How Do I Fix Remote Desktop Access Is Denied?

Get Access is denied error with Remote Desktop 

“When I tried to access Windows 7 from my Windows 10 computer with Remote Desktop Connection, I got "Access is Denied." error. The remote access was working until OS was updated to the latest version. 

Why the computer keeps saying access denied?

Access denied is a common error when starting Remote Desktop services to remotely access a computer in Windows 7/8/10/11. Usually, it occurs out of the following causes. 

• The account isn't authorized for remote login. 
• The firewall blocks the Remote Desktop port.
• Remote connection hasn't been enabled on the remote computer. 
• The remote computer only allows connecting to a computer that Network Level Authentication has set up. 
• The remote computer is turned off, asleep, or hibernating. 

How to fix Remote Desktop access denied [5 methods]

After figuring out why Remote Desktop Access is Denied in Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11, it's time to see how to fix the error effectively.  First of all, make sure that the remote computer is turned on and enabled through Windows Firewall. Then, you can take more measures. 

Method 1. Add your user into Remote Desktop Users local group

An unauthorized account can be the main cause of Windows Remote Desktop access denied error. If so, you need to add the user into Remote Desktop Users local group. 

Step 1. On the computer that you want to access, press Win + R to invoke thbdialog box. Then type in sysdm.cpl and hit OK. 

Step 2.  In the System Properteis window, make sure Allow remote connections to this computer selected and click Select Users.

✐ Note:  If Remote Desktop options greyed out, you can fix it from Registry or just switch to third-party remote access software for Windows. 

Step 3. Click the Add button.

Step 4. Under Enter the object names to select:, input the user name and click Check Names. 

Then save the changes on the remote computer and try to use Remote Desktop connection to connect it again. 

Method 2. Change Local Security Policy settings

Incorrect settings of Local Security Policy may be another cause of Remote Desktop access denied. You can follow the steps below to edit the Local Security Policy to fix this problem.

 

Step 1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type in secpol.msc and press OK.

Step 2. Expand Local Policies and then select User Rights Assignment.

Step 3. Locate and double-click Allow log on through Remote Desktop Services in the right pane of User Rights Assignment.

Step 4. Click Add User or Group.

Step 5. Type in Remote Desktop user names and click OK.

Method 3. Set the Remote Desktop Services logon to Network Service

A user mentioned that he just ran into this issue and was able to resolve it by setting the Remote Desktop Services service logon to Network Service, and it was set to Local System before. Thus, we’ll try this method as well.

Step 1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type in services.msc and press OK.

Step 2. Locate Remote Desktop Services and double-click it.

Step 3. Go to Log On tab and make sure that the Local System account isn’t checked. Then click Apply and OK to save the change.

Method 4. Change Registry settings

Editing your registry is another method suggested by users. To resolve Windows Remote Desktop access denied problem, the Users group should be given specific rights.

Step 1. Press Win + R to invoke the Run dialog box. Then type in regedit and hit OK.

Step 2. Navigate here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion > Winlogon. Right-click Winlogon and then choose Permissions.

Step 3. Select user in the upper box. Then make sure that the user has Read permissions set to Allow in the lower box. Finally, click Apply and OK to save changes.

Method 5. Create a new DWORD

Some people suggest that adding a new DWORD to the registry may help solve Remote Desktop access denied problem. Thus, we’ll try this method as well to see if it can help you solve the Remote Desktop access denied problem.  

Step 1. Press Win + R to invoke the Run dialog box. Then type in regedit and hit OK.

Step 2. Navigate here: Computer > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Terminal Server. In the right pane, right-click the empty space and choose New >DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 3. Enter IgnoreRegUserConfigErrors as the name of the new DWORD and double-click it to open its properties.

Step 4. Set the Value data to 1 and click OK.

Easy & free Remote Desktop alternative: AnyViewer

The methods for resolving Access is denied error in Remote Desktop can be a little bit complicated for users who don't know much about computers. Thus, I would like to recommend you to use third-party software for remotely accessing computers from anywhere at anytime, like AnyViewer. 

You don't need to set up Windows step-by-step even if you want to access a computer from a different network.  And it is compatible with almost all editions of Windows, covering Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 and Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012 R2.  It allows you to achieve one-click unattended remote access via the same account or get access via device ID.  To access your office computer regularly from your own laptop or desktop, the first way is recommended. To remotely control another computer for once to offer remote support, you can choose the second way: input device ID and send a request. 

✍ Download it and see to access unattended computer via the same account. 

Step 1. Download, install and launch AnyViewer on both computers. 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 2. Fill in the signup information.

Step 3. Then you can see you successfully logged in to AnyViewer. Your device will automatically be assigned to the account you've logged in.

Step 4. Log in to the same AnyViewer account on the two devices, then click Remote control to achieve unattended remote access.

Note: If you want to assign more devices, you can upgrade your account to a Professional or Enterprise plan. Professional or Enterprise edition users can also connect to another computer in privacy mode, which means they can black the screen and block the mouse and keyboard of the remote computer.

Conclusion

If you get Remote Desktop Access is Denied error in Windows 10/8/7 or Windows 11, you can choose to take measures to fix it and then restart remote access over Remote Desktop; or you can just switch to AnyViewer for simple and secure remote access.