Asset Management
- Apple Remote Desktop is the best way to manage the Mac computers on your network. Distribute software, provide real-time online help to end-users, create detailed software and hardware reports, and automate routine management tasks — all without leaving your desk.
- Get the Remote Desktop client. Follow these steps to get started with Remote Desktop on your Mac: Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from the Mac App Store. Set up your PC to accept remote connections. (If you skip this step, you can't connect to your PC.) Add a Remote Desktop connection or a remote resource.
- In Remote Desktop, select a scanner in the sidebar of the main window, then choose File Import from the pop-up menu. Browse for the file by clicking the Open File button, or drag a file into the dialog. Alternatively, you can enter the file’s pathname in the File field. All responding clients are listed in the Remote Desktop window.
- Apple Remote Desktop 3 Client authentication To manage a Mac OS X system using Apple Remote Desktop, administrators need to authenticate and receive authorization from the Apple Remote Desktop Client software—ensuring that only authorized users can control a computer or perform specified administrative tasks. Apple Remote Desktop can perform.
Remote Spotlight search
Use Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac to connect to a remote PC or virtual apps and desktops made available by your admin. 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.
- Search a remote computer, its startup disk, or a specific folder, qualified using one or more of these metadata keywords: Kind, Last Opened, Last Modified, Created, Keywords, Color, Label, Name, Contents, and Size — and filtered for specific text
- Results can be copied back to the administrator’s computer, opened on remote computers, or deleted
User History report
- Lists who has logged in to a computer, how and where they accessed it, and when they logged in and out
Application Usage report
- Shows which applications have been used on remote systems, the number of launches, duration of the launch, and who executed the launch
File Search report
- Search for files on groups of OS X computers using name, parent path, full path, extension, date modified, date created, actual size, size on disk, kind, invisible, version number, version string, owner, group, permissions, and locked status file attributes
Software Version report
- Selects up to 10 applications and compares versions installed on Administrator computer with a group of OS X computers
Software Difference report
- Compares applications, fonts, and installed packages on Administrator computer with a group of OS X computers
System Overview
- Computer: Active Processors, Available User Memory, Boot ROM, Bus Clock Speed, Bus Data Size, CPU Speed, Serial Number, Vector Processor, L2 Cache Size, L3 Cache Size, Machine Model, Memory, Empty RAM Slots, PCI Slots Used, Processor Count, CPU Type, Sales Order Number, VM Size, Total RAM Slots
- Software: Kernel Version, System Version
- Storage: Free Disk Space, Total Disk Space, Trash Size
- AirPort: AirPort Active, AirPort Firmware Version, AirPort Hardware Address, AirPort Locale, AirPort Type, AirPort Installed, AirPort Network Channel, AirPort Network in Range, Computer to Computer, AirPort Network Name
- Modem: Modem Country, Modem Driver, Modem Firmware Version, Modem Installed, Modem Interface, Modem Model
- Network: First Ethernet Address, NetBooted, Primary IP Address, Primary Network Collisions, Primary Network Flags, Primary Network Hardware Address, Primary Network Input Errors, Primary Network Input Packets, Primary Network Output Errors, Primary Network Output Packets, Primary Network
- Display: Monitor Type, Monitor Depth, Monitor Resolution, 2nd Monitor Type, 2nd Monitor Depth, 2nd Monitor Resolution
- Devices: ATA Device Count, Firewire Device Count, Keyboard Connected, Mouse Connected, Optical Drive Type, SCSI Device Count, USB Device Count
- AppleTalk: AppleTalk Active, AppleTalk Network, AppleTalk Node, AppleTalk Zone
- Sharing: Computer Name, File Sharing, FTP Access, Remote Apple Events, Remote Login, UNIX Hostname, Web Sharing, Windows Sharing
- Preferences: Sleep Display, Sleep Hard Disk, Sleep Computer, Wake for Ethernet Access
- Printing: Printer Name, Printer Sharing, Printer Type, Printer Version
- Remote Desktop: Computer Info #1, Computer Info #2, Computer Info #3, Computer Info #4
- Lights Out Management: LOM Active, LOM Channel, LOM IPv4 Configuration, LOM IPv4 Address, LOM Subnet Mask, LOM Gateway, LOM Ethernet ID
Storage report
- Hardware: Drive Manufacturer, Drive Model, Drive Revision, Drive Protocol, Removable, Serial Number, Logical Unit Number, Detachable
- Volume: Creation Date, Disk Name, File Count, Folder Count, Total Disk Space, Free Space, Startup Disk, UNIX Mount Point
- File System: Disk Format, Owner, Group, Permission Modes, Permissions, Write Access, Modification Date, Case Sensitive, Preserves Case
- Backup: Journaling Capable, Journalled, Last Backup Date, Last Check Date
FireWire Devices report
- Manufacturer, Model, Device Speed, Software Version, Firmware Version
Network Interface report
