“Remote Desktop can’t connect to the remote computer” is one of the most common Windows VPS support issues. The cause is almost always one of a handful of things: the network, the port, the firewall, the Remote Desktop service, or authentication. Work through these checks in order.
1. Is the server up and reachable?
ping your-server-ip
Test-NetConnection your-server-ip -Port 3389(On macOS or Linux: nc -vz your-server-ip 3389.)
- Ping fails and the port fails: the server may be off, rebooting (for example, installing updates), or its network is down. Check the VPS status in your client area, and open the VNC console to see the screen. See VPS VNC console.
- Ping fails, port succeeds: fine. Windows blocks ping by default.
- Port fails, VNC shows Windows running: a firewall or RDP service issue (next steps).
2. Right port?
If you (or a script) changed the RDP port, connect with ip:port, for example 203.0.113.10:53389. Check the configured port via the VNC console:
Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp' -Name PortNumberSee change the RDP port.
3. Firewall rules
From the VNC console:
Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop" | Select-Object DisplayName, Enabled, Profile
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop"
# custom port:
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "RDP custom" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 53389 -Action AllowIf you restricted RDP to your IP and your home IP changed, update the rule’s remote address. See Windows Server firewall with PowerShell.
4. Is Remote Desktop enabled and running?
Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server' -Name fDenyTSConnections # 0 = enabled
Set-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server' -Name fDenyTSConnections -Value 0
Get-Service TermService
Restart-Service TermService -Force5. Authentication errors
| Message | Fix |
|---|---|
| “Your credentials did not work” | Check the username format (.\Administrator or SERVERNAME\user), keyboard layout, and Caps Lock |
| “The user account has been locked” | Lockout policy (often from brute-force attempts). Wait for the lockout to expire, or log in via the VNC console with another admin account and clear “Account is locked out” in the user’s properties (lusrmgr.msc) |
| “The connection was denied because the user account is not authorized for remote login” | Add the user to Remote Desktop Users. See Windows Server users and groups |
| “An authentication error has occurred … CredSSP” | Update client and server. See RDP Network Level Authentication |
| “You must change your password” | Change it via the VNC console (NLA can’t show the dialog) |
6. Too many sessions or licensing
- “The remote computer has reached its connection limit” / you’re asked to disconnect another user: Windows Server allows two admin sessions by default. Log off stale sessions (
quser,logoff <id>). See RDP multiple sessions. - “No Remote Desktop License Servers available”: the RDS role was installed without CALs, and the grace period ended. See RDS CAL licensing.
7. Evaluation licence expired
If the server shuts down roughly every hour, the Windows Server evaluation period may have ended. Activate your licence. See Windows Server activation.
8. Connects, then black screen or disconnects
That’s a session problem, not a connection problem. See RDP black screen fix and slow Remote Desktop.
9. Your own network
Some corporate, school, hotel and public networks block outbound 3389. Test from another network (for example a phone hotspot). A non-default port, VPN, or RD Gateway over HTTPS (443) gets through most restrictive networks. See RD Gateway.
Quick reference
| Check | Command |
|---|---|
| Port reachable | Test-NetConnection ip -Port 3389 |
| RDP port | PortNumber in RDP-Tcp registry key |
| Enable RDP | fDenyTSConnections = 0 |
| Firewall | Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop" |
| Service | Restart-Service TermService -Force |
| Last resort access | VNC console in the control panel |
Related: RDP brute-force protection and Windows VPS.