RDP Server for Mac: Connect from Windows with mstsc

If you searched for an RDP server for macOS, you probably already have a Windows PC with Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) and a Mac you want to reach from it. This guide explains why that does not work out of the box, what your options are, and how to set up an RDP server on the Mac so mstsc can connect.

Why a Mac does not accept mstsc connections by default

Remote Desktop Connection on Windows speaks the Remote Desktop Protocol, usually shortened to RDP. A computer can only accept those connections if it runs an RDP server. Windows includes one (in the Pro and higher editions). macOS does not.

What macOS ships instead is Screen Sharing and Remote Management, which are based on VNC. VNC is a different protocol, so mstsc cannot talk to it. Pointing mstsc at a Mac with Screen Sharing turned on simply fails, because nothing on the Mac answers in RDP.

Your options

There are three common ways to reach a Mac from Windows.

The first is to use a VNC client on Windows and the Mac's own Screen Sharing. This needs no RDP server, but you install and learn a second remote tool on Windows.

The second is a cloud-style remote access product that installs an agent on both computers. It works across networks, but it brings its own account and its own way of connecting.

The third is to put an RDP server on the Mac, so the Windows PC keeps using the tool it already has. This is what RDPyon does. It is a macOS app that listens for RDP connections, so you connect with the built-in Remote Desktop Connection and install nothing on Windows.

What RDPyon is, in plain terms

RDPyon is a paid macOS app (a one-time license, with a 14-day free trial) that runs a Remote Desktop Protocol server in your menu bar. It is built on the open-source FreeRDP shadow server and uses macOS screen capture to send the screen of the Mac session you are logged in to.

It shares your existing session. It does not create a separate virtual desktop, so you see the same windows you left open. You sign in from mstsc with the Mac account's short name and password, and the connection is encrypted with TLS.

Set up an RDP server on your Mac

These steps assume a Mac on macOS 12.3 (Monterey) or later, Apple Silicon or Intel, and a Windows PC on the same network or reachable through a VPN.

  1. 1. Download and install RDPyon

    Download the .dmg from the download page, open it, and drag RDPyon into the Applications folder. Open the app from Applications. The free trial does not need a card.

  2. 2. Grant the permissions

    RDPyon needs Screen Recording to capture the screen and Accessibility to pass your keyboard and mouse input to the Mac. Allow both in System Settings under Privacy & Security, then restart the app so the change takes effect.

  3. 3. Read the address from the menu bar

    Click the RDPyon icon in the menu bar. The menu shows the Local IP and the Port. The default port is 3389, the standard RDP port. You can change it to any value from 1024 to 65535 with Change Server Port.

  4. 4. Connect from Windows

    Press the Windows key and R, then run the command below with your Mac's address and port. You can also open Remote Desktop Connection from the Start menu and type the address in the Computer box.

    mstsc /v:192.168.1.20:3389 /prompt

  5. 5. Sign in with the Mac account

    Choose More choices, then Use a different account. Enter the Mac's short account name and the Mac login password. If Windows shows a certificate warning the first time, see the next section before you continue.

  6. 6. Work, then disconnect

    When the Mac screen appears in the Remote Desktop window, you are connected. Close the window or sign out of the session to disconnect. The RDPyon menu shows the server status at any time.

Know the limits before you rely on it

An RDP server on a Mac behaves differently from the one built into Windows, and being clear about that saves time. As of RDPyon 1.0 (October 2026), these are the main points.

One session at a time, and one display at a time. If your Mac has several displays, choose which one to send with Select Monitor in the menu.

You connect to a session that is already logged in. There is no server-side sign-in screen, so the Mac must be logged in and awake for you to attach to it.

Network Level Authentication (NLA) is not provided. The Mac account is checked inside a TLS connection instead.

By default the connection ends when the Mac screen locks. The menu item Disconnect when screen locks is on by default.

Sound forwarding needs macOS 13 or later and is off by default. Turn on Forward Mac Audio in the menu if you want it. Copying text and images between the two computers works; copying files is not guaranteed yet.

Keep the connection safe

Use the server on a trusted network or through a VPN. Do not forward port 3389 from your router straight to the Mac. Any RDP port that is open to the internet gets scanned and attacked constantly, whichever product sits behind it.

RDPyon slows down password guessing: after 5 failed sign-ins in a row from the same IP address, connections from it are blocked for 30 seconds, and the block gets longer with each further failure. This is a safety net, not a replacement for a strong Mac password and a VPN.

The server uses a self-signed TLS certificate, which is why Windows may warn that it cannot verify the identity of the computer. To check you are talking to your own Mac, click Certificate Fingerprint in the RDPyon menu to copy the fingerprint, and compare it with the one shown in the Windows warning before you accept.

Common errors and fixes

mstsc says it cannot connect to the remote computer.

Check that RDPyon is running and the menu bar icon shows the server as started. Confirm the Windows PC can reach the Mac, for example by pinging the Local IP. Check that the port in your mstsc address matches the port in the RDPyon menu, and that no firewall between the two computers blocks it.

The password is rejected even though it is correct.

Use the Mac's short account name, not the full name shown on the login screen, and the Mac login password. An empty password is rejected. After 5 failures in a row, wait 30 seconds before you try again.

You get a black screen or no picture after signing in.

Open System Settings, Privacy & Security, and check that Screen Recording is allowed for RDPyon. Restart RDPyon after you change it. Also make sure the Mac is not sitting at the lock screen.

Windows says authentication is not available.

If you open the connection from an .rdp file, look for the line enablecredsspsupport:i:0 in it. On Windows 10 that setting stops mstsc from using TLS and the connection is refused. Remove the line, or start the connection with the mstsc command shown above.

The connection drops when you step away.

That is usually the Mac screen locking, which ends the session by default. Change the Disconnect when screen locks setting in the RDPyon menu if you want to keep the session, and think about whether that is safe for your Mac.

Frequently asked questions

Does macOS have a built-in RDP server?

No. macOS includes Screen Sharing and Remote Management, which use VNC, not RDP. To accept connections from Windows Remote Desktop Connection you need to add an RDP server, such as RDPyon.

Do I need to install anything on the Windows PC?

No. You connect with the Remote Desktop Connection app (mstsc.exe) that comes with Windows. Everything you install goes on the Mac.

How much does RDPyon cost, and can I try it first?

RDPyon is a $19 one-time purchase that can be activated on up to 2 Macs, with a 30-day refund. There is a 14-day free trial that does not need a card. See the pricing page for the current terms.

Download RDPyonSee pricingStep-by-step: Windows to Mac Remote Desktop