[How To] Enable/Disable Remote Desktop Connection In Windows 10

In this guide, learn how to enable/disable Remote Desktop Connection in Windows 10 using Settings app or via registry manipulation.

Kapil Arya
11x Microsoft MVP · Admin
2 min read
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Earlier, we have shared you following guide to show how to connect Windows remotely to other machines:

How to use Remote Desktop feature to connect Windows to other devices

Usually, Windows 10 comes with Remote Desktop feature turned off. Many times, users need to enable or disable this feature as per requirement. It is often recommended to have this feature disabled due to security reasons. Because if you enable this feature, you’re actually granting administrators on other machine to remotely access your machine. So make sure you turn on this feature, only when it is required.

Here’s how to quickly enable/disable Remote Desktop feature in Windows 10.

How To Enable/Disable Remote Desktop Connection In Windows 10

WAY 1 – Via Settings App

1. Right click Start Button or press W8K + X keys and select Settings.

2. In the Settings app, navigate to System > Remote Desktop.

3. Moving on, under Remote Desktop, set Enable Remote Desktop option to turn On/Off to enable/disable Remote Desktop Connections to Windows 10, respectively.

How To Enable/Disable Remote Desktop Connection In Windows 10

These settings are saved immediately. You can close the Settings app and return to the Desktop, if you like.

You can use registry as well to configure the above mentioned setting.

WAY 2 – Via Registry

Registry Disclaimer: The further steps will involve registry manipulation. Making mistakes while manipulating registry could affect your system adversely. So be careful while editing registry entries and create a System Restore point first.

1. Press W8K + R and put regedit in Run dialog box to open Registry Editor (if you’re not familiar with Registry Editor, then click here). Click OK.

Windows 10 Registry Editor

2. In left pane of Registry Editor window, navigate to following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server

How To Enable/Disable Remote Desktop Connection In Windows 10

3. Now in the right pane of Terminal Server registry key, you must find fDenyTSConnections named registry DWORD (REG_DWORD) which is set to 1. This means that Remote Desktop is disabled with that Value data. So double click on this registry DWORD to modify its Value data:

How To Enable/Disable Remote Desktop Connection In Windows 10

4. Finally, set the Value data to 0 and click OK. This should enable Remote Desktop on your Windows 10. Close Registry Editor and reboot to make changes effective.

So this is how you can configure Remote Desktop Connections to Windows 10.

That’s it!

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Kapil Arya
11x Microsoft MVP · Admin

Kapil holds Microsoft MVP title in Windows IT Pro expertise, 11-times in a row (2014-2025). He is 8-times Windows Insider MVP as well, and author of 'Windows Group Policy Troubleshooting' book. In 2015, Microsoft India accomplished him as 'Windows 10 Champion'. Being passionate Windows blogger, he loves to help others on fixing their system issues. Kapil has worked with official Microsoft Community Engagement Team (CET) on several community projects. You can subscribe him for news/updates and fixes for Windows.

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