Remote Desktop(RDC, Remote Desktop Connection or Microsoft Terminal Services Client) is a useful multichannel protocol that allows the user to connect to the administration remote computer with full screen support.

However, in order for the Desktop Connection remote screen to work effectively on the host Windows premises, users who frequently use Hotkeys,may become confused about the keyboard shortcuts to use when working on desktop of the remote computer, or get incorrect, erroneous, or unexpected behavior using keyboard shortcuts and accelerators.
For example, keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-Del often used to trigger dialogue Windows security, in which users can launch the task manager, change the password, log out, turn off the computer, lock the desktop, enable the user, etc. When pressing the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys on the keyboard, the interrupt sequence will always be captured and processed by the local Windows system, despite the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connection window being maximized to fill the entire screen.

Another example is pressing Alt-Tab keys to switch between several open windows and launching tasks or processes. Alt-Tab keyboard shortcut completely works on remote computer, when Remote Desktop Connection, will be opened in full screen mode, but will only be able to switch between windows when the RDC window is restored at the bottom, where the RDC windows are one of the windows in the rotation order.

To get the desired result, use keyboard shortcuts For Remote Desktop Connection, are slightly different when applied to a window remote desktop. Here is a list of commonly used ones hotkeys and key combinations for use in navigation remote desktop connection, along with the key actions, the equivalent key combinations on the local computer (in parentheses) are executed.

• CTRL + ALT + END: Opens a dialog box Microsoft Windows NT Security (CTRL + ALT + DEL)
• ALT + PAGE UP: Switch between programs from left to right (CTRL + PAGE UP)
• ALT + PAGE DOWN: Switch between programs from right to left (CTRL + PAGE DOWN)
• ALT+INSERT: Switch between programs in the last used order (ALT + TAB)
• ALT+HOME: Display the Start menu (CTRL + ESC)
• CTRL + ALT + BREAK: Switch the client computer between windowed mode and full screen mode
• ALT+DEL: Opens the Windows menu
• CTRL + ALT + minus sign (-): snapshots the entire client window area to the terminal server clipboard and provides the same functionality as clicking ALT keys+ PRINT SCREEN on the local computer (ALT + PRT SC)
• CTRL + ALT + Plus sign (+): A snapshot of the active client window to the terminal server's clipboard and provides the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on the local computer (PRT SC)

Today we will tell you how to make your work at the computer more convenient and efficient. If you already have, or have updated, then you have the ability to create virtual desktops.

This is a great opportunity to conveniently perform different tasks on one computer.

Desktops in Windows 10

One of the major innovations that Windows 10 has pleased most users with is virtual desktops. Previously, this function was present only in operating systems created on Linux based, as well as on Mac OS. Those who actively used the function of switching between virtual workspaces, but could not afford to constantly work, for example, in Linux, can now safely switch to Windows 10, while continuing to use this convenient function.

Why is it so useful? Workspace optimization. On one virtual desktop you can run, say, video rendering, file conversion or anti-virus scanning, and then switch to another workspace and continue doing your own thing.

How to switch between desktops?

There is no separate button for this function - to go to create and edit desktops, you need to click on the “Task View” or Task View icon next to the Microsoft logo and the search icon. Clicking on it leads to the display of all running programs on the screen. this moment applications, and also opens up the ability to create new virtual desktops - just click on the “Create desktop” button, which is located in the lower right corner.

To switch to the desired desktop, simply click on it. In addition, there are a number of hotkeys that will make switching between workspaces easier:

• You can get to the “Task View” without unnecessary movements - just press Win + Tab.
• You can also create new desktops using a simplified scheme - by pressing Win + Ctrl + D, you will instantly create a new workspace.
• Using Task View to switch to the desired virtual desktop every time is quite inconvenient - that’s why the developers have added the ability to quickly switch using the combination Win + Ctrl + left or right arrow.
• In addition, there are situations in which there are too many desktops, and you absolutely don’t want to delete them using the mouse - in this case, the combination Win + Ctrl + F4 will help, which deletes the active desktop. Please note that it is the one that is deleted Workspace, which you are currently on. Accordingly, after deleting the active desktop, you will be taken to the next one in order.

