Remote Desktop in Windows 11: setup and security

Remote Desktop lets you work on your office PC from your home laptop as if you were sitting in front of it – with its programs, files and printers. The feature is built into Windows 11, but there is one condition: the computer you connect to must run Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise or Education. From Windows 11 Home you can connect to other computers, but nobody can connect to a Home PC. Below you will see how to turn the feature on, how to use it safely and what your options are if the computer runs Home.

Host and client: which edition can do what

Two computers take part in a connection. The host is the remote computer you connect to, and the client is the device you work from.

• Only a computer running Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise or Education can be a host. Windows 11 Home cannot accept incoming Remote Desktop connections.
• Any Windows computer, including Home, can be a client, as can a Mac, iPhone, iPad or Android device.

To check your edition, open Settings → System → About and, under Windows specifications, look at the Edition line. If it says Home and you need access to that computer, see the Home section below.

How to turn on Remote Desktop

Carry out these steps on the host, using an account with administrator rights:

1. Open Settings → System → Remote Desktop.
2. Turn on the Remote Desktop toggle and select Confirm in the window that appears.
3. Note down the name shown under PC name. You will use it to connect later.
4. If another user will work on the computer, add their account in the Remote Desktop users section. The computer's administrators have access by default.

The host must be switched on and connected to the network during the connection. If it is set to sleep after a few minutes, the connection will fail, so check the power and sleep settings.

Network Level Authentication (NLA)

The same screen has an option that requires devices to use Network Level Authentication (NLA). With NLA enabled, users must authenticate before a remote session is even created. This reduces the risk of unauthorised access and of attacks against the sign-in screen. Microsoft recommends keeping the option enabled. Only turn it off temporarily, and only if you need to connect from a very old client that does not support it.

Connecting within the same network

The simplest and safest scenario is when both computers are on the same network, for example in the office.

• From a Windows PC – type "Remote Desktop Connection" in the search box, or press Win + R and enter mstsc. Enter the host's name or IP address, select Connect and sign in with the user name and password of the account on the host.
• From a Mac, iPhone, iPad or Android device – install the Windows App from the relevant app store, add the computer by name or IP address and connect.

The Windows App can now also connect directly to a remote PC from Windows. The built-in Remote Desktop Connection remains supported, though, and is the simplest choice because there is nothing to install.

If you sign in to the host with a Microsoft account, use the account's email address as the user name and its password as the password. A Windows Hello PIN is usually not accepted for a remote connection.

Connecting from outside: do not open port 3389 to the internet

By default, Remote Desktop uses port 3389. You will find advice online to simply forward this port on your router and connect directly. Microsoft itself warns that this opens your PC up to the internet and does not recommend it. A publicly reachable Remote Desktop port quickly becomes a target for automated password-guessing attempts.

The safer options are:

• VPN – you first connect to the office or home network through a VPN, after which the client "sees" the host as part of the local network and there is no need to open ports. Many routers and business firewalls have a built-in VPN server.
• Remote Desktop Gateway – a solution for businesses with more computers, set up on Windows Server, which passes connections through a secure HTTPS channel.

Whichever solution you choose, set a strong, unique password for every account with access, keep NLA enabled and install Windows updates regularly. If the computer holds important business data, consider encrypting the drive with BitLocker too – and before you turn it on, store the recovery key somewhere safe.

If the computer runs Windows 11 Home

From Home you can connect to other computers without any problem – the client works without restrictions. However, a Home computer cannot be the host. These are the honest options:

• Quick Assist – Microsoft's free app for one-off help, for example when you want to help a parent with a setting. Open it with Win + Ctrl + Q or by searching in the Start menu. The helper selects Help someone and shares a 6-digit code, and the other person enters it in the Code from assistant box and allows screen sharing. Full control is only granted after explicit confirmation. Only use it with people you trust: Microsoft warns about scams in which fake "technicians" phone you and ask for a remote access code. Genuine Microsoft support does not call you out of the blue.
• Upgrading to Pro – if you need permanent access to the computer without anyone at the other end, the answer is Windows 11 Pro. The upgrade is done with a product key, without reinstalling, as described in our article on upgrading Windows 11 Home to Pro.

Common connection problems

• The computer cannot be found by name – try the host's IP address and check that both computers are on the same network.
• The connection drops or never starts – the host has probably gone to sleep or is switched off.
• Access is denied after you enter the password – the account has not been added to the Remote Desktop users or the sign-in details are wrong.
• The Remote Desktop toggle is missing – the host is most likely running Windows 11 Home. Check the edition as described above.

When it makes sense to move to Pro

If you work from home on your office PC, look after several machines in a small business or want access to your home computer from another city, Pro is the logical choice. Besides Remote Desktop as a host, the edition adds BitLocker, the Group Policy Editor and domain joining. The detailed comparison is in our article Windows 11 Pro or Home. If you only help relatives now and then, Quick Assist is perfectly adequate and costs nothing.

The Windows 11 Pro key from Litsenzi.bg arrives in your inbox within 15 minutes during working hours (09:00–20:00), together with an invoice. Activation goes through Microsoft's official servers, if there is an activation problem we replace the key free of charge, and you get a 2-year legal guarantee and support in Bulgarian. You can browse all editions in our Windows licences category.