Remote Desktop Shortcut Keys

Remote Desktop has some really handy shortcuts that are documented right there in the help file:

To configure Windows shortcut keys in a Remote Desktop session

  1. Open Remote Desktop Connection by clicking Start, clicking Programs or All Programs, clicking Accessories, and then clicking Remote Desktop Connection.
    Or type mstsc into StartRUN dialog box.
  2. In the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box, click Options.
  3. Click the Local Resources tab, and then, under Keyboard, select the option you want. This option affects the behavior of Windows shortcut key combinations (such as ALT+TAB) when you are connected to a remote computer.
    • To configure your connection so that Windows shortcut keys always apply to your local desktop, choose On the local computer.
    • To configure your connection so that Windows shortcut keys always apply to the desktop of the remote computer, choose On the remote computer.
    • To configure your connection so that Windows shortcut keys apply to the remote computer only when the connection is in full screen mode, choose In full screen mode only.
  4. Click Connect.
Shorcut Key Description
ALT+PAGE UP Switches between programs from left to right.
ALT+PAGE DOWN Switches between programs from right to left.
ALT+INSERT Cycles through the programs in the order they were started
ALT+HOME Displays the Start menu.
CTRL+ALT+BREAK Switches the client between a window and full screen.
CTRL+ALT+END Brings up the Windows Security dialog box.
ALT+DELETE Displays the Windows menu
CTRL+ALT+Minus (-) symbol on the numeric keypad Places a snapshot of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PrintScrn on a local computer.)
CTRL+ALT+Plus (+) symbol on the numeric keypad Places a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing ALT+PrintScrn on a local computer.)
CTRL+ALT+RIGHT ARROW Enables you to “tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) program.
CTRL+ALT+LEFT ARROW Enables you to “tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) program.

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