Windows 10 also provides the ability to move active applications to other virtual desktops - just right-click on the desired program, select “Move to” in the context menu and select the desktop. To enlarge a screenshot, click on it.

When you delete a virtual desktop, all programs that were currently running on it will be automatically moved to the adjacent desktop.

The settings for this feature can be found in Settings, in the System section, on the Multitasking tab.

There are few settings there. You can customize the display of windows and set the action to the ALT+TAB key combination.

Flaws

Despite the fact that Microsoft has taken a thorough approach to introducing the function of switching between desktops, there are some shortcomings in it:

• You cannot swap desktops on the selection screen (although this is not a drawback for many).
• You cannot change the name of the created desktop - you will have to get used to the serial numbers and remember where and what program is running.
• Owners of two or more monitors will not be able to create different workspaces in order to simultaneously see different virtual desktops on the monitors.

Keyboard shortcut to minimize remote desktop

is there a way to use the keyboard to switch from a maximized (full screen) remote desktop connection back to the host computer?

I have about 4 remote desktops that I switch between, and it would be nice not to have to switch to the mouse every time I want to switch.

I know that I can press Ctrl + Alt + Break and this will normalize the remote desktop screen. - It's close, but I'd like a way to just minimize it (so I don't have to normalize ->switch ->maximize every time I want to switch screens)

13 answers

Ctrl + Alt + Home will bring focus to your local machine (by at least in Win 8). Ctrl + Alt + Home then Win will open the windows menu on your local computer.

using virtual machine I often have multiple RDP sessions open and switch to Ctrl + Alt + Home then Win + T then arrow keys to select the RDP session I want to be on.

this has bothered me for a long time.

Initial attempts to solve it using AutoHotkey fail because the remote desktop client installs a keyboard hook and swallows all input.

I finally discovered that Caps Lock the key is transferred to the local system.

So this AutoHotkey script will do the trick by doing Ctrl + Shift + CapsLock to minimize the remote desktop:

#IfWinActive ahk_class TscShellContainerClass ^+CapsLock:: ; Need a short sleep here for focus to restore properly. Sleep 50 WinMinimize return #IfWinActive

fixed version that works for me:

#IfWinActive ahk_class TSSHELLWND ^Capslock:: ; Ctrl+Caps Lock (couldn"t make Ctrl+Shift+Caps Lock work for some reason ; Need a short sleep here for focus to restore properly. Sleep 50 WinMinimize A ; need A to specify Active window ;MsgBox, Received Remote Desktop minimize hotkey ; uncomment for debugging return #IfWinActive

You can use this common, handy keyboard shortcut to exit the full-screen remote desktop, but it requires a slightly different setup before connecting. Instead of minifying the remote system, I just switch to another one local program and leave the remote system in the background with the following:

1. Before connecting to the remote computer with Remote Desktop Connection, in the "Local Resources" tab, I set "Keyboard" to "On This Computer". This allows you to use Alt+Tab to jump back to any other program on the local system.
2. when I want to switch between programs on the remote system, I use Alt + Page Up , which works the same way Alt + Tab would, but only on the remote system.

Additionally, you can use Alt + Pages (or Alt + Shift + Page Up) to switch back and forth between active programs on the remote computer.

for me on Windows 7 64 bit to make the sum work I had to change the 1st line from #IfWinActive ahk_class TSSHELLWND to" IfWinActive ahk_class TscShellContainerClass now the whole script looks like this:

#IfWinActive ahk_class TscShellContainerClass ^Capslock:: ; Ctrl+Caps Lock (couldn"t make Ctrl+Shift+Caps Lock work for some reason ; Need a short sleep here for focus to restore properly. Sleep 50 WinMinimize A ; need A to specify Active window ;MsgBox, Received Remote Desktop minimize hotkey ; uncomment for debugging return #IfWinActive

CTRL + ALT + Home brings focus to the Remote Desktop Connection panel. The connection bar contains a Collapse button.

in Windows 7, If I uncheck "Show the connection bar when I use Full Screen" option when connecting, then the keys to minimize the RPD session are CTRL + ALT + Home spacebar.

