By Hester / Last Updated February 27, 2023

The issue: Remote Desktop not showing

RDP is a convenient feature provided by Microsoft for users to access their computers remotely. However, it could be annoying when it does not show correctly. For Windows Remote Desktop not showing, you may encounter plenty of conditions: Remote Desktop taskbar not showing, mouse cursor not showing, etc. Here in this article, we will show you effective solutions in different cases. Please go to the section according to your condition.

Quick navigation:
How to fix Remote Desktop not showing taskbar
How to fix Remote Desktop not showing mouse
How to fix Remote Desktop not showing credentials dialogue
How to fix Remote Desktop not showing full screen
How to fix other Remote Desktop common problems

How to fix Remote Desktop not showing taskbar

Try the following solutions if you can't see the taskbar in a Remote Desktop connection.

Solution 1. Restart Windows Explorer

The easiest way is to restart the Windows Explorer process.

Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys together to open Task Manager.

Step 2. Locate and right-click Windows Explorer, and click Restart in the expanded menu.

Windows Explorer

Solution 2. Change system settings

You can also solve this problem by changing the default settings.

Step 1. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize.

Desktop Personalize

Step 2. Go to Taskbar section and turn the following options off.

Taskbar

Step 3. Change the taskbar location to see if the taskbar is visible.

Taskbar Location

How to fix Remote Desktop not showing mouse

If you are facing mouse cursor disappearing on Remote Desktop, here are the solutions for you.

Solution 1. Change mouse settings

You can change the mouse settings on the host computer.

Step 1. Open Control Panel, and click Ease of Access.

Ease of Access

Step 2. Click Ease of Access Center.

Ease of Access Center

Step 3. Click Make the mouse easier to use.

Make the Mouse Easier to Use

Step 4. Enable Turn on Mouse Keys.

Turn on Mouse Keys

Solution 2. Update mouse drivers

You can manually update the mouse drive and check whether your mouse is working properly.

Step 1. Press Win + X, and click Device Manager.

Open Device Manager

Step 2. Double-click Mice and other pointing devices. Right-click the mouse you are currently using and click Update driver.

Update Mouse Driver

Step 3. Click Search automatically for drivers.

Search Automatically for Drivers

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update.

How to fix Remote Desktop not showing credentials dialogue

For the Remote Desktop not showing credentials issue, try the following method.

Step 1. Search Credential Manager in the start menu and open it.

Credential Manager

Step 2. Select Windows Credentials and click Add a Windows credential.

Add a Windows Credential

Step 3. Enter the information about the device and click OK.

Add Credential

How to fix Remote Desktop not showing full screen

When meeting RDP full screen not working, try the solutions below.

Solution 1. Change display settings

You can manually set full-screen mode for connections.

Step 1. Search Remote Desktop Connection in the start menu and open it.

Remote Desktop Connection

Step 2. Click Show Options.

Show Options

Step 3. Go to the Display tab, and move the slider to Large.

Full Screen

Solution 2. Force Remote Desktop to use a specific size

You can also force the Remote Desktop connection to display in a specific size.

Press Win + R, type in “mstsc.exe /h:X /w:X” and press OK.

Note: "h" refers to height, and "w" refers to width. You need to replace "X" with the number you want to set.

Run Command mstsc.exe

Bonus tip: Other common solutions to fix Remote Desktop errors

Other causes of the Remote Desktop not showing may be a poor network connection, firewall blocked, etc. If the above solutions do not work, try the following methods.

Solution 1. Check the network condition

A working network connection is essential for RDP to work properly.

Step 1. Open Control Panel > View network status and tasks.

View Network Status and Tasks

Step 2. Click your network connection to check the status.

View Network Status

Solution 2. Change Firewall settings

Make sure the Firewall is accessible for RDP port.

Step 1. Open Windows Defender Firewall, and select Allow an App or Feature Through Windows Defender Firewall.

Allow App or Feature

Step 2. Tick Remote Desktop and click OK.

Tick Remote Deskop

Solution 3. Configure the Registry Editor

You can fix RDP problems by making change to the Registry Editor.

Step 1. Press Win + R, enter “regedit”, and click OK.

Run Box regedit

Step 2. Go to Computer > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Microsoft > Terminal Server Client.

Terminal Server Client

Step 3. Right-click the empty place and click New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

New Dword

Step 4. Name it RDGClientTransport and double-click it to open its properties.

rdgclienttransport

Step 5. Enter Value data to and click OK.

rdgclienttransport Data Value

Solution 4. Switch to RDP alternative to avoid all the errors above

No matter what RDP problems you face, the most effective way is to use a reliable Remote Desktop alternative to avoid all the issues. Here, we recommend you the professional yet powerful remote desktop software AnyViewer. It is developed by a sophisticated technical team, ensuring you an error-free connection environment. Besides, AnyViewer has more advanced features over RDP, it allows unattended remote access, flexible file transfer, multiple sessions, etc., and users can exchange messages instantly during a remote connection.

Download AnyViewer on your devices to get the best remote control experience!

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7
Secure Download

Here is how to set up AnyViewer:

Step 1. Start AnyViewer on the hostcomputer, and click Sign up to register a personal account.

Log in AnyViewer

Step 2. Fill in the blanks and click Sign up.

Sign Up for Anyviewer

Step 3. On the client computer, launch AnyViewer, and log in with the same account. The client computer will automatically assign to the account when you successfully log in.

Free Editions

Step 4. Go to Device, click the host device, and select One-click control to take remote control of the computer.

Connect to My Devices

Now you can control the host computer like you were physically using it. There are several options you can use in the toolbar. For example, chat with your partner, change the screen resolution, etc.

Remote Access Operations

Notes:✎...AnyViewer also has specified plans for business purposes. You canselect Professional or Enterprise plan to enjoy more rights!
More concurrent channels.
Establish more sessions simultaneously.
Assign more devices to an account.
Access in privacy mode.
Transfer unlimited files at high speed.
Mass Deployment(MSI).

Conclusion

From this post, you can know the common situations for the Remote Desktop not showing problem, and you can get the solutions for each issue. If you encounter RDP errors frequently, we recommend you try the professional solution AnyViewer.