Remote desktop mac connections now use Microsoft’s Windows App, the successor to the old Microsoft Remote Desktop client. You can install it on macOS, add a Windows PC or hosted RDP by IP address, and work in the Windows desktop from your Mac with display, clipboard, and keyboard settings tuned to your setup.
Remote Desktop is now Windows App
Microsoft changed the macOS app name to Windows App starting with version 11.0.0 in September 2024. The app still connects to remote PCs, but its home screen and navigation now use terms such as Devices, Apps, and Favorites. This is why older instructions that tell you to search the Mac App Store for “Microsoft Remote Desktop” may no longer match what you see.
Windows App can connect to a remote PC without an app sign-in; you still need the PC address and an authorized Windows account. See Microsoft’s Windows App overview for supported macOS connection types.
What you need before connecting
Have these details ready:
- The remote PC’s public IP address or hostname.
- The Windows username and password for that PC.
- The RDP port if the server uses a non-default port.
- Internet access and permission to install an app.
For a VPSLake RDP, the IP address and login details come from your order or support team. The Buffalo Windows RDP 4 GB plan has a private KVM VM, Full Administrator access, a dedicated US IPv4, and 3 TB of traffic on a 200 Mbps port. Windows is BYOL: you bring your own license.
For a broader explanation of the endpoint and credentials, see how to connect to a Windows VPS using RDP.
Step 1: Install Windows App on your Mac
Why this matters: the old macOS Remote Desktop client has been replaced by Windows App, so installing the current client avoids following menus that no longer exist.
- Open the App Store on your Mac.
- Search for Windows App from Microsoft and install it. Microsoft also provides a standalone
.pkginstaller through its Windows App release information if the App Store is not suitable for your Mac. - Open Windows App and choose Done or Skip on the first-run tour.
- Allow any macOS permission request that is required for the app to run.
Success looks like: Windows App opens to its home screen with a Devices area and a plus (+) button. You do not need to sign in just to add a normal remote PC.
Step 2: Add your Windows PC or RDP
Why this matters: adding the computer as a saved device lets you reconnect without re-entering the address every time.
- In Windows App, select the plus (
+) button. - Select Add PC.
- In PC name, enter the remote PC’s IP address or hostname.
- Open additional settings if you want a friendly name, saved user account, or display behavior.
- Select Add to save the PC, or Add & Connect to save it and start the session immediately.
- If you chose Add, select the new PC card under Devices.
- Enter the Windows username and password when prompted. Use the username format supplied by your provider, such as
AdministratororDOMAIN\\username. - Accept the certificate prompt only when the address is the server you intended to reach.
Success looks like: the Windows desktop appears and the PC is saved in Devices.
If the RDP uses a custom port
For a custom port, enter it in additional settings when available; open a provider-supplied .rdp file with Windows App instead of guessing at the address format.
Step 3: Choose display, Retina, and monitor settings
Why this matters: the best setting for a MacBook screen is not always the best setting for a slower connection or an external monitor.
- Return to the Devices view and find the PC card.
- Select the pencil icon to edit the connection.
- Enable Use customized settings when that option is available.
- Open the Display tab.
- Choose the setting that matches how you work:
| Setting | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Start session in full screen | You want the Windows desktop to fill the Mac display. |
| Fit session to window | You prefer a resizable window and want the remote image to scale with it. |
| Optimize for Retina displays | Small Windows text looks soft on a Retina screen and your connection can handle higher bandwidth. |
| Use all monitors | You want the Windows session spread across connected displays. |
| Resolution | You want a fixed resolution and predictable bandwidth use. |
- Select Save, then reconnect if Windows App asks you to do so.
Retina optimization matches remote scaling to the Mac client, but Microsoft says it can use about four times more bandwidth. If the session feels slow, turn it off and try a lower fixed resolution. For two displays, enable Use all monitors. See Microsoft’s display settings documentation for the current labels.
Success looks like: text is readable without excessive scaling, the cursor tracks normally, and the session fits the display arrangement you chose.
Step 4: Set clipboard and local device access
Why this matters: clipboard and folder redirection are separate from the remote desktop itself. They must be enabled for the local Mac and Windows session to exchange text or files.
- Edit the PC connection with the pencil icon, or open additional settings before saving it.
