What is Remote Desktop (RDP)?

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is Microsoft's technology that allows you to graphically control a Windows server remotely.

Prerequisites

A Windows VPS (available at VexCloud on request)

Your VPS IP address

The administrator username and password

Port 3389 open on the firewall

Connecting from Windows

Step 1: Open Remote Desktop

Press Windows + R, type mstsc and press Enter.

Or search for "Remote Desktop Connection" in the Start menu.

Step 2: Enter connection details

Computer: enter your VPS IP (e.g. 185.123.45.67)

Click Connect

Enter your Windows credentials (Administrator / your password)

Step 3: Accept the certificate

A security warning appears the first time. Check "Don't ask me again" and click Yes.

You are now connected to your Windows desktop!

Connecting from Mac

Download Microsoft Remote Desktop from the Mac App Store (free). Then:

Click Add PC

PC name: enter your VPS IP

User account: add your credentials

Double-click the created connection

Connecting from iPhone/Android

Install Microsoft Remote Desktop from the App Store or Google Play. Add the PC with the IP and your credentials.

Optimizing RDP performance

In Remote Desktop advanced options:

Colors: reduce to 16-bit

Experience: select "Modem" to disable animations

Uncheck Desktop background

Securing your RDP

Port 3389 is heavily targeted by bots. To protect yourself:

Change the RDP port in Windows registry

Enable Windows Firewall and restrict RDP access to your fixed IP

Use strong passwords: minimum 12 characters

Enable NLA (Network Level Authentication)

Troubleshooting

Connection refused: check that Remote Desktop is enabled in Settings > System > Remote Desktop.

Timeout: verify that port 3389 is open in Windows Firewall and at your hosting provider.

Black screen: disconnect and reconnect.

How to connect to a Windows VPS via Remote Desktop