Configure Monitor Settings for a Remote Session
Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2
You can specify the monitor settings, or number of monitors, available for a remote session. Limiting the number of monitors can improve connection performance, particularly over slow links, and reduce server load.
The actual number of monitors available for the connection is determined by the number of monitors available on the client computer. The user can specify to use all monitors for the connection on the Display tab under Display configuration in Remote Desktop Connection, but the specified number of monitors cannot exceed the value configured on the RD Session Host server.
Use the following procedure to specify the number of monitors for a remote session.
Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the RD Session Host 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 https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477.
To specify the number of monitors for a remote session
On the RD Session Host server, open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. To open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
Under Connections, right-click the name of the connection, and then click Properties.
In the Properties dialog box for the connection, click the Client Settings tab.
Under Monitor Settings, in the Limit maximum number of monitors per session box, enter the number of monitors to be available to the client.
Note
Desktop composition or Aero Glass will not be enabled at the remote desktop client if the client is using multiple monitors. Desktop composition is only enabled if the remote desktop client is using a single monitor.
- Click OK. Changes to monitor 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 RD Session Host server.
Note
You can also specify the number of monitors for a remote session by applying the Limit maximum number of monitors Group Policy setting. This Group Policy setting is located in Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\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 Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
For more information about Group Policy settings for Remote Desktop Services, see the Remote Desktop Services Technical Reference (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=138134).