over Remote Desktop and get to work.