Windows 10 At Work For Dummies
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The Windows 10 Remote Desktop Connection app allows you to connect to other computers or devices that are connected to your local network or that are on the Internet and have a public IP address. For example, you can use the Remote Desktop Connection app to connect to a colleague’s computer from your desk or to your work computer when you’re using some other computer or device.

Connect remotely to another computer on the network

Here’s how to use Remote Desktop Connection to connect remotely to another device:

  1. Click the search bar on the taskbar.

  2. Type remote desktop.

    A list of search results appears.

  3. Click Remote Desktop Connection.

  4. In the Remote Desktop Connection window, type the IP address or the name of the Windows device that you want to connect to; then click Connect.

    The Remote Desktop Connection app.
    The Remote Desktop Connection app.

    Windows initiates the remote connection; then you’re asked to enter your credentials.

  5. Enter the username and password that you want to use on the computer you’re connecting to; then click OK.

  6. If you’re informed that the remote computer couldn’t be authenticated due to problems with its security certificate, click Yes to connect anyway.

    Problems with the security certificate.
    Problems with the security certificate.

    You’re now connected to the remote computer and can use it as though it were your local computer.

  7. When you finish using the Remote Desktop Connection, close the app by clicking the x button on the top of the window, then clicking OK.

    The remote session is disconnected.

If Remote Desktop Connection says that it can’t connect to the remote computer, check whether the remote computer is turned off, whether it isn’t available on the network, or whether remote connections are disabled on it.

Allow remote access to your Windows 10 computer

By default, Windows 10 doesn’t allow remote access to your computer or device. If you need this kind of access, you must manually enable it. Here’s how:

  1. Click the search bar on the taskbar.

  2. Type remote desktop.

    A list of search results appears.

  3. Click Allow Remote Access to Your Computer.

    The System Properties window appears.

  4. In the Remote tab, go to the Remote Desktop section and check the Allow Remote Connections to This Computer box.

  5. Click OK.

    How to allow remote connections to your computer.
    How to allow remote connections to your computer.

About This Article

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About the book author:

Ciprian Adrian Rusen is a Microsoft MVP and Windows expert. His 7tutorials.com blog has more than 1.3 million monthly readers who look to him for insight into technology in general and Windows in particular.

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