- Network Overview: Name, Active, Primary, Configured with, Hardware Address, Interface Name, Flags
- Active Interface: Domain, Router Address, IP Address, Broadcast Address, DNS Server, Subnet Mask, IP Addresses, Broadcast Addresses, DNS Servers, Subnet Masks
- Network Statistics: Network Collisions, Network Input Errors, Network Input Packets, Network Output Errors, Network Output Packets
- Output Statistics: Output Queue Capacity, Output Queue Size, Output Queue Peak Size, Output Queue Drop Count, Output Queue Output Count, Output Queue Retry Count, Output Queue Stall Count
- Ethernet Statistics: Ethernet Alignment Errors, Ethernet FCS Errors, Ethernet Single Collision Frames, Ethernet Multiple Collision Frames, Ethernet SQE Test Errors, Ethernet Deferred Transmissions, Ethernet Late Collisions, Ethernet Excessive Collisions, Ethernet Internal MAC Transmit Errors, Ethernet Carrier Sense Errors, Ethernet Frames Too Long, Ethernet Internal MAC Receive Errors, Ethernet Chip Set, Ethernet Missed Frames, Ethernet Receiver Overruns, Ethernet Receiver Watchdog Timeouts, Ethernet Receiver Frames Too Short, Ethernet Receiver Collision Errors, Ethernet Receiver PHY Errors, Ethernet Receiver Timeouts, Ethernet Receiver Interrupts, Ethernet Receiver Resets, Ethernet Receiver Resource Errors, Ethernet Transmitter Underruns, Ethernet Transmitter Jabber Events, Ethernet Transmitter PHY Errors, Ethernet Transmitter Timeouts, Ethernet Transmitter Interrupts, Ethernet Transmitter Resets, Ethernet Transmitter Resource Errors, Ethernet Collision Frequencies
PCI Card report
- Card Name, Card Type, Card Memory, Card Revision, Vendor ID, Device ID, ROM Version, Slot Name
Memory report
- Slot Identifier, Module Size, Module Type, Module Speed
USB Devices report
- Product Name, Vendor Name, Device Speed, Product ID, Vendor ID, Bus Power Amps
Scheduling
- Schedule for specific date and time
- Set OS X computers to rebuild and send data on their hardware and software settings on a regular schedule or only as needed
Software Distribution
Package installation
- Install single or multiple packages remotely on a group of OS X systems
- Install packages in .pkg and .mpkg formats
- Schedule for specific dates and times
- Detect whether a package requires a restart
- Restart computer upon completion of installation or at a later time
- Encrypt data stream
- Specify network bandwidth usage
File Copy
- Copy single or multiple files and folders to a group of OS X systems
- Copy single or multiple files and folders from a group of OS X systems to administrator’s computer
- Copy single or multiple files to predefined locations: same relative location, Applications folder, current user’s Desktop folder, current user’s home directory, Fonts folder, Preferences folder, System folder, top folder of the disk, or a specified path
- Schedule for specific dates and times
- Choose an action if an item already exists: ask what to do, replace the item, replace if existing item is older, rename the existing item, rename the item being copied
- Set the permissions of the file once copied: inherit from destination folder, preserve current owner or user, or specify user and group
- Encrypt data stream
- Specify network bandwidth usage
Remote Assistance
Observe and control screens of remote Mac computers
- Support for VNC-enabled computers, including Windows and Linux systems
- Drag and drop a file from one remote computer to another
- Use remote copy and paste to quickly transfer text or images
- Adjust color depth to one of four modes: black and white, grayscale, thousands of colors, millions of colors
- Scale screens to fit in current window when viewing larger screens
- Use Curtain Mode to block a user’s view while configuring sensitive information
- Take complete control or share mouse and keyboard with remote user
- Toggle between full-screen mode and fit-in-window mode
- Take screenshots
Observe and control multiple screens of remote Mac or VNC-enabled computers simultaneously
- View up to 50 screens in a single window
- Adjust the number of screens visible on each page
- Adjust color depth to one of four modes: black and white, grayscale, thousands of colors, millions of colors
- Rotate through the list of observed computers manually or automatically
- View at-a-glance information about network computers using system status indicators
Screen sharing and text communication
- Share a Mac screen with other OS X systems
- Send text message to a group of OS X systems
- Conduct one-to-one real-time, computer-to-computer text chat
Remote Administration
Manage systems remotely
- Sleep and wake a group of OS X systems
- Restart and shut down a group of OS X systems, perform restart and shut down immediately or allow users to save work
- Power on one or more OS X systems which feature Lights Out Management
- Open files and applications on a group of OS X systems
- Empty Trash for all users on one or more OS X systems
- Log out current user for one or more OS X systems
Send UNIX commands to a group of OS X systems
- Execute commands as the current user or a specified user
- Set Network, Energy Saver, and Date & Time system preferences using command-line tools
- Use any of 30 sample UNIX scripts in the Task Template menu; add your own scripts
Set startup disk
