Configure the Remote Desktop Users Group

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

The Remote Desktop Users group on a terminal server is used to give users and groups permission to remotely connect to a terminal server.

You can add users and groups to the Remote Desktop Users group in the following ways:

  • Local Users and Groups snap-in

  • Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in, if the terminal server is installed on a domain controller

  • On the Remote tab in the System Properties dialog box on a terminal server

You can use the following procedure to add users and groups to the Remote Desktop Users group by using the Remote tab in the System Properties dialog box on a terminal server.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the terminal server that you plan to configure, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To add users and groups to the Remote Desktop Users group by using the Remote tab

  1. Start the System tool. To start the System tool, click Start, click Run, type control system and then click OK.

  2. Under Tasks, click Remote settings.

  3. In the System Properties dialog box, on the Remote tab, click Select Users. Add the users or groups that need to connect to the terminal server by using Remote Desktop. The users and groups that you add are added to the Remote Desktop Users group.

Note

Members of the local Administrators group can connect even if they are not listed.

If you select **Don't allow connections to this computer** on the **Remote** tab, no users will be able to connect remotely to this computer, even if they are members of the Remote Desktop Users group.

Additional references