How Do I Change My Remote Desktop Login?

Yes, you can change your remote desktop login by updating your password on the remote computer, changing the username, or managing the stored credentials on your local machine.

The best method depends on whether you need to change the password, the user account, or simply the saved login information.

Method 1: Change the password during an RDP session

This is the most direct method if you already have access to the remote machine.

With the Ctrl+Alt+End shortcut

1. Connect to the remote computer using Remote Desktop Connection.
2. Once logged in, press Ctrl+Alt+End on your keyboard. This sends the Ctrl+Alt+Del command to the remote machine, bringing up the Windows Security screen.
3. Click Change a password.
4. Enter your old password, then type and confirm your new password.
5. Click the arrow icon or press Enter to finalize the change.

With the on-screen keyboard

This method is useful if your keyboard doesn't have an End key or if you are using a nested RDP session.

1. Inside your RDP session, open the Run dialog by pressing Windows+R.
2. Type osk and press Enter to launch the On-Screen Keyboard.
3. On your physical keyboard, press and hold Ctrl and Alt.
4. Use your mouse to click the Del key on the On-Screen Keyboard. This will bring up the Windows Security screen on the remote machine, allowing you to change your password.

Method 2: Change the user on the remote computer

If you need to connect using a different user account, you can change the user within the RDP session.

With the Ctrl+Alt+End shortcut

1. Connect to the remote computer.
2. Press Ctrl+Alt+End to bring up the Windows Security screen.
3. Select Switch user, then choose the new account and log in.

With the command line

1. Open Command Prompt inside your RDP session by searching for cmd in the Start menu and running it as an administrator.
2. To disconnect the current session and return to the lock screen, type tsdiscon and press Enter.
3. At the lock screen, you can click Switch user to choose a different account.

Method 3: Update saved credentials on your local machine

If you are being logged in automatically with old or incorrect credentials, you need to update or delete the saved login information on your local computer.

With Windows Credential Manager

1. On your local (client) computer, open the Control Panel and go to Credential Manager. You can also find it by searching for "Credential Manager" in the Start menu.
2. Click Windows Credentials.
3. Look for an entry that matches the remote computer's IP address or hostname. The format is often TERMSRV/computername.
4. Click the entry to expand it and then click Remove to delete the old credentials.
5. The next time you connect with Remote Desktop, the application will prompt you for a new username and password, which you can save.

In Remote Desktop Connection

1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection application on your local machine.
2. Click Show Options in the bottom-left corner.
3. Go to the General tab and locate the "Logon settings" section.
4. Click the Edit link next to the username field.
5. Enter the new username and password in the dialog box and click OK to save the updated credentials.

Troubleshooting common issues

The Ctrl+Alt+End command doesn't work:

• Make sure you are not in a nested RDP session. Use the On-Screen Keyboard method instead.
• If using a Mac, the key combination may vary. For instance, some clients use fn+Ctrl+Option+Backspace.

The remote computer requires Network Level Authentication (NLA):

• This is a security feature that requires authentication before establishing a full session. If you can't connect, you might be providing incorrect credentials. Try updating your saved credentials via Credential Manager.
• Warning: Disabling NLA is not recommended as it lowers security. However, if necessary, an administrator can disable it on the remote machine via System Properties, Group Policy, or PowerShell.

The "Remember me" option is greyed out:

This can occur if Group Policy settings prevent credentials from being saved.

• Open the Group Policy Editor on the local machine by typing gpedit.msc in the Run dialog.
• Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Credentials Delegation.
• Ensure the policies Do not allow passwords to be saved and Prompt for credentials on the client computer are set to "Not Configured" or "Disabled".