How to use Windows Remote Desktop to access a PC

There are many great reasons to access one computer from another computer. Maybe you want to retrieve files from another PC, securely access work-related documents, or you could need to walk a friend, family member, or colleague through a complicated procedure from a distance. When you set up Remote Desktop on your PC, you have those and other capabilities. Learn more about Remote Desktop, how to set it up, and why it can be worth using.

What is Remote Desktop?

Remote Desktop allows users to take control of another device from a distance. This means you can see and access everything on a remote computer right on your own screen (and vice versa).

When does Remote Desktop come in handy?

Remote Desktop is often used by IT specialists to fix computer issues remotely. By gaining access to the device they’re fixing, they can click through computer settings to find a problem and fix it. Remote Desktop also comes in handy to control a work computer from home, allowing the user to work remotely more easily, or to access a file or program from a distant device. This is a far more secure way to access private work files that shouldn’t be accessed from a public or un-secured computer or device. By completing these tasks on the remote desktop, you’ll be ensuring complete security and privacy of the files you’re managing.

Enabling Remote Desktop

For two devices to be connected and accessed from a distance, both must have Remote Desktop enabled. On Windows 11 Pro, you can do this by going to Settings > System > Remote Desktop and toggle the “Enable Remote Desktop” button. If you’re using an older or other version of Windows, you can find additional information for enabling Remote Desktop at the Microsoft Support Center.

Using Remote Desktop

Once you’ve enabled Remote Desktop, you can connect your device to another PC and access its contents from any distance. Before you set up Remote Desktop, it’s important to make sure that the device you are connecting to is running Windows 11 Pro, connected to the internet, and powered on. The device you are using to access the content can be running on any version of Windows or even non-Windows operating systems. If the device you are connecting from is running Windows, you can search “Remote Desktop Connections” in your PC settings and enter the name of the device you are connecting to.

Connecting with non-Windows operating systems

If you are using a non-Windows operating system, you can download the Microsoft Remote Desktop app to get connected. Once you’ve downloaded it, enter the name of the PC you want to connect to in the app. You can find more specific instructions on connecting via Remote Desktop from the Microsoft Support Center.

How to download Windows 11 Pro

If your computer isn’t running Windows 11 Pro, you won’t be able to connect to it with Remote Desktop. Get Windows 11 Pro today to access the benefits of Remote Desktop.