How to remote desktop connect to a Windows computer from a Mac

Microsoft Remote Desktop

If you have a computer with a Windows operating system and the remote desktop function is active, it is possible that you have ever wondered if there was any possibility of accessing that computer from a Mac, because on certain occasions It can be useful not to be working on the PC with third party software, and be able to make the connection directly from the Mac, just as it can be done from another Windows computer.

Well, in this case, although it is not so easy since macOS does not have a tool that comes pre-installed and that allows you to do this in particular, the truth is that it does you can make a remote desktop connection from any Mac, and for this you will only need to install an application.

Connect to your Windows computers from Mac with Microsoft Remote Desktop

As we mentioned, this time from Microsoft they have not made it complicated for those users who wish to use the remote desktop from Mac, since they have created an application for it, which is also very easy to use and free, although in this case it has a small drawback, and that is is only available in English.

Either way, to connect to your Windows computer from Mac, the first thing you will need is the following:

  • A Windows PC (preferably Windows 10 to work better), configured to allow remote connections from other computers.
  • The IP of said equipment to be able to connect.
  • The user and its corresponding password that you want to access specifically.
  • The Microsoft Remote Desktop application on your Mac.
Microsoft Remote Desktop (App Store Link)
Microsoft Remote DesktopFree

Once you have this gathered and noted correctly, you will be ready to connect for the first time to your computer remotely, for which you just have to follow the following steps:

  1. Open the Remote Desktop application from your Mac and then click on the add icon, and select "Desktop" (or "Desk" in Spanish). In the event that the wizard has automatically appeared, you do not need to do this, just continue configuring it.
  2. In the field called "PC Name", enter the address Windows computer IP in question you want to connect to, or the host name in the event that you have both computers on the same network connection.
  3. Once this is done, in the field of "User Account", you have two possible options, depending on what you personally prefer:
    • Leave it as "Ask me every time", so that every time you want to access the computer again, you will have to manually enter its username in addition to its password, which can be useful if you have many users created on the Windows PC, and you want to connect each time to one of them different.
    • Set up a user account, with which you can save one or more users to access your computers in a faster way, since you will not need to enter the username or password. If you are interested in this, you just have to select the option "Add User Account ...", and then enter the username, password and a common name to use if you wish.
  4. After this, you just have to click on the "Save" button (or "Save" in Spanish), and a list will automatically appear with the different devices that you have saved to connect.
  5. You just have to click on the one you have configured, and in a matter of seconds everything will be configured and you can access it without any problem, and if everything works fine, use it as if it were the Windows computer itself, only within the window.

Connect using Microsoft Remote Desktop to a Windows computer from Mac

Once you have done this, depending on the version of Windows you have installed on the computer you are connected to, you can adjust a series of parameters from the configuration, such as the possibility that the resolution is automatically adapted to the size of the window, or choose how you prefer everything to look in terms of quality, although these are already optional things that depend on your personal tastes.


12 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Francisco Jose said

    This works fine, but I never get the print to work right.

    1.    Francisco Fernández said

      It is quite curious. From what I have seen, cable in my case no problem, but when printing using the Wi-Fi on the PC to connect to the printer, it does seem that there are problems ... Anyway, I suppose it has something to do with that the signal for the remote desktop is sent through the same place, but hey, I say that in future versions of the application or Windows the solution will come 😉

  2.   Maite said

    It works perfectly but I can not print using a printer with cable or wifi, ???

  3.   Luis said

    I do not get the list of workspaces, so I cannot find my mac to select.

  4.   MARIA said

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP, THANKS TO YOUR PUBLICATION I HAVE DONE IT IN 10 MINUTES. THANKS

  5.   VIRGINIA said

    Good afternoon, I follow the steps, but when I get the username and password it tells me that it is not correct and I cannot connect to my office pc.
    Thank you.

  6.   Rafael Palacios said

    Good afternoon and thank you very much for the article:
    I have a somewhat old mac book pro, in which I cannot install a more recent El Capitan OS (10.11) and therefore Apple Store will not let me obtain and install the Remote Desktop (v. 10.3) I am trying to find a download of the previous version of said program (Remote Desktop 8.0.44) but I can't get it.
    If you could help me it would be great.
    Thank you

    1.    Isabel said

      Hello! I have the same problem as Rafa, I need an older version of the remote desktop.
      Thanks for the help.

  7.   Mars said

    Hi, in my case it doesn't work for me because when trying to connect it gives me an error code 0x204. It doesn't even ask for the destination computer's username and password.
    Do you know what can happen?
    Thanks and regards.

  8.   Carmen said

    Same problem as Mar, do you know if there is a solution?
    Thank you very much

  9.   Corina said

    Hi, the same thing happens in my case, it doesn't work for me because when trying to connect it gives me an error code 0x204. It does not even ask for the username and password of the target computer.
    Do you know what can happen?
    Thanks and regards.

  10.   FACUNDO said

    Good afternoon! I have the following problem, if I use Microsoft Remote Desktop from my MAC with my home WIFI connection, it does not work.
    Now, if I use it through the internet provided by my cell phone, it connects seamlessly to my desktop computer.
    Do you know what the problem could be?
    Thank you