MSFT Remote Desktop application no longer accepts connections to localhost:<port>

Question

The new shiny Remote Desktop app no longer accepts connections to local host or any local interface. This is allowed with the ancient RDP client.

Why would you want to do this ? because you are using NoPorts.com software that allows remote connectivity to a machine via a localhost:<port>

Answer 1

Hello,

Remote desktop cannot connect to a local port unless you are using other network technology to transfer network to other port.

You can use official link as a reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/clients/remote-desktop-clients

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Answer 2

Modern Remote Desktop (MSRD) blocks connections to localhost for security. This breaks tools like NoPorts, which rely on tunneling to localhost:<port>. While more secure, MSRD's restriction impacts legitimate use cases, requiring workarounds like using the older RDP client or VPNs.