Fixed: Could Not Load the Remote Desktop Services ActiveX Control

Could not load the Remote Desktop Services ActiveX control

“When I attempt to launch Remote Desktop, I receive the following error: Could not load the Remote Desktop Services ActiveX control. Make sure mstscax.dll is in the path. I'm at a loss on what to do. I desperately need to be able to connect to my work computer from home. Please assist!”

How to fix “Could not load the Remote Desktop Services ActiveX control”

If you're facing this problem when using Remote Desktop to remotely access another computer, don't worry. Here in this part, we introduce two ways to help you fix could not load the Remote Desktop Services ActiveX control mstscax.dll on Windows 10 problem.

Method 1. Re-register the mstscax.dll file

This issue might occur if the mstscax.dll file is not registered. You may try to follow these steps and try to re-register the mstscax.dll file.

Step 1. Search for Command Prompt in the Search box, and then click Run as administrator.

Step 2. Type in “regsvr32 Mstscax.dll” without quotes and press Enter. Then click OK.

Method 2. Replace the mstscax.dll file

Another way to resolve this problem is by replacing mstscax.dll file with another working copy. Before this, you need to use two commands to take ownership of the file.

Step 1. Open an administrator Command Prompt. Use the following "takeown" command to take ownership of the file:

takeown /f C:\Windows\System32\mstscax.dll

Step 2. That will give you ownership of the file, but you still have no right to delete it. You need to run the following cacls command to give yourself full control rights to the file:

cacls C:\Windows\System32\mstscax.dll /G username:F (Replace the “username” with your username)

Step 3. At this point, you should be able to delete the file and then replace it with another known working copy. Navigate here: This PC > Win 10 (C:) > Windows > System32, follow the path to find mstscax.dll file.

Step 4. Right-click it and choose Properties.

Step 5. Go to the Previous Version tab, wait for it to finish the search, then you’ll see another version of the file. Copy it and then paste it to the System32 folder.

Free Remote Desktop alternative: AnyViewer

In the last section, we discussed two tried-and-true solutions for resolving the mstscax.dll remote desktop error. Another option is to utilize the quick and stable remote desktop software AnyViewer, which allows you to access your work computer in the office from home without any further configuration. If you are looking for a Remote Desktop alternative, try AnyViewer.

Step 1. Download, install, and launch AnyViewer on both your home and office computers.

Step 2. On your office computer, go to Log in, and then click Sign up. (If you already have signed up on its official website, you can log in directly.)

Step 3. Fill in the signup information.

Step 4. Then you can see you successfully logged in to AnyViewer. Your device will automatically be assigned to the account you've logged in to.

Step 5. On your home computer, log in to the same AnyViewer account, then click One-click control to achieve unattended remote access to your office computer.

Step 6. Then you can see the screen of your office computer and take full control of it.

Conclusion

This post mainly introduces two methods to fix the “Could not load the Remote Desktop Services ActiveX control” problem. You can try to re-register the mstscax.dll file or just replace it with another working one. Also, you can try a Remote Desktop alternative like AnyViewer. AnyViewer can achieve unattended remote access with just a few steps. With it, you’ll see how easy remote access is.