To enable the Remote Desktop functionality, navigate to the following location in local computer policy (via Local Group Policy Editor) or domain group policy (via Group Policy Object Editor for network wide effect to apply the settings across the entire Active Directory network):
Windows Vista
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or Later
At the location, find the policy named Allow users to connect remotely using Terminal Services or Allow users to connect remotely using Remote Desktop Services, and set it to Enable.
To require the use of NLA and RDP version 6 or newer for more secure connection, browse to the following location in local computer policy or domain group policy (restrictions and functions same as above):
Windows Vista
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or Later
In the folder, search for Require user authentication using RDP 6.0 for remote connections or Require user authentication for remote connections by using Network Level Authentication, and set it to Enable.
To control which users have access to the Windows system via Remote Desktop, you can add the authorized users toRemote Desktop Users group on the local machine, while those denied access should be removed from the list.
Enable Remote Desktop on Windows via the registry
Windows Vista
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or Later
At the location, find the policy named Allow users to connect remotely using Terminal Services or Allow users to connect remotely using Remote Desktop Services, and set it to Enable.
To require the use of NLA and RDP version 6 or newer for more secure connection, browse to the following location in local computer policy or domain group policy (restrictions and functions same as above):
Windows Vista
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or Later
In the folder, search for Require user authentication using RDP 6.0 for remote connections or Require user authentication for remote connections by using Network Level Authentication, and set it to Enable.
To control which users have access to the Windows system via Remote Desktop, you can add the authorized users toRemote Desktop Users group on the local machine, while those denied access should be removed from the list.
Enable Remote Desktop on Windows via the registry
- Open Registry Editor (RegEdit).
- Navigate or browse to the following key:
Code:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Terminal Server - Locate the fDenyTSConnections subkey, and change the DWORD value to 0.
- To enforce the use of RDP 6.0 and NLA, navigate to the following key:
Code:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp - Locate the UserAuthentication subkey, and change the DWORD value to 1.
- Exit registry editor and restart the computer to make the changes effective.