
Remote Desktop Connection and Remote Desktop come built into Windows 10 and 11 at no added cost. The ongoing proliferation of “work from home” situations post-pandemic has only increased the value and importance of remote access. Network and support admins find this capability invaluable, particularly if they must access and interact with PCs (including those running Windows Server as well as desktop versions of Windows) in other locations. With some minor exceptions - usually related to applications or services that require direct, physical access to a specific machine (such as a BIOS/UEFI upgrade, firmware tools, and some OEM utilities) - one can do anything to a PC remotely that one can do directly. Thus, for example, I can sit at my production desktop and access any of the other 11 PCs in my house easily and directly.


Both work to the same ends but have minor differences. Figure 1: Remote Desktop Connection (left) is more old-fashioned Remote Desktop (right) is a more modern app.
