Configure Maximum Color Depth for a Remote Session

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

You can specify the maximum color resolution (color depth) for a remote session. Limiting the color depth can improve connection performance, particularly over slow links, and reduce server load.

The actual color depth for the connection is determined by the color support available on the client computer. The user can also specify a color depth for the connection on the Display tab under Options in Remote Desktop Connection, but the specified color depth cannot exceed the value configured on the terminal server.

Use the following procedure to specify the maximum color depth for a remote session.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, 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 specify the maximum color depth for a remote session

  1. Open Terminal Services Configuration. To open Terminal Services Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Terminal Services, and then click Terminal Services Configuration.

  2. Under Connections, right-click the name of the connection, and then click Properties.

  3. In the Properties dialog box for the connection, click the Client Settings tab.

  4. Select the Limit Maximum Color Depth check box, and then select the appropriate value for your environment.

    The default value is 32 bpp. A color depth of 24 bpp is only supported on Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003.

  5. Click OK. Changes to color depth settings are not applied to sessions that are connected when the change is made. The changes will take effect the next time the user establishes a new connection to the terminal server.

  • You can also set the maximum color depth for a remote session by applying the Limit maximum color depth Group Policy setting. This Group Policy setting is located in Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Remote Session Environment and can be configured by using either the Local Group Policy Editor or the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). Note that the Group Policy setting will take precedence over the setting configured in Terminal Services Configuration.

For more information about Group Policy settings for Terminal Services, see the Terminal Services Technical Reference (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=89673).

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