A phone or tablet turns your Admin RDP into a desktop you can check from anywhere: approve a document, restart a program, or look at a chart on the move. A few settings make a small touch screen much easier to use.
1. Install Windows App
Install Microsoft's free Windows App from the App Store (iPhone, iPad) or Google Play (Android). Add a PC with your server's IP address and your username and password. Full setup steps are in Connect to your Admin RDP from Windows, Mac and phone.
2. Choose touch or mouse-pointer mode
While connected, open the session toolbar and switch between:
- Touch mode: tap where you want to click, as on a touch screen. Easiest for buttons and menus.
- Mouse pointer mode: drag a cursor and tap to click. Better for small targets such as chart objects or window edges.
Pinch with two fingers to zoom in on small text.
3. Use the keyboard properly
Tap the keyboard icon in the toolbar to bring up the on-screen keyboard. For anything longer than a quick reply, a Bluetooth keyboard makes a huge difference, and on iPad a keyboard with trackpad or a Bluetooth mouse works with the session too.
4. Pick a sensible resolution
In the PC's display settings in Windows App, choose a resolution that suits the screen. A lower resolution makes everything bigger and easier to tap on a phone; a tablet can handle more. Turn on the option to match the device's scale if text is too small.
5. Save battery and data
- Disconnect when you are done instead of leaving the app open in the background.
- On a mobile connection, lower the display quality in the app settings to use less data.
Disconnect, do not sign out
Closing the session in Windows App only disconnects: everything keeps running on the server, so you can pick up on your laptop later. Signing out from the Start menu closes all your programs. See Keep apps running 24/7 on your RDP.
Warning: Protect the phone itself with a screen lock. Anyone who unlocks your phone can open your saved RDP connection and use your desktop, including any trading terminal running on it.
Troubleshooting
- Cannot connect on mobile data but can on Wi-Fi (or the reverse): some networks block Remote Desktop. See Fix "Remote Desktop can't connect".
- Wrong characters when typing: match the keyboard layout on the server to your device (Settings → Time & language → Language & region).