Connect to a Windows server from a Mac with Windows App

Microsoft's Windows App is the free Remote Desktop client for macOS. It replaced the older Microsoft Remote Desktop app and does the same job: it opens your Windows server's desktop in a Mac window. This guide sets up a connection to your server on port 3389 and covers the settings worth changing for daily use.

Before you start

• A Mac with a recent version of macOS. Check the App Store listing for the minimum macOS version Windows App currently supports.
• Your server's IP address, username and password from your VPS provider's control panel.
• Windows VPS and Admin RDP servers accept Remote Desktop on TCP port 3389. The PC name you enter must end in :3389.

Install Windows App

1. Open the App Store on your Mac.
2. Search for Windows App published by Microsoft Corporation.
3. Click Get, then Install, and open it from Launchpad or the Applications folder.
4. You can skip any sign-in prompt for work or school accounts. That is for Microsoft cloud services; a direct connection to your own server does not need it.

Add your server as a PC

1. In Windows App, click the + button and choose Add PC.
2. In PC name, enter your IP address with the port:

   203.0.113.10:3389

1. Next to Credentials, choose Add Credentials (or leave it as Ask when required):

• Username: the username from your VPS provider's control panel, for example admin.
• Password: the password from your VPS provider's control panel.

1. Optional: set a Friendly name such as Trading server so the tile is easy to find.
2. Click Add. A tile for the server appears on the main screen.

Double-click the tile to connect. The first time, macOS shows a certificate prompt because servers use a self-signed certificate. Click Continue. To learn what that prompt means, see the RDP certificate warning explained.

Display settings

Right-click the tile and choose Edit, then open the Display tab.

• Resolution: Default for this display fits the session to your screen. Choose a fixed size if a program needs one.
• Use all monitors: spreads the session over every Mac screen.
• Start session in full screen: opens straight into full screen. Leave it off if you switch between Mac and Windows often.
• Optimize for Retina displays: gives sharper text on Retina screens but uses more bandwidth. Turn it off on slow connections.
• Update the session resolution on resize: lets the Windows desktop resize when you change the window size.

Share folders and devices

On the Folders tab, tick Redirect folders and click + to add a Mac folder, such as a Transfer folder in your home directory. Inside the session it appears in File Explorer under This PC.

Share one folder rather than your whole home directory. It keeps personal files out of the server.

On the Devices & Audio tab you can choose:

• Clipboard: copy and paste text and small files between Mac and Windows.
• Play sound: on this computer, on the remote PC or never.
• Microphone and Cameras, if you use calls inside the session.
• Printers, to print from the server to a Mac printer.

Keyboard settings

Windows App maps common Mac shortcuts so that Command + C and Command + V copy and paste inside Windows. The keyboard options are in the app's settings (Windows App → Settings in the menu bar); the exact layout of that window can change between app versions.

Two things help most people:

• Use the same keyboard layout on the Mac and in Windows, for example British on both, or special characters will not match.
• Learn Ctrl + Option + Delete-style equivalents for Windows key combinations. These are covered in Fix Mac keyboard shortcuts in Remote Desktop.

Check it works

1. Double-click the tile. The Windows desktop should appear within a few seconds.
2. Copy a line of text on the Mac and paste it into Notepad on the server.
3. Open File Explorer on the server and check your shared folder appears.

If the connection does not start, test the port from Terminal on the Mac:

nc -vz 203.0.113.10 3389

A line ending in succeeded! means the port is reachable and the issue is in the app settings or credentials.

Troubleshooting

• Error 0x204 or "We couldn't connect": the PC name is missing :3389, or a network blocks the port. Edit the tile and check the address, then run the nc test. See Fix RDP error 0x204 on Mac.
• Credentials rejected: copy the password from your VPS provider's control panel again. Edit the saved credential in the app, as an old saved password overrides what you type.
• Blurry or tiny text: toggle Optimize for Retina displays and adjust scaling in Windows Display settings.
• Shared folder missing: disconnect fully and reconnect. Folder changes only apply to new sessions.

Next steps

• Get keyboard shortcuts right: Fix Mac keyboard shortcuts in Remote Desktop.
• Still stuck: Windows App on Mac can't connect.