- Open the Devices & Audio or local resources section.
- Turn on the local clipboard and choose the direction you need: Bidirectional, Local to Remote Only, Remote to Local Only, or Disabled.
- Enable only the resources you need, such as sound or a redirected folder.
- Save the connection and reconnect.
Test both clipboard directions with a short piece of text. For file access, redirect a specific Mac folder; it should appear in Windows File Explorer as a network drive. A smaller folder scope is easier to protect than your entire home folder.
An administrator can disable redirection, and a local app setting cannot override that policy. See Microsoft’s device, audio, and folder redirection guide for the current options.
Success looks like: text copies between macOS and Windows in the direction you selected, and any redirected folder is visible in File Explorer.
Step 5: Use Mac keyboard shortcuts in Windows
Why this matters: Windows and macOS use different modifier keys, but Windows App maps many common Mac shortcuts automatically.
Windows App maps these common Mac shortcuts inside the remote session:
| Mac shortcut | Action in the Windows session |
|---|---|
Command+C | Copy |
Command+X | Cut |
Command+V | Paste |
Command+A | Select all |
Command+Z | Undo |
Command+F | Find |
Command+W | Close the current window |
For Windows actions that normally need keys not present in the same place on a Mac keyboard, use these Windows App shortcuts:
- Windows Security / Ctrl+Alt+Delete:
Fn+Control+Option+Backspace - Start menu:
Option+F3 - Switch to the next program:
Fn+Option+Arrow Up - Switch to the previous program:
Fn+Option+Arrow Down
If macOS captures a shortcut, click inside the remote desktop and try again. Microsoft’s keyboard and mouse documentation has the full table.
Success looks like: copy and paste, the Start menu, and Windows Security open without accidentally triggering an unrelated macOS action.
Verify the connection before doing real work
After the first login, check the parts you will depend on:
- Open Settings > System > About in Windows and confirm that you reached the intended machine.
- Open a browser and load a normal page to confirm the remote network works.
- Copy a short text string from the Mac to Windows and back.
- Resize the session and check that the display remains readable.
- Disconnect, then reconnect from the saved device card.
For a hosted Windows VPS, review the client area after purchase as well. VPSLake’s Buffalo service includes console access, reinstall, reboot, and password reset. See what to do after buying a Windows VPS if you are new to hosted Windows.
Troubleshoot common Windows App errors
Windows App cannot find the PC
Check the IP address or hostname character by character. Confirm that the remote machine is powered on, RDP is enabled, and the correct port is open. For hosted RDP, ask the provider to confirm the endpoint and port.
The password is rejected
Use the Windows account password, not your Microsoft account or hosting billing password. Check the username format and reset the Windows password through the provider’s client area if available.
The session is blurry, too small, or slow
Try Optimize for Retina displays for sharper text. If the session is slow, turn it off, choose a fixed resolution, use Fit session to window, and disable monitors or redirection you do not need.
Copy and paste does not work
Check the clipboard direction, save, and reconnect. Test plain text first. If text works but files do not, use a redirected folder. An administrator policy can disable clipboard redirection. See how to fix copy and paste not working in RDP for more checks.
The Windows Security shortcut does nothing
Click inside the session and use Fn+Control+Option+Backspace. On some keyboards, hold Fn to access the expected Backspace behavior. You can also open Windows Security from the Start menu.
FAQ
Is Microsoft Remote Desktop still available for Mac?
The old macOS client was renamed and replaced by Windows App. Search the Mac App Store for Windows App, then use Devices > Add PC.
Can I use Windows App on a MacBook with a Retina screen?
Yes. Enable Optimize for Retina displays for sharper scaling, or use a fixed resolution when the session is sluggish.
Can I copy files from a Mac to a Windows RDP?
Yes, when clipboard or folder redirection is allowed. For repeat transfers, redirect a specific Mac folder and use it from Windows File Explorer. An administrator policy cannot be overridden from the Mac.
What is the easiest way to connect to a Windows RDP from a Mac?
Install Windows App, select Add PC, enter the RDP IP address or hostname, save the connection, and sign in with the Windows credentials. For a hosted endpoint, choose a private Windows RDP with enough RAM and confirm the Windows licensing terms before ordering.
