Access a remote desktop¶
You can view or control the desktop environment on another computer where desktop sharing is enabled. The desktop sharing works over the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or the Virtual Network Computing (VNC) protocol.
On Ubuntu, we recommend using the Remmina application to access a remote desktop. It supports both RDP and VNC.
We’ll refer to the system that shares its desktop as the server. We’ll call the system that accesses the shared desktop remotely the client.
What you’ll need
A client computer running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or later.
A server where RDP or VNC desktop sharing is enabled. To configure desktop sharing on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or later, see Share your desktop remotely.
Access credentials to the server, including its host name, the port number, the user name and the password.
Install Remmina¶
Remmina is part of the extended Ubuntu installation.
If you don’t have Remmina on your system, install it:
Search for Remmina in the App Center and install it there.
Install Remmina as a Snap:
$ Alternatively, install Remmina as Deb packages:
$ Add a connection¶
Click Add a new connection profile (+). The Remote Desktop Preference window opens.
Server credentials¶
Enter the server configuration:
- Protocol
Select RDP if you’re connecting to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or later, or to Microsoft Windows.
Select VNC if you’re connecting to an earlier Ubuntu release such as 22.04 LTS, or to macOS.
- Server
The host name or IP address of the server, and the port number assigned to RDP or VNC. For example,
ThinkPad-X1.local:3389or192.168.1.2:5901.- Username
The user name configured for desktop sharing. Note that this might be different from the actual user name on the server system.
With VNC, the user name is only necessary if you’re connecting to a server that uses VNC users.
- Password
The password configured for desktop sharing. Note that this might be different from the actual user password on the server system.
If not entered and your server requires a password, you’ll be able to enter it after starting the connection.
Set the connection quality¶
Optionally, you can configure the connection speed and quality in the Remote Desktop Preference dialog:
- Colour depth
Choose 24-bit for a fast connection, such as across a LAN, or 256 colors when using a low bandwidth connection.
- Quality (on the Advanced tab)
Provides more control over bandwidth and rendering quality. Poor trades visual quality for responsiveness, while Best does the opposite.
Enable audio¶
To hear the audio from the server on your client, set Audio output mode to Local on the Advanced tab.
Confirm¶
Click Save. Remmina now lists the newly configured connection in the main window.
Connect to the server¶
Double-click the configured connection. Remmina tries to connect to the server.
You might need to accept a certificate if this is your first time connecting to the server.
A window opens, displaying the screen on the remote server. Depending on the configuration, it might be the live user session or a login screen.
If you can only see a fraction of the shared screen, its resolution is larger than your display. Click Toggle scaled mode in the toolbar on the left to resize the shared screen to fit the window.
In toolbar, you also have options to switch to fullscreen mode, change view and graphics quality.
Troubleshooting¶
If Remmina fails to connect to the server:
Make sure that the server credentials are correct. Check the host name or IP address, the port number, the user name and the password. Try an IP address instead of a host name, or the other way around.
If you have access to the server, make sure that it’s running.
If you’re trying to use the Desktop Sharing configuration, check that the user is logged into the graphical session on the server.
Make sure that the firewall on the server allows the RDP or VNC ports that you’re connecting to.