How to connect to a Windows VPS with Remote Desktop, from any device

Your Windows VPS is ready: all that is left is to connect. Remote Desktop (RDP) shows the server's desktop in a window, as if you were sitting in front of it. Here is how to do it from every kind of device, and the few settings that make day-to-day use much easier.

1. What you need

Three pieces of information, emailed to you as soon as the server is delivered: the VPS IP address, the username (usually Administrator) and the password. You can also find them in your customer area.

2. From a Windows PC

The client is already installed: it is Remote Desktop Connection.

1. Press Windows + R, type mstsc and press Enter.
2. In the Computer field, enter the VPS IP address, then click Connect.
3. Enter the username and password from the email.
4. Accept the certificate warning on the first connection: the server uses a self-generated certificate, which is normal.

To avoid retyping everything, click Show Options then Save As: you get an .rdp file you can double-click.

3. From a Mac

Install Windows App from the App Store: it is Microsoft's app that replaces the former “Microsoft Remote Desktop”. Add a PC with the + button, enter the VPS IP address and sign in with your credentials.

4. From an iPhone, iPad or Android phone

On mobile the app is also called Windows App, on both the App Store and Google Play. The steps are the same: add a PC, enter the IP address, connect. Handy to check that a program is running or to restart an app on the go, less so for long work sessions.

5. From Linux

Two clients do the job well: Remmina, with a graphical interface and often preinstalled on Ubuntu, and FreeRDP on the command line.

xfreerdp /v:VPS_IP /u:Administrator /dynamic-resolution

6. Settings that make a difference

• Keyboard: if keys do not match once connected, add your keyboard layout in Windows Server's language settings.
• Copy and paste works by default between your computer and the server.
• File transfer: in the Windows client's Local Resources tab, share a drive from your PC; it shows up in the server's File Explorer.
• Display: on a slow connection, lower the resolution or colour depth for a much smoother session.

7. Close the window without stopping your programs

This is the most common question, and it matters for anything that must run around the clock: a bot, a trading terminal, a script.

• Closing the window disconnects your session, but your programs keep running on the server.
• Signing out from the Start menu closes the session and stops your programs.

For 24/7 use, simply close the window. It is essential, for example, to keep MetaTrader running.

8. Common connection errors

• “Remote Desktop can't connect” right after ordering: the server is finishing its setup, wait a few minutes. Otherwise, check the IP address.
• Credentials rejected: check the capital A in Administrator and any ambiguous characters in the password; copy and paste it from the email rather than retyping it.
• Slow or choppy session: lower the display quality in the client options and check that the server is not short of memory.

Windows Server alone uses 1.5 to 2 GB of memory: for regular Remote Desktop use, plan on at least 4 GB. Our Windows VPS start at €2.99 with 2 GB, and the 4 GB plan is €5.99 a month.

Frequently asked questions

Related