Connect to your Admin RDP from Windows, Mac and phone

Your Admin RDP or Windows VPS is a full Windows desktop that runs in our data centre. You reach it with a Remote Desktop client, which is free on every major platform. This guide shows how to connect from a Windows PC, a Mac and a phone.

What you need before you start

You need three details. All of them are in the client area under Services, on your server's page. They are usually in your welcome email too.

• The server's IP address (for example 203.0.113.25).
• The username, usually Administrator unless your service details say otherwise.
• The password for that user.

Connect from Windows

Windows includes the Remote Desktop Connection app, so there is nothing to install.

1. Press Windows + R, type mstsc and press Enter.
2. In Computer, enter your server's IP address followed by :3389, for example 203.0.113.25:3389. servers use RDP port 3389.
3. Click Show Options and enter the username in User name.
4. Click Connect, then enter the password when asked.
5. The first time, Windows warns that the server's certificate is not from a trusted authority. This is normal for a new server: tick Don't ask me again for connections to this computer and click Yes.

You can also start the connection from a terminal:

mstsc /v:203.0.113.25:3389

Connect from a Mac

1. Install Windows App from the Mac App Store. It is Microsoft's free remote desktop client and replaces the older Microsoft Remote Desktop app.
2. Open it, click + and choose Add PC.
3. In PC name, enter the server's IP address with the port, for example 203.0.113.25:3389.
4. Under Credentials, add your username and password, then save.
5. Double-click the new PC to connect and accept the certificate prompt the first time.

Connect from a phone or tablet

Install Microsoft's Windows App from the App Store (iPhone and iPad) or Google Play (Android). Add a PC with the server's IP address and port (203.0.113.25:3389), enter the username and password, and connect. Use the on-screen keyboard button for typing and pinch to zoom.

If you cannot connect

• Check in the client area that the server is running. Start it if it is stopped.
• Make sure you copied the IP address and password exactly.
• If you changed the Windows firewall or the RDP settings and lost access, open Open Control Panel from your service page and use the browser console. It shows the server's screen without RDP, so you can undo the change.
• Some office and public Wi-Fi networks block remote desktop traffic. Try another network, such as your phone's hotspot.

Still stuck? Open a support ticket with the time you tried and the error message you saw.

Good habits

• Sign out (Start → your user → Sign out) when you finish a task that should stop. Closing the window only disconnects you, so programs keep running. That is useful for bots and long jobs.
• Do not save the password on shared or public computers.
• Change the password after first login. See Change your Windows server password safely.