Remote Desktop Client Support for Mobile Devices

Mobile users can remotely access Windows desktop and server OSs from a variety of devices through mobile applications from Microsoft that connect using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). All of the features listed here are offered by the Windows 10 desktop RDP application (mstsc.exe) as of Aug. 2015. The mobile clients do not offer all of these features but do have some key ones, including support for RemoteFX accelerated graphics, the Remote Desktop Gateway, and multiple simultaneous connections.

The most recent Windows RDP desktop client is currently in preview. It includes new features that will also probably come to the touch-oriented Windows 10 Universal RDP application this year. For example, pen remoting will enable a stylus to be used on a mobile device while connected to a remote Windows 10 or Windows Server 2016 preview system. Pen remoting could find its way to stylus-enabled mobile devices like Android in the future.

Some RDP features may also only be available on remote systems running a specific version or edition of the Windows OS. While all of the mobile RDP clients are free, RDP clients often require Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licenses or similar licenses, depending on the remote system being accessed or whether certain components of the Windows Server RDS role are accessed.