Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac

Free Microsoft Mac OS X 10.10/10.7/10.8/10.9 Version 8.0.18 Full Specs

Editors' Rating:

Good

Average User Rating:

64 User Votes

3.5

out of 65 votes

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Editors' Review

by Download.com staff / August 07, 2014

Microsoft Remote Deskop is an effective free tool for managing remote-desktop connections from a Mac. Perfect for those who travel frequently, or those who have a Mac/PC environment at work that they need to interface with, this free app provides most of the basic tools necessary.

Pros

Fast and intuitive: Microsoft Remote Desktop's basic tools allow you to access your remote Windows desktop and open common programs, sort through files, and manipulate your machine from a Mac over an Internet connection. This is an invaluable tool.

Clean user interface: The interface is decidedly Mac-friendly, offering a range of tools that can quick-start popular Windows programs or folders that you use frequently on your PC. Whether you're booting up Remote Desktop quickly to access your machine or you're using it for long work sessions, the layout of the tools is effective.

Cons

Limited display options: The display options can be limited at times, with dock and menu hide options not available in certain configurations. Multiscreen support sometimes causes issues when you switch back to single-screen use, which can be frustrating when you're managing multiple apps or switching between interfaces.

Bottom Line

Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac is a useful free tool that allows you to access your Windows programs and files from a remote Mac. That alone is reason enough to download it, if you work on both systems and need to move files between them often. Remote Desktop is not as robust as other paid tools, but for infrequent transfers or very basic needs, it gets the job done.

What do you need to know about free software?

Editors' Review

by Download.com staff / August 07, 2014

Pros

Cons

Bottom Line

Publisher's Description

From Microsoft:

With the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, you can connect to a remote PC and your work resources from almost anywhere. Experience the power of Windows with RemoteFX in a Remote Desktop client designed to help you get your work done wherever you are.

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User Reviews

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3.5
out of 64 votes
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3 stars

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"Great except alt-key bug introduced in latest update"

March 17, 2015 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0.14

2015-03-17 09:17:39

Pros

Have been using this app for a few years. Great for working remotely on a Windows machine using your Mac. Except for the latest update, which disabled alt key combinations, working remotely on my Mac is identical to working directly on my Windows machine with an Apple wireless keyboard.

Cons

As noted in the "Pros," the latest update killed alt key combinations. So, for example, one cannot use alt key combinations to navigate within a dialog box in Microsoft Word. As I use key combinations frequently, this is a huge annoyance. In MS Office applications one can access the ribbon commands using the alt key, but one must first press the alt key, let go, and then press the second key instead of pressing them both simultaneously.

Summary

I would give it 5 stars but for the annoying alt key problem. Seems like a minor thing, but I use the alt key all the time.

Read reply (1)

1 stars

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"Updates are killing me!"

February 28, 2015 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0.13

2015-02-28 13:17:13

Pros

Multiple profiles
Easy to set up

Cons

Update of Feb 2015 has ruined my access

2 stars

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"Freezes All The Time!"

jianthe January 01, 2014 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0.2

2014-01-01 23:08:41 | By jianthe

Pros

The UI to manage connections is really handy.

Cons

After the first patch, it just kept on freezing after a while. The timing seems to be random but it always happens after I switch to other windows. It's really annoying!

And the "Use all monitors" option is confusing when I use multiple screens. I don't want it but it's on by default.

Switching back to full screen doesn't fit the whole screen. I get the annoying scroll bar on the right side of the RDP window.

Summary

I hope they downgrade it back to the previous version. It's infuriating when I lose connection or it freezes. The features are kinda simple but still, it feels like this wasn't tested thoroughly at all.

2 stars

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"Works but Frequently Disconnects"

JJBow27 August 20, 2012 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection 2.1.1

2012-08-20 15:34:58 | By JJBow27

Pros

Great idea, and great tool for a Mac.

Cons

It disconnects all the time. So it makes working remotely really frustrating. This product could do with an overhaul...

