Microsoft officially ended support for the standalone Remote Desktop Client in early 2026. Users are encouraged to migrate to the Windows App for accessing Azure Virtual Desktops and Windows 365.
To understand mstsc , one must first understand the protocol it speaks: . In the mid-1990s, Microsoft licensed core thin-client technology from Citrix, known as WinFrame. This technology allowed multiple users to simultaneously connect to a single Windows server—a radical departure from the single-user, single-session model of Windows 95 and NT Workstation. Microsoft rebranded and refined this into Terminal Services for Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition. Microsoft officially ended support for the standalone Remote
/span : Matches the remote desktop width and height with the local virtual desktop, spanning across multiple monitors if necessary. /edit : Opens a specified .rdp file for editing. Advanced Features and Configuration /span : Matches the remote desktop width and
: mstsc stores fragments of the desktop image locally to speed up future sessions by not re-downloading repeating visual elements. In the mid-1990s
/admin : Used to connect to a session for administering a Windows server.