Access Windows Desktop Server on Mac | Easy Connection Guide

If you are a Mac user who needs to access a Windows-based desktop server, don’t worry, it’s completely possible and easier than you might think. Whether you’re using QuickBooks Desktop on the cloud, connecting to a remote Windows server, or accessing hosted applications, your Mac can seamlessly connect to a desktop server with just a few simple steps.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through easy, step-by-step instructions to connect your Mac to a desktop server securely. You’ll learn how to configure the remote desktop connection, enter your login details, and start working on your Windows environment right from your Mac, no complex setup required.

---

Steps to Access Desktop Server on Mac Using Microsoft Remote Desktop

Step 1. Firstly, Open the “App Store” from the dock. This has been illustrated below.

Step 2. Once you are in the “Mac App Store”, type “RDP” in the search bar on the top left corner of the window and press “Enter” to begin the search.

Step 3. You will find “Microsoft Remote Desktop” as the first result in the search results. Next to the icon and name of the app, click on the “Get” option to begin to “Download” the application on your Mac computer. The app is free of cost and is not listing with a price.

Step 4. Once the download is complete, click on the “Launchpad” icon and open the “Microsoft Remote Desktop Application”.

Step 5. From the window, click on the “New” button from the top left corner of the “Microsoft Remote Desktop Application”.

Step 6. You will be required to enter the following information: 

1. Connection Name
2. PC Name: Enter the host’s name or IP address.
3. Gateway (Gateway allows users to connect to a Virtual Desktop or a Session-Based Desktop on the network of the user’s company.)
4. Username
5. Password
6. Resolution
7. Colors
8. Full Screen Mode

Step 7. After finishing the configuration of the remote desktop, “Click” on the “Red” dot on the top left corner of the window. After this, your remote desktop will add to the Microsoft Remote Desktop Application.

Step 8. In order to start a remote desktop session, all you need to do is double-click on the added remote desktop from your MSRD application and your session will begin.

There may be a chance where you do not feel that Microsoft Remote Desktop is a suitable option for your use case. In that case, you can use another application named Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac. The process of downloading Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac is similar to that of Microsoft Remote Desktop. 

---

Steps to Connect Servers With Mac Using Parallels Desktop 16

Step 1. Open the “App Store” from the dock, type “RDP” in the search bar on the top left corner and press “Enter”. This time, look for “Parallels Client”, which will be the second result for the search. Click on the “Get” option and the app will begin downloading.

Step 2. After downloading the app, click on the “Launchpad” icon on the dock and open the app.  Alternatively, you can keep the “App Store” open and use the “Open” button that will appear in front of the app after the download is complete to access it.

Step 3. After opening the app, you will be prompted to configure a connection to a server. Click on the “Add” button to add a new connection in the Parallels application. Alternatively, you can use the “Import” button to import an existing connection from your Mac computer.

Step 4. Next, a dialogue will appear where you need to fill the following details: 

1. Server
2. Connection mode
3. Friendly Name

Step 5. After entering all the information click on the OK button.

Step 6. Next, a new window will appear on the screen where you need to enter the login credentials for the connection. After entering the credentials click on “OK”.

Step 6. After the setup is complete, Parallels will be connected to the server that you require. Later, New icon will appear on the screen with the title you entered in the “Friendly Name” section. To access the server, you must double-click the icon, and the connection will establish.

---

FAQs

How Do I Copy Files From Windows Remote Desktop to Mac?

1. To map your drive on the remote system while transferring files between Windows machines using Remote Desktop, you must first go to Local Resources > More and check the box in front of Drives. Once that is done, XCOPY and Tsclient can be used to transfer the files.
2. The Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac application could be more polished than this. This is because, unlike Windows, Mac OS X requires a particular mapping to accept SMB connections and allow file transfers.
3. You can add or change your Remote Desktop redirection by clicking “Redirection” at the top of the window.
4. Next, select “Enable folder redirection” and set up a local folder to be accessed via Tsclient. (Recommendation: Preferred method of backing up files is to have them mapped to a specific folder in “Dropbox”.)
5. Once the mapping is complete, the mapped folder can be accessed via Tsclient. Either type “XCOPY” on the command line or navigate to the “Network drives” section of your file manager to access it.

How To Find a Network Path on Mac?

With your network ID and password, your campus Macintosh can connect to campus resources.

To connect to a networked share drive like your “H drive” (the home folder) or the “P drive” (the public folders), your Mac must be connected to the campus network in one of two ways.

• Connected to Rio-wireless Secure network
• Connected to a campus wired ethernet port