I have a desktop PC and a laptop both at home, and I’d like to remotely access the desktop from my laptop. Both devices are running Windows 10, and I used my Microsoft account to create user profiles on both devices. The laptop uses the same password as my Microsoft account, but the desktop does not.
When I try to remotely access the desktop using the computer name and my credentials, I am unable to do so using either password. The Remote Desktop (RD) recognizes the desktop on the network since it prompts for credentials, but it will not allow me to access it. The auto-populated account for remote access is MicrosoftAccount\[email protected], but neither my Windows account password nor my Microsoft account password works for this. I have also tried using DESKTOPNAME\[email protected], but that did not work either.
Can you tell me the proper way to authenticate from Remote Desktop in this situation?
3 Answers
Introduction
Remote Desktop is a useful feature that allows users to access a computer from another device. This feature is particularly useful when you want to access your desktop computer from your laptop. However, when it comes to authentication, many users are unsure whether they should use their Microsoft account or Windows account. In this blog post, we will explore the difference between Microsoft account and Windows account for remote desktop authentication on a home network. We will also discuss the proper way to authenticate from Remote Desktop in this situation.
Microsoft Account vs. Windows Account
Before we dive into the proper way to authenticate from Remote Desktop, it is important to understand the difference between Microsoft account and Windows account. A Microsoft account is an online account that allows you to access Microsoft services, such as Skype, OneDrive, and Xbox Live. It is also used to sign in to Windows 10, and it is linked to your email address. On the other hand, a Windows account is a local account that is used to sign in to your Windows 10 device. It is not linked to your email address, and it is only used for authentication purposes on your local device.
Remote Desktop Authentication
When it comes to Remote Desktop authentication, you have two options: Microsoft account and Windows account. If you are using a Microsoft account to sign in to your Windows 10 devices, you can use that account to authenticate from Remote Desktop. However, if you are using a local Windows account to sign in to your Windows 10 devices, you cannot use that account to authenticate from Remote Desktop. Instead, you need to create a Remote Desktop account.
Creating a Remote Desktop Account
To create a Remote Desktop account, follow these steps:
1. Open the Control Panel on your desktop computer.
2. Click on User Accounts.
3. Click on Manage another account.
4. Click on Add a new user in PC settings.
5. Enter a username and password for the new account.
6. Click on the Change account type button and select Administrator.
7. Click on OK to save the changes.
Once you have created a Remote Desktop account, you can use it to authenticate from Remote Desktop on your laptop.
Authenticating from Remote Desktop
To authenticate from Remote Desktop using your Remote Desktop account, follow these steps:
1. Open Remote Desktop on your laptop.
2. Enter the computer name of your desktop computer in the Computer field.
3. Click on Show Options.
4. Click on the Advanced tab.
5. Click on Settings under Connect from anywhere.
6. Enter the username and password of your Remote Desktop account.
7. Click on OK to save the changes.
8. Click on Connect to connect to your desktop computer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Remote Desktop is a useful feature that allows you to access your desktop computer from your laptop. When it comes to authentication, you need to use a Remote Desktop account if you are using a local Windows account to sign in to your Windows 10 devices. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can create a Remote Desktop account and authenticate from Remote Desktop using that account.
To remotely access your desktop PC from your laptop using Remote Desktop, you need to ensure that Remote Desktop is enabled on the desktop PC and that you are using the correct credentials to connect.
To enable Remote Desktop on the desktop PC:
- Open the Start menu and type “Remote Desktop Connection.”
- Click on “Remote Desktop Connection” to open the Remote Desktop settings.
- Click on the “Remote” tab.
- Check the box that says “Allow remote connections to this computer.”
- Click “OK” to save the changes.
To connect to the desktop PC using Remote Desktop:
- Open the Start menu on your laptop and type “Remote Desktop Connection.”
- Click on “Remote Desktop Connection” to open the Remote Desktop settings.
- In the Remote Desktop Connection window, enter the computer name of your desktop PC in the “Computer” field.
- Click “Connect.”
- When prompted for credentials, enter the username and password for the user account on the desktop PC.
It is important to note that the username and password for remote desktop connection should be the local account of the PC you are trying to connect to and not the Microsoft account, If you don’t have a local account or can’t remember it. you can create one by going to Settings->Accounts->Family and other users->Add someone else to this PC.
I recently encountered an issue when trying to remotely access my desktop PC from my laptop. I believe this issue was caused by the fact that I had signed into my desktop PC using the Microsoft Authenticator app.
I resolved the issue by changing my user account on the host PC to a local account, then signing back into my Microsoft account using my password instead of the Authenticator app. After doing this, I was able to use my Microsoft account email and password to successfully connect via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).