You can monitor the actions of a client logged on to an RD Session Host server by using remote control from another session. Remote control allows you to either observe or actively control a client session. If you choose to actively control a client session, you will be able to input keyboard and mouse actions to the session. You can warn a client that you want to remotely control their session by choosing to display a message on the client that asks permission to view or take part in the session.
Configuring remote control on a per connection basis affects all sessions that use the connection. By default, remote control is not allowed.
You can configure remote control on a per user basis by using the Remote Desktop Services Extension to the Local Users and Groups snap-in or to the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.
Remote control settings configured by using Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration will take precedence over the remote control settings that have been configured for a specific user account.
Use the following procedure to specify the remote control settings for a remote session.
Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the RD Session Host server that you plan to configure, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at
 | To specify the remote control settings for a remote session |
On the RD Session Host server, open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. To open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
Under Connections, right-click the name of the connection, and then click Properties.
In the Properties dialog box for the connection, on the Remote Control tab, select one of the following options:
- To use the remote control settings specified for the user account, select Use remote control with default user settings. The default setting for a user account is that remote control users have full control of the session if the user gives permission.
- To disable remote control sessions, select Do not allow remote control.
- To specify remote control settings for the connection, select Use remote control with the following settings. To require user permission before the remote control session is enabled, select the Require user’s permission check box and then select one of the following options:
- To only allow the remote control session to view the remote session, click View the session.
- To allow the remote control session to interact with the remote session, click Interact with the session.
- To only allow the remote control session to view the remote session, click View the session.
- To use the remote control settings specified for the user account, select Use remote control with default user settings. The default setting for a user account is that remote control users have full control of the session if the user gives permission.
Click OK. Changes to remote control settings are not applied to sessions that are connected when the change is made. The changes will take effect the next time the user establishes a new connection to the RD Session Host server.
You can also configure remote control settings by applying the Set rules for remote control of Remote Desktop Session Host server user sessions Group Policy setting. This Group Policy setting is located in the following locations:
- Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Connections
- User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Connections
This Group Policy setting can be configured by using either the Local Group Policy Editor or the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).
 | Note |
The Group Policy setting will take precedence over the setting configured in Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. If both the Computer Configuration and the User Configuration policy settings are configured, the Computer Configuration policy setting takes precedence. |
For more information about Group Policy settings for Remote Desktop Services, see the Remote Desktop Services Technical Reference (
For information about how to remotely control a user session, see the topic "Remotely Control a User Session" in the Remote Desktop Services Manager Help in Windows Server 2008 R2.
For information about configuring remote control settings on a per user basis, see the topic "<UserAccount> Properties: Remote Control Tab" in the Remote Desktop Services User Properties Help in Windows Server 2008 R2.