Remote Desktop Web Access FAQ

This article provides answers to some of the most common questions about Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access). The RD Web Access website enables you to use a Web browser to access RemoteApp and Desktop Connections.

What should I do if I can't sign in?

If you enter an invalid user name or password, you see a message saying: "The user name or password that you entered is not valid. Try typing it again." If your account is locked because of too many incorrect sign in attempts, you see the same message.

Contact your Active Directory administrator to reset your password, and if needed, unlock your account.

If you see a message that your password doesn't meet the criteria for your domain, contact your Active Directory administrator to help reset your password.

How do I reset my expired password?

If an administrator didn't enable password reset, you see a message saying: "Your password is expired. Please contact your administrator for assistance." You need to contact your Active Directory administrator to reset your password.

If an administrator enabled password reset, follow the link to change your expired password. You need to enter your old password, then your new password, and confirm the new password.

If you're unable to reset your password, and see that your new password doesn't meet the length, complexity, or history requirements of your domain, try choosing a different password, or contact your administrator to learn what the requirements are.

How does an administrator enable password reset?

Administrators can enable remote users to change their own password from within the RD Web access interface if it's expired.

Important

This option isn't helpful for users who forgot their password since the old password still needs to be entered before selecting a new password. For forgotten passwords, you must contact your Active Directory administrator.

To set up password reset password for Remote Desktop Web access:

1. Open Server Manager on the Server running RD Web Access.
2. In the menu under Tools, navigate to Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
3. Next, locate your server and navigate to Sites > Default Web Site > RDWeb > Pages.
4. Select Application Settings from the menu. Then, select the setting PasswordChangeEnabled and change the value to true.

Now, when users open the RD Web Access page and try to sign in using an expired password, a link appears to reset your password.

When you open the password reset page, there's a user interface where you enter your current password, new password, and confirm the new password.

Note

If the remote server is running in Azure, you need create an endpoint for public port 443 in the Azure management portal so that users can access the RD Web Access portal.

How do I change my password?

First, connect to your server using RemoteApp and Desktop Connections. To change your password:

1. Enter Ctrl+Alt+Del.
2. Select Change a password.
3. Enter in the old password, then the new password, and confirm the new password.

Contact your administrator if you can't change your password, don't know the password requirements, or you can't sign in.

What is RemoteApp and Desktop Connections?

RemoteApp and Desktop Connections gives you a customized view of RemoteApp programs and virtual desktops that are available to you.

What is RemoteApp?

Using RemoteApp, you can access programs on a remote computer through Remote Desktop Services. Although the programs are running on a remote computer, RemoteApp programs behave as if they're running on your local computer. For example, a RemoteApp program has its own entry in the taskbar, and you can resize, minimize, or maximize the program window.

How do I start a RemoteApp program?

To start a RemoteApp program or Remote Desktop session, click the program icon in RD Web Access. When you're prompted for user credentials, log on with your network user name and password.

What are the public vs. private computer settings?

If you connect to the RD Web Access website from a public computer, such as a kiosk computer in a public establishment, or from a computer that you share with other users, click This is a public or shared computer. You need to provide both your user name and password each time you sign in to the RD Web Access website.

If you're using a work computer assigned to you and that you don't share with other people, click This is a private computer.

To protect against unauthorized access, RD Web Access sessions automatically end after a period of inactivity. If your RD Web Access session ends, you need to sign in again. The administrator sets how long a session lasts.

This article provides answers to some of the most common questions about Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access). The RD Web Access website enables you to use a Web browser to access RemoteApp and Desktop Connections.

If you enter an invalid user name or password, you see a message saying: "The user name or password that you entered is not valid. Try typing it again." If your account is locked because of too many incorrect sign in attempts, you see the same message.

Contact your Active Directory administrator to reset your password, and if needed, unlock your account.

If you see a message that your password doesn't meet the criteria for your domain, contact your Active Directory administrator to help reset your password.

If an administrator didn't enable password reset, you see a message saying: "Your password is expired. Please contact your administrator for assistance." You need to contact your Active Directory administrator to reset your password.

If an administrator enabled password reset, follow the link to change your expired password. You need to enter your old password, then your new password, and confirm the new password.

If you're unable to reset your password, and see that your new password doesn't meet the length, complexity, or history requirements of your domain, try choosing a different password, or contact your administrator to learn what the requirements are.

Administrators can enable remote users to change their own password from within the RD Web access interface if it's expired.

Important

This option isn't helpful for users who forgot their password since the old password still needs to be entered before selecting a new password. For forgotten passwords, you must contact your Active Directory administrator.

To set up password reset password for Remote Desktop Web access:

1. Open Server Manager on the Server running RD Web Access.
2. In the menu under Tools, navigate to Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
3. Next, locate your server and navigate to Sites > Default Web Site > RDWeb > Pages.
4. Select Application Settings from the menu. Then, select the setting PasswordChangeEnabled and change the value to true.

Now, when users open the RD Web Access page and try to sign in using an expired password, a link appears to reset your password.

When you open the password reset page, there's a user interface where you enter your current password, new password, and confirm the new password.

Note

If the remote server is running in Azure, you need create an endpoint for public port 443 in the Azure management portal so that users can access the RD Web Access portal.

First, connect to your server using RemoteApp and Desktop Connections. To change your password:

1. Enter Ctrl+Alt+Del.
2. Select Change a password.
3. Enter in the old password, then the new password, and confirm the new password.

Contact your administrator if you can't change your password, don't know the password requirements, or you can't sign in.

RemoteApp and Desktop Connections gives you a customized view of RemoteApp programs and virtual desktops that are available to you.

Using RemoteApp, you can access programs on a remote computer through Remote Desktop Services. Although the programs are running on a remote computer, RemoteApp programs behave as if they're running on your local computer. For example, a RemoteApp program has its own entry in the taskbar, and you can resize, minimize, or maximize the program window.

To start a RemoteApp program or Remote Desktop session, click the program icon in RD Web Access. When you're prompted for user credentials, log on with your network user name and password.

If you connect to the RD Web Access website from a public computer, such as a kiosk computer in a public establishment, or from a computer that you share with other users, click This is a public or shared computer. You need to provide both your user name and password each time you sign in to the RD Web Access website.

If you're using a work computer assigned to you and that you don't share with other people, click This is a private computer.

To protect against unauthorized access, RD Web Access sessions automatically end after a period of inactivity. If your RD Web Access session ends, you need to sign in again. The administrator sets how long a session lasts.