Remote desktop Connection from MacOS - keyboard layout issue

Question

Hi

I regularly connect to a bundle of Windows VMs from my MacBookPro using the Microsoft Remote Desktop Client for MacOS.

But none of the connections recognise that I am using a Mac keyboard.

Can I tell the connection which keyboard I am using?

The Control panel/Settings Keyboard configuration only seems to cope with different languages i.e. Qwerty vs Azerty.

Is there another way to do it?

Thanks

Feargal

Answer 1

So the answer as posted in the Spiceworks thread linked to earlier is to use the menu option: Connections -> Keyboard Mode -> Unicode

Answer 2

That doesn't really answer my question.

How do I get the VM to recognise the keyboard layout I am using?
is that not possible?

Answer 3

Hi,

You could try the solutions in below link to see if your issue could be resolved.

https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2282197-mac-keyboard-layout-remote-server

Thanks,
Eleven

Answer 4

I expect the main interface issue that should have been sorted by the developers over all these years is a simple match for the " and the @ mac keyboard to be notice by Microsoft Remote desktop for Mac automatically TBH.

Answer 5

Hi,

Mac keyboard layouts differ from the Windows keyboard layouts. There are many types of Mac keyboard layouts. Some of these are Mac specific layouts or custom layouts for which an exact match may not be available on the version of Windows you are remoting into. The remote session maps your keyboard to the best matching keyboard language available on the remote PC.

Examples of key differences:

• The Command key on the Mac keyboard equals the Windows key.
• To perform actions that use the Command button on the Mac, you will need to use the control button in Windows (for example Copy = Ctrl+C).
• The function keys can be activated in the session by pressing additionally the FN key (for example, FN+F1).
• The Alt key to the right of the space bar on the Mac keyboard equals the Alt Gr/right Alt key in Windows.

By default, the remote session will use the same keyboard locale as the OS you're running the client on. (If your Mac is running an en-us OS, that will be used for the remote sessions as well.) If the OS keyboard locale is not used, check the keyboard setting on the remote PC and change it manually.

For your reference

Get started with the macOS client
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/clients/remote-desktop-mac
Frequently asked questions about the Remote Desktop clients
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/clients/remote-desktop-client-faq

Thanks,
Eleven

---If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.---