- Set startup disk to local disk or partition, or select from a list of NetBoot or Network Install images
- Start up multiple computers remotely
- Optionally restart computers after setting new startup disk
Rename OS X computers
- Append a unique number for each computer when multiple computers are selected
Change Apple Remote Desktop Client settings
- Change the Apple Remote Desktop Client settings for one or more OS X systems
- Save as a package to apply to OS X systems at a later date
Automation
- Create powerful system administration workflows by combining Apple Remote Desktop actions
- Create end-to-end solutions by combining actions with other applications’ actions
- Over 40 Automator actions
- Save Automator workflows as plug-ins
Easy Setup
- Discover the computers you need to manage using network scanners. Create as many scanners as you need and configure each to search particular areas of your network
- Managed Preferences support for both administrator and client
- Create computer lists to organize the system however you wish — by model, location, or department, for example
- Review or reuse tasks using list of previously executed tasks
- Allow nonadministrator users to run Apple Remote Desktop with some or all features enabled
- Use a computer other than the administrator computer as a task server to automatically collect reporting data
- Define to organize groups by location, model, or department
- Define a set of rules to add computers to Smart Computer Lists automatically
- Associate computers with one of seven user-defined labels
- Use customized Computer List views to show only information of interest, including 14 additional attributes that may be chosen for display
- Authenticate clients using organization’s directory services group names
- Encrypt all communications between Apple Remote Desktop and client computers with 128-bit AES encryption, or disable encryption for data-intensive tasks
Applies To: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016
You can use the Remote Desktop client for Mac to work with Windows apps, resources, and desktops from your Mac computer. Use the following information to get started - and check out the FAQ if you have questions.
Note
- Curious about the new releases for the macOS client? Check out What's new for Remote Desktop on Mac?
- The Mac client runs on computers running macOS 10.10 and newer.
- The information in this article applies primarily to the full version of the Mac client - the version available in the Mac AppStore. Test-drive new features by downloading our preview app here: beta client release notes.
Get the Remote Desktop client
Follow these steps to get started with Remote Desktop on your Mac:
- Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from the Mac App Store.
- Set up your PC to accept remote connections. (If you skip this step, you can't connect to your PC.)
- Add a Remote Desktop connection or a remote resource. You use a connection to connect directly to a Windows PC and a remote resource to use a RemoteApp program, session-based desktop, or a virtual desktop published on-premises using RemoteApp and Desktop Connections. This feature is typically available in corporate environments.
What about the Mac beta client?
We're testing new features on our preview channel on AppCenter. Want to check it out? Go to Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac and select Download. You don't need to create an account or sign into AppCenter to download the beta client.
If you already have the client, you can check for updates to ensure you have the latest version. In the beta client, select Microsoft Remote Desktop Beta at the top, and then select Check for updates.
Add a workspace
Subscribe to the feed your admin gave you to get the list of managed resources available to you on your macOS device.
To subscribe to a feed:
- Select Add feed on the main page to connect to the service and retrieve your resources.
- Enter the feed URL. This can be a URL or email address:
- This URL is usually a Windows Virtual Desktop URL. Which one you use depends on which version of Windows Virtual Desktop you're using.
- For Windows Virtual Desktop (classic), use
https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/feeddiscovery/webfeeddiscovery.aspx
. - For Windows Virtual Desktop, use
https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/arm/feeddiscovery
.
- For Windows Virtual Desktop (classic), use
- To use email, enter your email address. This tells the client to search for a URL associated with your email address if your admin configured the server that way.
- This URL is usually a Windows Virtual Desktop URL. Which one you use depends on which version of Windows Virtual Desktop you're using.
- Select Subscribe.
- Sign in with your user account when prompted.
After you've signed in, you should see a list of available resources.
Once you've subscribed to a feed, the feed's content will update automatically on a regular basis. Resources may be added, changed, or removed based on changes made by your administrator.
Export and import connections
You can export a remote desktop connection definition and use it on a different device. Remote desktops are saved in separate RDP files.
