How To Enable RDP | Remote Access Setup for Any PC

Enable Remote Desktop (RDP) on Windows 10 or 11 Pro by opening Settings, navigating to System > Remote Desktop, and switching the toggle On.

Knowing how to enable RDP on a Windows PC is the first step to controlling a second computer from your desk. The process changes completely based on whether you run Windows Pro or Windows Home. Here is the exact sequence for each edition, the post-setup checks that prevent connection failures, and the most common causes of a broken RDP link.

Before You Start: Which Windows Edition Is Running?

The native Remote Desktop feature is only included in Windows 10 and 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. If you run Windows Home, the Settings toggle for Remote Desktop is missing entirely. Home users need a third-party tool to add the feature.

How to Enable RDP on Windows Pro (Native Method)

The official Settings path is the most stable route and works identically on Windows 10 Pro and Windows 11 Pro.

1. Open Start and click the Settings gear icon.
2. Go to System > Remote Desktop.
3. Turn Enable Remote Desktop to On.
4. Click Confirm in the pop-up dialog.
5. (Optional) Click Select users that can remotely access this PC to add additional accounts beyond the current user.

Once the toggle is on, verify the PC name by opening Start and typing View your PC name. Make sure the target PC stays awake when plugged in: open Settings > System > Power & battery and set Screen and Sleep to Never when on AC power. RDP cannot wake a sleeping computer.

How to Enable RDP on Windows Home (Third-Party Method)

If you are on Windows Home, Microsoft’s official guide confirms the RDP toggle does not exist. The widely used workaround is RDP Wrapper, a free tool from stascorp on GitHub. This method is not supported by Microsoft and can break after major Windows updates, but it restores full RDP functionality for millions of users.

1. Download the latest RDP Wrapper release from the stascorp GitHub repository and extract the .zip file.
2. Install by right-clicking install.bat and selecting Run as Administrator.
3. Update the config file by replacing the rdpwrap.ini file in C:\Program Files (x86)\RDP Wrapper\ with the latest version from the sebaxakerhtc GitHub repository.
4. Verify the installation by running RDPConf.exe. All status indicators must turn green and show Installed.
5. Connect to the Home PC by running mstsc (Windows + R, type mstsc) on the remote machine, entering the Home PC’s IPv4 address, and logging in with the account credentials.

Check the rdpwrap.ini repository after every Windows feature update to ensure the wrapper remains compatible.

Post-Setup: Network Level Authentication and Firewall Rules

Modern RDP clients require Network Level Authentication (NLA) to be enabled on the host. If a connection attempt fails with a “NLA required” error, reopen the Remote Desktop settings and check the box for Require computers to use Network Level Authentication.

Windows automatically creates firewall rules for RDP when the toggle is turned on. If you use a third-party security suite like Norton or McAfee, check that port 3389 (TCP and UDP) is allowed on the private network profile. The rule names are Remote Desktop – User Mode (TCP-In) and Remote Desktop – User Mode (UDP-In).

Troubleshooting Common RDP Problems

The Right Method for Your Setup

Windows Pro users should always use the built-in Settings toggle — it is the most stable, secure, and supported path. Windows Home users can rely on RDP Wrapper to add the same functionality, keeping the config file current to maintain compatibility. Either way, confirm that NLA is on, the PC stays awake, and the firewall allows the connection before expecting a smooth session.