Using the Remote Desktop Connection for Mac
In order to use the RDC Client for Macs, you first need to download the client
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/remote-desktop-client. Run the installation package, and then you will be ready to use the RDC client. You can find it under your applications folder, and when you open it you will get the connection screen
To connect to a windows computer from here all you need is the other computer's name or IP
address. There are also a few settings you should know about. To get to these, just go to the
RDC menu at the top of your screen and select preferences.
User Name is simply your Username (or first part of your email), and the password is the same one you use for your email. You can connect without using these settings, but if you would like to save them as your default to keep from having to enter them every time then you can do that here.
Login Settings
You can save display preferences for each Windows-based computer that you connect to. Most of these preferences affect how graphics are displayed. The options that you select can have a significant effect on the performance of the Remote Desktop session. The default options provide the best performance over a broadband connection.
Preference Default
setting Description
Remote desktop size 1024x768 Changes the screen resolution and the size of the window that the Remote Desktop session is displayed in. For example, to display the session in a window that is smaller than the default size, select a smaller number for this option.
Tip To change the window size during a session, on the View menu, click Fit to Window, and then drag the sizing control until the window is the size that you want.
Colors Thousands Adjusts color depth for the session. Depending on the policies of the network, and the version of Windows that is running on the remote computer, the maximum color depth for the remote connection might be limited. If the color depth that you select is larger than the allowed setting, Remote Desktop Connection creates the connection at the maximum allowed color depth.
Open remote
desktop window on Main
display Opens Remote Desktop Connection on the specified monitor. If your Mac is set up to use two or more monitors, you can select the monitor that you want the session window to open on.
Show desktop
background Off Shows the custom background or wallpaper from your Windows desktop in the session window.
Show font
smoothing On Improves the legibility of on-screen fonts by smoothing jagged diagonals and curves in letters.
Show contents of window while dragging
Off Shows the full contents of a window when you move the window across the screen, instead of showing only the frame of the window.
Show menu and
window animation Off Shows cascading menus and scroll transition effects for menus and ScreenTips.
Show themes On Shows the custom background, sounds, icons, and other elements from your Windows-based computer in the session window.
Allow bitmap
caching On Improves performance by reducing the information that is sent over the connection.
Do not show the Mac menu bar and the Dock in full- screen mode
Keyboard Settings
In the keyboard settings tab you can set certain keys on your mac keyboard as substitutes for common windows keys. The default settings should be fine, but you can change the keys to meet your needs.
Sound Settings
The sounds settings can be set to play sounds from the windows machine on your mac, on the
windows machine, or on neither. Default is to play the sounds on your mac.
Printer Settings
This allows you to use any printer that is connected to your mac from the windows computer you are connected to. It automatically sets RDC to connect to your printer as the default.
Security Settings
The security settings can keep you from connecting to the wrong windows computer. The
default setting is to warn if authentication fails, but you can change it to whichever option best
meets your needs.
Saving the Default Profile
After you finish configuring the settings, you can save them as your default as follows.
Close the Preferences window and type Default in the connection window (it must have a computer name in order to save, but it does not matter if it is a real name or not).
Now go to the file menu and click Save As. Make sure you save the connection as Default.
Now when you open a new connection, it will use the settings you saved in the Default
connection. If you want to change any of the settings in your default connection, just resave it as
Default (overwrite the old one) with the new settings.
You can quickly perform tasks by using keyboard shortcuts — one or more keys that you press on the keyboard to complete a task.
Keyboard shortcut descriptions refer to the U.S. keyboard layout. Keys on other keyboard layouts might not correspond to the keys on a U.S. keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts for laptop computers might also differ.
Opening connections
To Press
Open a new connection +N
Open a saved connection +O
Edit connection preferences +E
Save connection preferences +S
Save as SHIFT++S
Editing and formatting
When you work on the Windows desktop, you can perform all the same tasks by using the corresponding Windows keyboard shortcuts. For example, to copy text from a document on your Windows desktop, you can press CONTROL+C or +C. To paste the content into a document on your Mac, press +V.
To Press
Undo the last action +Z
Cut the selection (and copy to the clipboard) +X
Copy the selection to the clipboard +C
Paste +V
Select all +A
Working with session windows
To Press
Hide Remote Desktop Connection +H
Hide other applications OPTION++H
Quit Remote Desktop Connection +Q
Switch between full-screen and window modes +2
Fit contents of screen to window size, or show scroll bars when resizing +1 Show the Mac desktop when the Do not show the Mac menu bar and the Dock in full-
screen mode option is selected
+TAB
Using Mac keyboard shortcuts on the Windows desktop
Remote Desktop Connection includes default key assignments that correspond to tasks on the Windows-based computer.
You can turn off or change any of the following key assignments. On the RDC menu, click Preferences, click Keyboard. In the Mac column, double-click the key that you want to change, and then enter the keyboard shortcut that you want.
Windows Mac OS X
Secondary mouse button (right-click) CONTROL+SHIFT+click
ALT key OPTION
Windows Start key OPTION+F1
Context menu key OPTION+F2
Pause/Break key OPTION+F3
Scroll Lock key F14
Num Lock key CLEAR
Print Screen key OPTION+F4