# Remote Desktops
## RDP
The most common way to get a GUI-based connection to a Windows workspace is by using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
### Desktop Client
To use RDP with Coder, you'll need to install an
[RDP client](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/clients/remote-desktop-clients)
on your local machine, and enable RDP on your workspace.
#### Coder Desktop
[Coder Desktop](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/desktop.md)'s **Coder Connect** feature creates a connection to your workspaces in the background. Use your favorite RDP client to connect to `
.coder`.
You can use the [RDP Desktop](https://registry.coder.com/modules/coder/local-windows-rdp) module to add a single-click button to open an RDP session in the browser.
You can also use a URI handler to launch an RDP session directly.
The URI format is:
```text
coder:///v0/open/ws//agent//rdp?username=&password=
```
For example:
```text
coder://coder.example.com/v0/open/ws/myworkspace/agent/main/rdp?username=Administrator&password=coderRDP!
```
To include a Coder Desktop button on the workspace dashboard page, add a `coder_app` resource to the template:
```tf
locals {
server_name = regex("https?:\\/\\/([^\\/]+)", data.coder_workspace.me.access_url)[0]
}
resource "coder_app" "rdp-coder-desktop" {
agent_id = resource.coder_agent.main.id
slug = "rdp-desktop"
display_name = "RDP Desktop"
url = "coder://${local.server_name}/v0/open/ws/${data.coder_workspace.me.name}/agent/main/rdp?username=Administrator&password=coderRDP!"
icon = "/icon/desktop.svg"
external = true
}
```
#### CLI
Use the following command to forward the RDP port to your local machine:
```console
coder port-forward --tcp 3399:3389
```
Then, connect to your workspace via RDP at `localhost:3399`.
> [!NOTE]
> Some versions of Windows, including Windows Server 2022, do not communicate correctly over UDP when using Coder Connect because they do not respect the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the link. When this happens, the RDP client will appear to connect, but displays a blank screen.
>
> To avoid this error, Coder's [Windows RDP](https://registry.coder.com/modules/windows-rdp) module [disables RDP over UDP automatically](https://github.com/coder/registry/blob/b58bfebcf3bcdcde4f06a183f92eb3e01842d270/registry/coder/modules/windows-rdp/powershell-installation-script.tftpl#L22).
>
> To disable RDP over UDP manually, run the following in PowerShell:
>
> ```powershell
> New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name "SelectTransport" -Value 1 -PropertyType DWORD -Force
> Restart-Service -Name "TermService" -Force
> ```
### Browser
Our [RDP Web](https://registry.coder.com/modules/windows-rdp) module in the Coder Registry adds a one-click button to open an RDP session in the browser. This requires just a few lines of Terraform in your template, see the documentation on our registry for setup.
### Desktop Client
Connect using the [Amazon DCV Desktop client](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/dcv/latest/userguide/using-connecting.html) by forwarding the DCV port to your local machine:
#### Coder Desktop
[Coder Desktop](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/desktop.md)'s **Coder Connect** feature creates a connection to your workspaces in the background. Use DCV client to connect to `.coder:8443`.
#### CLI
Use the following command to forward the DCV port to your local machine:
```console
coder port-forward --tcp 8443:8443
```
### Browser
Our [Amazon DCV Windows](https://registry.coder.com/modules/amazon-dcv-windows) module adds a one-click button to open an Amazon DCV session in the browser. This requires just a few lines of Terraform in your template, see the documentation on our registry for setup.
### Desktop Client
Use a VNC client (e.g., [TigerVNC](https://tigervnc.org/)) by forwarding the VNC port to your local machine.
#### Coder Desktop
[Coder Desktop](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/desktop.md)'s **Coder Connect** feature allows you to connect to your workspace's VNC server at `.coder:5900`.
#### CLI
Use the following command to forward the VNC port to your local machine:
```bash
coder port-forward --tcp 5900:5900
```
Now you can connect to your workspace's VNC server using a VNC client at `localhost:5900`.
### Browser
The [KasmVNC module](https://registry.coder.com/modules/coder/kasmvnc) allows browser-based access to your workspace by installing and configuring the [KasmVNC](https://github.com/kasmtech/KasmVNC) server and web client.