Remote Desktop Connection Client

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Policy settings in this node control Remote Desktop Connection client settings.

The full path of this node in the Group Policy Management Console is:

Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Remote Desktop Connection Client

Note

If you are using the Local Group Policy Editor, Policies is not part of the node path.

Available policy settings

Name Explanation Requirements

Allow .rdp files from unknown publishers

This policy setting allows you to specify whether users can run unsigned Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) files and .rdp files from unknown publishers on the client computer.

If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, users can run unsigned .rdp files and .rdp files from unknown publishers on the client computer. Before a user starts an RDP session, the user receives a warning message and is asked to confirm whether they want to connect.

If you disable this policy setting, users cannot run unsigned .rdp files and .rdp files from unknown publishers on the client computer. If the user tries to start an RDP session, the user receives a message that the publisher has been blocked.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1

Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings

This policy setting allows you to specify whether users can run Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) files from a publisher that signed the file with a valid certificate. A valid certificate is one that is issued by an authority recognized by the client, such as the issuers in the client's Third-Party Root Certification Authorities certificate store. This policy setting also controls whether the user can start an RDP session by using default .rdp settings (for example, when a user directly opens the Remote Desktop Connection [RDC] client without specifying an .rdp file).

If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, users can run .rdp files that are signed with a valid certificate. Users can also start an RDP session with default .rdp settings by directly opening the RDC client. When a user starts an RDP session, the user is asked to confirm whether they want to connect.

If you disable this policy setting, users cannot run .rdp files that are signed with a valid certificate. Additionally, users cannot start an RDP session by directly opening the RDC client and specifying the remote computer name. When a user tries to start an RDP session, the user receives a message that the publisher has been blocked.

Note
You can define this policy setting in the Computer Configuration node or in the User Configuration node. If you configure this policy setting for the computer, all users on the computer are affected.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1

Configure server authentication for client

This policy setting allows you to specify whether the client will establish a connection to the terminal server when the client cannot authenticate the terminal server.

If you enable this policy setting, you must specify one of the following settings:

Always connect, even if authentication fails  The client connects to the terminal server even if the client cannot authenticate the terminal server.

Warn me if authentication fails  The client attempts to authenticate the terminal server. If the terminal server can be authenticated, the client establishes a connection to the terminal server. If the terminal server cannot be authenticated, the user is prompted to choose whether to connect to the terminal server without authenticating the terminal server.

Do not connect if authentication fails  The client establishes a connection to the terminal server only if the terminal server can be authenticated.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the authentication setting that is specified in Remote Desktop Connection or in the .rdp file determines whether the client establishes a connection to the terminal server when the client cannot authenticate the terminal server.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1

Do not allow passwords to be saved

This policy setting allows you to specify whether passwords can be saved on this computer from Terminal Services clients.

If you enable this policy setting, the password saving check box in Terminal Services clients will be disabled and users will no longer be able to save passwords. When a user opens an RDP file by using the Terminal Services client and saves his settings, any password that previously existed in the RDP file will be deleted.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the user will be able to save passwords by using the Terminal Services client.

At least Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1

Prompt for credentials on the client computer

This policy setting determines whether a user will be prompted on the client computer to provide credentials for a remote connection to a terminal server.

If you enable this policy setting, a user will be prompted on the client computer—instead of on the terminal server—to provide credentials for a remote connection to a terminal server. If saved credentials for the user are available on the client computer, the user will not be prompted to provide credentials.

Note

If you enable this policy setting and a user is prompted on both the client computer and on the terminal server to provide credentials, run the Terminal Services Configuration tool on the terminal server, and in the Properties dialog box for the connection, clear the Always prompt for password check box on the Log on Settings tab.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the version of the operating system on the terminal server will determine when a user is prompted to provide credentials for a remote connection to a terminal server. For Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, a user will be prompted on the terminal server to provide credentials for a remote connection. For Windows Server 2008, a user will be prompted on the client computer to provide credentials for a remote connection.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack  1

Specify SHA1 thumbprints of certificates representing trusted .rdp publishers

This policy setting allows you to specify a list of Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA1) certificate thumbprints that represent trusted Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) file publishers.

If you enable this policy setting, any certificate with an SHA1 thumbprint that matches a thumbprint on the list is trusted. If a user tries to start an .rdp file that is signed by a trusted certificate, the user does not receive any warning messages when they start the file. To obtain the thumbprint, view the certificate details, and then click the Thumbprint field.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, no publisher is treated as a trusted .rdp publisher.

Note

You can define this policy setting in the Computer Configuration node or in the User Configuration node. If you configure this policy setting for the computer, the list of certificate thumbprints trusted for a user is a combination of the list defined for the computer and the list defined for the user.
This policy setting overrides the behavior of the Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings policy setting.
If the list contains a string that is not a certificate thumbprint, it is ignored.

At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1