Summary

Works infrequently, disconnects and needs some kind of update to make it more stable.

3 stars

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"Works most of the time"

djenvz February 18, 2012 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection 2.1.1

2012-02-18 11:41:18 | By djenvz

Pros

Pretty simple, does what it suppose to, feels like you'e really working on that pc machine remotely. Make sure to launch in full screen mode, had some issues working in other size window sessions.

Cons

Hangs up - sometimes from the very start of the remote session and you have to disconnect and reconnect again. For me only works on my Mac Air in 32 bit mode - can't work it on 64 bit mode. Have had it crash when disconnecting from the machine prompting the mac to do a 'report crash' window thing.

Summary

Overall, works great when it does work, wish it worked in 64 bit mode so I don't have to restart to 32 bit when ever I want to use it to get to my work laptop remotely.

3 stars

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"Works, but frequently disconnects"

wscheets August 06, 2011 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection 2.1.1

2011-08-06 07:50:51 | By wscheets

Pros

Works very well
Keyboard Mapping
Allows full-screen without dock
Flexible Sound options

Cons

DIsconnects frequently

Summary

I like if very much, except for the frequent disconnects. I also use an XP laptop using the windows version of the remote desktop software to the same remote computer, and never get these disconnects. No indication from the remote computer that it's doing the disconnect either. I'm currently using version 2.0.1.

1 stars

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"Crashes - I reverted to 2.01"

RobertCorser November 05, 2010 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection 2.1

2010-11-05 13:17:21 | By RobertCorser

Pros

None for this version - previous ones get 4 stars

Cons

Buggy won't connect

Summary

Previous versions work

4 stars

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"Very valuable!"

Fastidious_Grimace November 04, 2010 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection 2.1

2010-11-04 06:54:38 | By Fastidious_Grimace

Pros

Allows me to connect to multiple Windows PCs at my remote office without having to consume the limited resources of my Windows virtual machine to connect.

Cons

Not as reliable as the Remote Desktop Connection in Windows. There are several PCs to which I can only connect from a Windows PC.

Summary

The new version appears to offer no improvement compared to the previous version.

1 stars

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"Doesn't work with Windows 2000 server"

ms_t_rie1 November 03, 2010 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection 2.1

2010-11-03 06:11:33 | By ms_t_rie1

Pros

Previous versions have been good.

Cons

This version immediately crashes when I connect to a Windows 2000 server.

Summary

I can't use this version at all. The 2.01 version works fine for everything I do, I restored it from Time Machine a few minutes after trying to get 2.1 to work. It consistently crashes immediately up on attempting to connect. I'll stick to what works.

4 stars

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"Does what it does well."

explorerguy_dotmac November 02, 2010 / Version: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection 2.1

2010-11-02 14:09:19 | By explorerguy_dotmac

Pros

Quick connection and interaction.

Cons

Tends to quit, inexplicably.

Summary

The best way I've found to connect to a PC.

Results 1–10 of 32

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Full Specifications

What's new in version 8.0.18
Fix for issues with concurrent connections using Gateway on Windows Server 2012 editions.

General
Publisher	Microsoft
Publisher web site	http://www.microsoft.com/
Release Date	May 21, 2015
Date Added	May 21, 2015
Version	8.0.18

Category
Category	Networking Software
Subcategory	Remote Access

Operating Systems
Operating Systems	Mac OS X 10.10/10.7/10.8/10.9
Additional Requirements	None

Download Information
File Size	8.93MB
File Name	External File

Popularity
Total Downloads	138,059
Downloads Last Week	152

Pricing
License Model	Free
Limitations	Not available
Price	Free

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Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac

Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac

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Editors' Review

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What do you need to know about free software?

Editors' Review

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Publisher's Description

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Full Specifications

What's new in version 8.0.18

General

Category

Operating Systems

Download Information

Popularity

Pricing

Screenshots