If shown in the connection string (default), this requires hitting Tab a couple of times to minimize the RDP session: CTRL + ALT + Home Tab Tab space.

I'm doing the same thing. The best solution The one I found in XP was a virtual dimension with virtual desktops always on top. I can then switch between 4 remote desktops in full screen mode with one click each. However, Virtual Dimension doesn't work quite right on Windows 7 (at least not on the 64-bit version). It seems to work, but it loses the "always on top" although the checkbox remains enabled, the virtual desktop switch does not. It's so close to what we both want, but so far away.

Alt + Caps Lock without Caps Lock annoying state changes ( ok if you don't have scroll lock)

Simply pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del sends a signal to the remote computer, which, of course, is not the one you want. If you have encountered such a problem, then today from the Top10 section you will learn how to solve it. I present 10 handy keyboard shortcuts that you can use when working with remote computer.

10. Ctrl+Alt+(+). The job of capturing screenshots of a remote computer sometimes feels like magic. If you click Print Screen, then you will get a screenshot local computer, not remote. Pressing Ctrl+Alt+ and the (+) symbol allows you to take a screenshot of the entire client window of the remote computer. It's the same as pressing Print Screen on your local computer.

9. Ctrl+Alt+(-). Sometimes you don't need a snapshot of the entire desktop window of the remote computer, but only a snapshot of a specific window. Pressing Ctrl+Alt+ and the (-) symbol allows you to take a screenshot of only the active window during a session with a remote computer. This combination gives the same result as pressing Alt+Print Screen on your local computer.

8. Alt+Home. Pressing Alt+Home brings up the Start menu on the remote system. This menu opens fast access To various programs installed on the remote system. This combination is similar to pressing Windows keys on your local computer.

7. Alt+Delete. Pressing the Alt+Delete combination during a session with a remote computer opens the Windows menu of the application running on the remote system. Windows menu usually opens under the icon in the top left corner of most Windows applications and allows you to move and resize the application window.

6. Ctrl+Alt+Break. Sometimes you may want the window on the remote system to be opened in full screen, just like on the local computer. To switch a session with a remote computer to full-scale operation mode, you need to press the combination Ctrl+Alt+Break.

5. Ctrl+Alt+Pause. As in the previous paragraph, the Ctrl+Alt+Pause combination switches the session window from windowed mode to full-scale. However, in this case, the remote computer window remains at its standard size and does not fill the entire screen of the local computer. Instead, it appears on a black background.

4. Alt+Insert. Sometimes you need to quickly switch between different programs, which you have running. Pressing Alt+Insert allows you to cycle through programs on the remote system in the order in which they were launched. This process is similar to the process launched by Alt+Tab on the local computer.

3. Alt+Page Down. Another way to cycle through windows is with running programs when working with a remote system, the Alt+Page Down combination provides. Pressing this combination allows you to switch programs during a session with a remote system, moving from right to left in the switch Windows tasks. This is the same as pressing Alt+Shift+Tab on your local computer.

2. Alt+Page Up. Pressing Alt+Page Up allows you to switch programs during a session, moving from left to right in the Windows task switcher. It's the same as pressing Alt+Tab on your standard computer.

1. Ctrl+Alt+End. One of the most difficult things about working with a remote computer is transmitting the Ctrl+Alt+Del combination to the remote system. Press Ctrl+Alt+End if you need to send a Ctrl+Alt+Del command to the remote system. Pressing this key opens the Microsoft Windows Security dialog box, which allows you to lock your computer, log off, change your password, and launch Task Manager.

Michael Auty - Windows IT Pro CTO and SQL Server Magazine, author Microsoft SQL Server 2008 New Features (Osborne/McGraw-Hill).