Enable or Disable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection to Windows PC


You can use the Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) or Microsoft Remote Desktop app to connect to and control your Windows PC from a remote device. When you allow remote desktop connections to your PC, you can use another device to connect to your PC and have access to all of your apps, files, and network resources as if you were sitting at your desk.

By default, when a client computer makes a Remote Desktop connection to your computer (host), they are able to save their credentials to then be able to automatically connect to your computer. This can pose a security risk to your computer.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable on your PC (host) to always prompt the client for a password upon a Remote Desktop connection to your Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 PC.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable always prompt for password upon connection.

You must enable Remote Desktop on a PC to allow remote connections to the PC.

The Remote Desktop client does not support connecting to the Windows editions below. See: Supported PCs

• Windows 7 Starter
• Windows 7 Home
• Windows 8 Home
• Windows 8.1 Home
• Windows 10 Home

 CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Enable or Disable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection using Group Policy
• Option Two: To Enable or Disable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection using a REG file

EXAMPLE: Always prompt client for password upon Remote Desktop connection to this host PC

OPTION ONE

To Enable or Disable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection using Group Policy

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Security

3. In the right pane of Security in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Always prompt for password upon connection policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

 5. To Enable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection

A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

 6. To Disable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.

7. When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Enable or Disable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection

The downloadable .reg files below will add and change the DWORD in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services

fPromptForPassword DWORD

0 or <delete> = disable
1 = enable

1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

 2. To Enable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_Always_prompt_for_password_upon_RDC_to_this_PC.reg

Download

 3. To Disable Always Prompt for Password upon Remote Desktop Connection

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_Always_prompt_for_password_upon_RDC_to_this_PC.reg

Download

4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. If you like, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn

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