Microsoft Discontinuing Remote Desktop App: Alternative Solutions Explored
Chillaxed Take:
Mickey Soft, the tech juggernaut, is killing off its bare-bones Microsoft Remote Desktop tool found in the Microsoft Store. Instead, they're pushing the sleek, upgraded Windows App, which is here to manage all those same tasks - including mashing into PCs from afar and accessing Windows 365 computers cloudside.
Compared to its humble predecessor, the Windows App packs some extra sizzle, like multi-monitor compatibility, resizable screens, custom home screens, and one cohesive interface. It's all about having the same Windows gadgets within reach, across a multitude of devices.
If you're a devoted Microsoft Remote Desktop user, it's time to uproot by May 27. However, the transition ain't gonna be a straightforward swap - remember, Microsoft has a cornucopia of other remote access tools too, and there are some niggling issues with the Windows App.
What's In and What's Out
Microsoft is axing a specific artifact from the shed here: the Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the Microsoft Store. The Windows App is its cool, revamped replacement, but it doesn't have every player on every stage.
What remains intact is the classic Remote Desktop Connection tool indigenous to Windows. You can carry on as usual with that, and also access the more robust Remote Desktop client for Windows, which is tailored for IT bigwigs and comes with a heap of features for organizations.
The Fog is already setting in, as the Windows App on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android lets you establish remote desktop connections, but the Windows App for Windows does not. For PC-to-PC connections, Microsoft advises sticking with the built-in Remote Desktop Connection, promising future support for the Windows App, but no ETA on that.
The Windows App has potential, but it's still in beta mode: Microsoft even has an official Known Issues and Limitations page you should peruse before making the leap from the Microsoft Remote Desktop program. It also demands a work or school Microsoft account, so individual folk can't jump on board (not just yet).
Remote Connection Setup
Feeling curious? Check out our complete guide to the Windows App for a deeper dive into this software suite. If you're migrating from Microsoft Remote Desktop, then you're probably most keen on setting up remote PC connections. You can do so by clicking the (Plus) button in the upper-right corner of the Devices tab, then choosing Add PC from the available options.
Next up, provide a host name or IP address for the computer you're linking up with, set up the connection configuration details - like display preferences and shared folders - and click Add to drop the PC on your Devices screen. Double-click its thumbnail to boot into the connection.
The Windows App offers more goodies, like streaming PCs on the Windows 365 platform. This is a business-oriented feature for the time being, with Microsoft mum on allowing home users to run Windows via the cloud.
If you're connecting a Windows PC to another Windows PC, you're gonna need to go old-school with the classic Remote Desktop Connection. First, set up the computer you wish to link, ensuring it runs a Pro version of Windows. From the Settings panel, select System and Remote Desktop, then flick the switch on and jot down the PC name that pops up.
Over on the connecting PC, type "remote desktop connection" into the search bar, then choose the Remote Desktop Connection app. Input the PC name you jotted down earlier, and presto - the connection's sorted.
The remote desktop landscape is something of a fragmented mess, with various tools dishing out slightly different feature sets and at different developmental stages. Microsoft is undeniably backing the Windows App as the future, but if you find their remote access approach too obscure, there's no dearth of third-party options - such as TeamViewer and Chrome Remote Desktop.
- The Windows App, a sleek upgraded version of the Microsoft Remote Desktop, is now used by Microsoft to manage tasks like remotely accessing Windows 365 computers and PCs.
- Tech enthusiasts can remotely perform tasks on their PC using the Microsoft Remote Desktop tool, which remains available in the traditional Windows taskbar.
- For those using the Windows App on devices like macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android, they can establish remote desktop connections, but for PC-to-PC connections, the classic Remote Desktop Connection tool is still recommended until further notice from Microsoft.
