Remote - RDP

A VS Code extension for managing and launching Remote Desktop (RDP) sessions on Windows.

Overview

As of May 27, 2025, Microsoft's Remote Desktop app has been deprecated. If you rely on RDP in your day-to-day workflow, this change may have disrupted your routine.

Remote - RDP is a lightweight, Windows-only extension for Visual Studio Code that brings back seamless RDP session management — right inside your development environment.

Key Features

• Easy Connection Management: Create, edit, and organize RDP connections
• Secure Credential Storage: Store and reuse login credentials safely
• Multiple Launch Options: Connect via double-click or Command Palette
• Group Organization: Organize connections into groups for better management
• Import/Export: Backup or share connection lists
• Windows Integration: Uses native Windows RDP client (mstsc.exe)

Getting Started

Installation

1. Install the extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace
2. Restart Visual Studio Code if needed

First Time Setup

1. Open the Remote - RDP sidebar in VS Code (look for the RDP icon in the Activity Bar)
2. Create a credential first:
   • Click the "+" button next to "Credentials"
   • Enter username and password for your remote machine
3. Add a connection:
   • Click the "+" button next to "Connections"
   • Enter hostname or IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100 or server.example.com)
   • Optionally assign it to a group
   • Select the credential you created

Connecting to Remote Desktop

You can connect in multiple ways:

• Double-click a connection in the sidebar
• Use Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) → "Remote-RDP: Connect to Connection"

The extension will launch the native Windows RDP client with your saved settings.

Commands

Access these commands via Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P):

• Remote-RDP: Connect to Connection - Select and connect to a saved connection
• Remote-RDP: Create Connection - Add a new RDP connection
• Remote-RDP: Create Credential - Add new login credentials
• Remote-RDP: Import Connections - Import connections from file
• Remote-RDP: Export Connections - Export connections to file

System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows 10 or later
• VS Code: Version 1.100.0 or higher
• RDP Client: Native RDP client (mstsc.exe) must be available in system PATH

Security Notes

• Credentials are stored securely using VS Code's built-in storage mechanisms
• RDP files are temporarily created in the system temp directory and cleaned up after use
• No credentials are stored in plain text or transmitted over the network by this extension

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

• "Platform not supported": This extension only works on Windows
• "RDP client not found": Ensure mstsc.exe is available in your system PATH
• Connection fails: Verify the remote host is accessible and RDP is enabled

Getting Help

• Check the Issues page for known problems
• Enable VS Code Developer Tools (Help → Toggle Developer Tools) to see console errors

Limitations

• Windows-only support (win32 platform)
• Requires system-installed RDP client
• Connection quality depends on network conditions and remote host configuration
• No built-in RDP client (uses Windows native client)

Contributing & Support

If you encounter issues, have ideas for improvement, or would like to contribute:

• File an issue on GitHub
• Pull requests are welcome and encouraged
• Please include steps to reproduce any bugs

License

Distributed under the MIT License.

Author

Developed and maintained by @mandrup

Thank you for using Remote - RDP! 🚀