1. Home
  2. Knowledge Base
  3. Getting Started
  4. How to enable Copy and Paste (Clipboard) in Remote Desktop Session

How to enable Copy and Paste (Clipboard) in Remote Desktop Session

In this article, you will learn How to enable Copy and Paste (Clipboard) in Remote DesktopWe will go over how to enable clipboard on Remote Desktop for different operating systems such as Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS.


What is Clipboard?

The clipboard is a temporary buffer, in which content will be stored temporarily in system RAM. For example, if you copy anything, temporarily that content will be copied into the Clipboard.


How to enable Copy and Paste (Clipboard) for Remote Desktop in Windows

1. Get started by searching Remote Desktop Connection or mstsc in the search box.

Searching "mstsc" in windows search bar.

2. Next, click on the Show Options drop-down.

Where to click on Windows Remote Desktop Connection page to show more options.

3. Then, navigate to the Local Resources tab.

Locating where the Local Resources tab is within the Windows Remote Desktop Connection application.

4. Next, tick the box next to the Clipboard option.

5. Lastly, connect to your server. Now you will be able to use the clipboard from your local device to your server or vice-versa.


How to enable Copy and Paste (Clipboard) for Remote Desktop in Android

Please follow this guide if you already have an existing Remote Desktop profile. If not, please follow How to Connect to Windows VPS using RDP to save a Remote Desktop profile.

1. Open the Remote Desktop application by Microsoft Corporation.

Opening Remote Desktop 8 from Android Playstore.

2. Next, click on •••, then select Edit.

3. Then, navigate to the Devices & Audio Redirection section towards the bottom of the screen, and enable the Clipboard option.

4. Lastly, click on Save to finalize the changes. Now you will be able to use the clipboard from your local device to your server or vice-versa.

Saving server settings on Android Remote Desktop Client.

How to enable Copy and Paste (Clipboard) for Remote Desktop in macOS

Please follow this guide if you already have an existing Remote Desktop profile. If not, please follow How to Connect to Windows VPS using RDP to save a Remote Desktop profile.

1. First, open the Microsoft Remote Desktop application.

Opening the Microsoft Remote Desktop from the macOS app store.

2. Once Remote Desktop is open, click the ••• button and select the Edit option.

Where to edit server settings in Microsoft Remote Desktop on macOS.

3. Then, navigate to the Devices & Audio option.

4. Next, tick the check box next to the Clipboard option.

Ticking the checkbox for Clipboard on macOS

5. Lastly, click on Save to finalize the changes. Now you will be able to use the clipboard from your local device to your server or vice-versa.

Finalizing changes in the Devices & Audio tab of macOS Remote Desktop Client.

How to enable Copy and Paste (Clipboard) for Remote Desktop in iOS

Please follow this guide if you already have an existing Remote Desktop profile. If not, please follow How to Connect to Windows VPS using RDP to save a Remote Desktop profile.

1. To start off, open the RD Client app on your iOS device.

Opening the iOS remote desktop client application.

2. Once the application is open, long-press an existing server until the Edit option appears and select the Edit option to get to the server settings.

Edit button on a server via iOS RD Client.

3. Then, navigate to the DEVICES & AUDIO REDIRECTION section towards the bottom of the screen, and enable the Clipboard option.

Navigating to the Clipboard option in iOS RD Client.

4. Lastly, click on Save to finalize the changes. Now you will be able to use the clipboard from your local device to your server or vice-versa.

Saving server settings on iOS RD Client.

How to troubleshoot the clipboard

Sometimes copy and paste feature doesn’t work. If you are caught up in an issue like this, then follow the below steps to fix it,

1. On the Windows VPS, navigate to the windows icon in the bottom left corner and right-click it. Then select Task Manager.

How to open Task Manager on the Windows Server.

2. The Task Manager window will then appear, click the More details drop-down arrow.

Opening more details in Task Manager window.

3. Next, navigate to the Processes tab in the Task Manager window.

Navigating to Processes tab in Windows Task Manager.

3. Then, locate the process called RDP Clipboard Monitor or rdclip.exe, both are the same thing.

Selecting RDP Clipboard Monitor or rdclip.exe in task manager.

4. Next, select RDP Clipboard Monitor or rdclip.exe, so that it is highlighted in blue, and click the End task button on the bottom right corner.

Selecting RDP Clipboard Monitor or rdclip.exe in task manager.

5. Then, click on File in the top left-hand corner and select Run new task.

Where to run new task in Windows Task Manager.

6. Once the Create new task window appears, enter rdpclip.exe in the text box and then select OK.

After following the above steps, the clipboard functionality within your server should begin to work again.

Updated on February 28, 2023

Was this article helpful?

Need Support?
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Don't worry we're here to help!
CONTACT SUPPORT