To export an RDP file:
- In the Connection Center, right-click the remote desktop.
- Select Export.
- Browse to the location where you want to save the remote desktop RDP file.
- Select OK.
To import an RDP file:
- In the menu bar, select File > Import.
- Browse to the RDP file.
- Select Open.
Add a remote resource
Remote resources are RemoteApp programs, session-based desktops, and virtual desktops published using RemoteApp and Desktop Connections.
- The URL displays the link to the RD Web Access server that gives you access to RemoteApp and Desktop Connections.
- The configured RemoteApp and Desktop Connections are listed.
To add a remote resource:
- In the Connection Center select +, and then select Add Remote Resources.
- Enter information for the remote resource:
- Feed URL - The URL of the RD Web Access server. You can also enter your corporate email account in this field – this tells the client to search for the RD Web Access Server associated with your email address.
- User name - The user name to use for the RD Web Access server you are connecting to.
- Password - The password to use for the RD Web Access server you are connecting to.
- Select Save.
The remote resources will be displayed in the Connection Center.
Connect to an RD Gateway to access internal assets
A Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) lets you connect to a remote computer on a corporate network from anywhere on the Internet. You can create and manage your gateways in the preferences of the app or while setting up a new desktop connection.
To set up a new gateway in preferences:
- In the Connection Center, select Preferences > Gateways.
- Select the + button at the bottom of the table Enter the following information:
- Server name – The name of the computer you want to use as a gateway. This can be a Windows computer name, an Internet domain name, or an IP address. You can also add port information to the server name (for example: RDGateway:443 or 10.0.0.1:443).
- User name - The user name and password to be used for the Remote Desktop gateway you are connecting to. You can also select Use connection credentials to use the same user name and password as those used for the remote desktop connection.
Manage your user accounts
When you connect to a desktop or remote resources, you can save the user accounts to select from again. You can manage your user accounts by using the Remote Desktop client.
Apple Remote Desktop Client For Mac Download
To create a new user account:
- In the Connection Center, select Settings > Accounts.
- Select Add User Account.
- Enter the following information:
- User Name - The name of the user to save for use with a remote connection. You can enter the user name in any of the following formats: user_name, domainuser_name, or [email protected].
- Password - The password for the user you specified. Every user account that you want to save to use for remote connections needs to have a password associated with it.
- Friendly Name - If you are using the same user account with different passwords, set a friendly name to distinguish those user accounts.
- Select Save, then select Settings.
Customize your display resolution
You can specify the display resolution for the remote desktop session.
Apple Remote Desktop Client
- In the Connection Center, select Preferences.
- Select Resolution.
- Select +.
- Enter a resolution height and width, and then select OK.
To delete the resolution, select it, and then select -.
Displays have separate spaces
If you're running Mac OS X 10.9 and have disabled Displays have separate spaces in Mavericks (System Preferences > Mission Control), you need to configure this setting in the Remote Desktop client using the same option.
Drive redirection for remote resources
Drive redirection is supported for remote resources, so that you can save files created with a remote application locally to your Mac. The redirected folder is always your home directory displayed as a network drive in the remote session.
Note
In order to use this feature, the administrator needs to set the appropriate settings on the server.
Use a keyboard in a remote session
Mac keyboard layouts differ from the Windows keyboard layouts.
- The Command key on the Mac keyboard equals the Windows key.
- To perform actions that use the Command button on the Mac, you will need to use the control button in Windows (for example Copy = Ctrl+C).
- The function keys can be activated in the session by pressing additionally the FN key (for example, FN+F1).
- The Alt key to the right of the space bar on the Mac keyboard equals the Alt Gr/right Alt key in Windows.
By default, the remote session will use the same keyboard locale as the OS you're running the client on. (If your Mac is running an en-us OS, that will be used for the remote sessions as well.) If the OS keyboard locale is not used, check the keyboard setting on the remote PC and change it manually. See the Remote Desktop Client FAQ for more information about keyboards and locales.
Support for Remote Desktop gateway pluggable authentication and authorization
Windows Server 2012 R2 introduced support for a new authentication method, Remote Desktop Gateway pluggable authentication and authorization, which provides more flexibility for custom authentication routines. You can now try this authentication model with the Mac client.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Client Mac
Important
Custom authentication and authorization models before Windows 8.1 aren't supported, although the article above discusses them.
To learn more about this feature, check out https://aka.ms/paa-sample.
Tip
Questions and comments are always welcome. However, please do NOT post a request for troubleshooting help by using the comment feature at the end of this article. Instead, go to the Remote Desktop client forum and start a new thread. Have a feature suggestion? Tell us in the client user voice forum.