Microsoft releases new Windows remote desktop app for PCs and mobile devices

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Microsoft has kicked off a new app to help you connect to remote Windows PCs and servers. But this one is technically more of an update to the previous app. Like the former RDC app, the new app works in Windows, MacOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android. So you can connect from a PC or a mobile device. It also focuses much more on enterprise and domain usage, though it will work with home PCs as well.

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If you already have the previous version, installing the new app wipes out the old one. The new app is called Windows App, a name that doesn't really make sense. The old app -- Microsoft Remote Desktop or RDC Client is much more straightforward. Microsoft has never been especially adept at properly naming its products, but this one is more confusing than most.

The new app will work in a domain-based or home environment. This means you can connect to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft Dev Box, or an individual Windows PC. In a blog post announcing the new app, Microsoft product manager Hilary Braun touted some of the new and improved features, including the following:

Unified access: You can access and manage multiple Windows environments, such as cloud PCs, virtual desktops, and local PCs. Customizable experience: You can personalize the app's interface with customizable home screens, multi-monitor support, and dynamic display resolutions. Enhanced experience: You can tap into features such as device redirection, Microsoft Teams optimizations, and easy account switching.

After you launch the app, any connections you created under the previous version should be migrated with all their settings intact. Otherwise, your first step will be to create a new connection. But here's where you may get tripped up based on whether you're using the app at work or home. By default, the app asks for a work or school account to connect to a domain-based resource such as Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop.

What if you want to simply connect to an individual PC at home? Choosing the PC option instead allows you to sign in with a Microsoft account or local account, specify the name or IP address of the remote PC, and then fill out the remaining fields. After saving the entry, tapping or clicking it should connect you to that PC where you can navigate and control it.

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I've long used the previous RDC app to connect to PCs in my home office. Here, I was able to use the new version just as effectively. In retrospect, I can see why Microsoft created the new app to better support domain-based enterprise environments. I just wish the folks in Redmond had come up with a better name for it.