How do I download from Remote Desktop Mac?

To use Remote Desktop, your administrator and client computers must meet these requirements:

  • Mac computers must be running OS X 10.10.5 or later.

  • Mac client computers must have version 3.6 or later of the Remote Desktop client software for full control.

    Although you may be able to control and observe Mac computers using earlier versions of the Remote Desktop client software, you can’t generate reports or execute remote commands.

    To find the client software version, when you’re using Remote Desktop, select the computer, choose File > Get Info, and look at the ARD Version field. To find the client software version on Mac computers you haven’t yet added to the All Computers list, go to the computer, locate the following file in the Finder, and check its version:

    /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app

  • Non-Mac client computers must have Virtual Network Computing (VNC)–compatible software.

When you install Remote Desktop and open it for the first time, use the setup assistant to finalize configuration. After configuration, you start administering computers by adding clients to the main list of computers.

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Use Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac to connect to Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, admin-provided virtual apps and desktops, or remote PCs. With Microsoft Remote Desktop, you can be productive no matter where you are.

GET STARTED

Configure your PC for remote access using the information at https://aka.ms/rdsetup.

Learn about our other Remote Desktop clients at https://aka.ms/rdclients.

KEY ​FEATURES

• Access remote PCs running Windows Professional or Enterprise and Windows Server.
• Access managed resources published by your admin.
• Connect through a Remote Desktop Gateway.
• Secure connection to your data and applications.
• Simple management of your connections and user account from the Connection Center.
• Audio and video streaming.
• Redirect folders, your clipboard, and local devices such as microphones and cameras.

Submit feedback at https://aka.ms/rdmacfbk.

What’s New

Oct 24, 2022

Version 10.7.10

In this release we've added some new features to Teams redirection (available in AVD and Windows 365 scenarios) and made some additional fixes and performance improvements.

For Teams redirection we added:

• Give/Take Control support
• Background blur support
• Background replacement support

In addition, we resolved some customer-reported time zone redirection mismatches, improved smart card redirection performance, addressed overactive AVD diagnostics reporting and fixed a crash in RemoteApp scenarios when hidden windows were moved.

If you encounter any errors, you can always contact us via Help > Submit Feedback.

Ratings and Reviews

4.6 out of 5

92.9K Ratings

Fantastic, fast, and smooth from my small use

Had no qualms with the “square logo” version. I used it often, using both Active Directory logins and local logins. Did mass software installs on multiple machines simultaneously all remotely from the app. This one I feel like runs even faster and smoother than the last one! Great job, devs. I also can see on here that the devs are responding to many of the (often unbelievably whiny and uppity) complaints on this review page, often proving the customer wrong or letting them know that their desired feature is forthcoming. Thank you for your dedication, dev team. I feel these guys deserve a 5-star review. The average rating for this app largely seems to be due to customers’ ineptitude or ignorance, so the rating really isn’t fair or telling of the quality of the app.

nearly perfect

I have a specific usage case - I work in a multiplatform environment in which I work on the Mac and on the PC. I don't want to keep changing physical keyboards, so despite the fact that the two physical machines are next to eachother beneath my desk, I use remote desktop to view and operate the PC while working on the Mac. This works reasonable well except that the Remote Desktop Service on the PC requires that I can only be logged in either via the Remote Desktop app OR the PC itself. Since there are some operations that cannot be performed via RDP - attaching to a VPN being one of them - it would be nice if I could just leave the PC logged in and operate it via Remote Desktop at the same time. Now, I'm sure there really IS such a way, but the internet is not my friend in helping me find it. So properly-speaking, this probably a complaint about the service and not the client app, but the entire eco-system is failing me in small ways. Also, while I appreciate the option that allows the Apple key to be interchangable with ctrl for edit operations and find, it doesn't seem to work consistently, and as everyone who has ever switched back and forth between the Mac and Windows knows, confusion over which meta key to use in editing will eventually cause brain damage and is likely to send hardware on ballistic journeys through windows (not Windows).

Poor Performance

MacOS version works but has horrible peformance compared to the Windows version. Connecting to a local Windows 10 machine over 1 gbps Ethernet has very noticeable lag and low framerate. Using Windows 10 RDP client to same Windows 10 target on same network is dramatically faster. All 3 are using 4k resolution (at 4k though even Windows RDP client has some noticeable lag but nothing compared to macos RDP client).

Setting up resolution too a lot of manipulating with choosing "optimize for retina" vs. not. I suspect this is the issue with the slowness, that both sides cannot agree consistently on DPI and resolution settings so there is a lot of scaling going on on both sides. Sometimes DPI is messed up and Windows target shows massive fonts, but if I exit and re-enter full screen it will resolve. Probably also due to the scaling is image being blurry in some cases.

No stars off from this, but it would be nice if modifier key remapping was possible, as control/option/start button/alt are in annoying places. Also annoying is that control left/right arrow to move cursor is not possible as macos intercepts it for switching between full screen apps. But this is macos limitation.

App Privacy

The developer, Microsoft Corporation, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

  • Identifiers
  • Usage Data
  • Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

Seller

Microsoft Corporation

Size

55.5 MB

Category

Business

Compatibility Mac Requires macOS 10.14 or later.

Age Rating

4+

Copyright

© 2022 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Price

Free

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