# Connect With RDP

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) enables you to securely connect to and manage Windows VMs remotely.

## Access the Instance Overview

- Go to Instances and select the Windows VM.
- In the VM Overview tab, find and copy the Username and Password fields.

![Instance overview showing the username and password used for RDP](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/_astro/connect-rdp-access-the-instance-overview.C5NHWhhC_2cOEGD.webp)

## Launch the RDP Client

- Windows: Press Win+R, type `mstsc`, press Enter. Or search “Remote Desktop Connection” in the Start menu.
- macOS: Download Microsoft Remote Desktop from the Mac App Store.
- Linux: Install Remmina (`sudo apt install remmina` on Ubuntu/Debian). Open Remmina and select RDP.

![Launching the RDP client](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/_astro/connect-rdp-launch-the-rdp-client.BSJmgwTJ_QiacR.webp)

## Connect

1. Find the Public IP Address of your VM in the Overview tab.
2. Enter the Public IP in the RDP client.
3. Enter the Username and Password copied from the portal.
4. If a security warning appears, check “Don’t ask me again for connections to this computer” and click Yes.
5. Click OK or Connect.

![Connecting to the VM over RDP](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/_astro/connect-rdp-connect.Ds7y3v7n_Z1zU6PN.webp)

## If RDP Does Not Connect

RDP listens on TCP port 3389 inside the VM. If the VM has a public IP assigned directly, allow TCP 3389 in the [firewall rule](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/settings/firewall/) and connect to that public IP on port 3389. If you use [Port Forwarding](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/settings/port-forwarding/), map the configured public TCP port to VM port 3389, allow the public port in the firewall rule, and connect to the public IP and public port.

If the firewall rule is correct but the connection still fails, use [Console Access](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/console-access/) to check the Windows guest. Open an Administrator PowerShell window and run:

```powershell
Set-ItemProperty `
  -Path "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server" `
  -Name "fDenyTSConnections" `
  -Value 0


Enable-NetFirewallRule -Group "@FirewallAPI.dll,-28752"


Set-Service TermService -StartupType Automatic
Set-Service UmRdpService -StartupType Automatic
Start-Service TermService
Start-Service UmRdpService


$services = Get-Service -Name TermService,UmRdpService
$services | Select-Object Name,Status,StartType


$termServicePid = (Get-CimInstance Win32_Service -Filter "Name='TermService'").ProcessId
$listeners = Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 3389 -State Listen
$listeners | Select-Object LocalAddress,LocalPort,OwningProcess


if ($services | Where-Object { $_.Status -ne 'Running' }) {
  throw "TermService and UmRdpService must both be Running"
}
if ($listeners.OwningProcess -notcontains $termServicePid) {
  throw "The port 3389 listener does not belong to TermService"
}
"RDP listener matches TermService PID $termServicePid"
```

Confirm that `TermService` and `UmRdpService` show `Running`, and that the listener check matches the `TermService` PID. Then retry the RDP connection.

![Administrator PowerShell showing the Remote Desktop service running and port 3389 listening](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/_astro/connect-rdp-console-enable-service.CB3NapE2_Z1g6txl.webp)

## See also

- [Connect With SSH](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/connect-ssh/)
- [Console Access](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/console-access/)