With on-board tools, you can conveniently access another Windows computer via the network and control it remotely. Microsoft has built the required remote desktop protocol into Windows 11 for the maintenance of remote computers.
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Use Remote Desktop on a Windows, Android or iOS device to remotely connect to a Windows 11 computer.
Anyone who uses the on-board functions of Windows to remotely control other PCs should know the main limitation. With the Home Edition of Windows 11 you can control another PC remotely. A computer with this version cannot be taken over with the remote desktop software. Windows 11 Pro, Pro Education or Enterprise are required on the target PC. Users of a home edition then access Teamviewer or Anydesk (see box below).
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Establish an RDP connection to a remote computer
In order for the connection and thus the remote control to be possible at all, the remote desktop function must be switched on on the target PC. This can be checked in the Settings app, which you start with the key combination Ctrl + I. Go in the left column to the chapter “System”, scroll on the right side to “Remote desktop” and click on this entry. Make a note of the name of this computer, which is under “PC name”. Optionally, you can also select remote desktop users in this window who are to be allowed remote access to this computer.
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In order to establish the remote connection to the target PC, first start the Windows tool Remote Desktop Connection. To do this, open the search field using the magnifying glass in the taskbar: Enter Remote Desktop Connection and click on the hit of the same name. In the window, after “Computer:”, enter the name of the PC with which you want to establish a connection in the internal network. If you establish the connection via the Internet, you will need the external IP of the target system for this. Then click on “Connect”. Then enter your user name in the corresponding field. This and the associated password must already be created in the user list of the remote PC. After successfully logging in, you can now see the desktop view of the remote PC. If that doesn’t work, you should first add an exception rule for the Remote Desktop application in the Windows Firewall.
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Teamviewer & Anydesk offer many extras
The remote on-board functions of Windows 11 Pro are sufficient for many users. The two tools, Teamviewer and Anydesk, which are free for private use, can do more and are indispensable for Windows home users. The two programs support common desktop systems such as Windows, Linux and Mac OS and can also be used with Android and iOS. The basic working and functionality of Teamviewer and Anydesk is the same: The software must run on both sides, i.e. on the PC that is to be controlled and on the PC that takes control. To establish contact, temporarily valid access data is exchanged; alternatively, a permanent log-in can be set up. After the connection has been established, the remote PC can now be completely controlled using the keyboard and mouse. In addition, screencasts can be recorded, print jobs can be sent to a remote printer, chats can be started and the remote computer can also be restarted.
