Manually grant RDP access to an Active Directory user (2024)

This article explains how to give Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access to an Active Directory (AD)
user on a domain server.

If a AD-domain user cannot log in to a server, you can follow the same steps to verify RDP permissions.
You need administrator rights to make any changes.

1. Log in to the server.

2. Right-click the Windows® icon and select System.

3. Select the remote settings depending on your Windows version:

   • 2012 R2: Click on Remote Settings.
   • 2016: Click Remote Desktop > Select users that can remotely access this PC.

4. Click on Select Users.

5. Click Add.

6. Type the username you wish to add.

7. Click Check Names.

   Note: If you enter the domain user correctly, the name is underlined.

8. After you add the user, click Apply and OK.