How to RDP to a Windows 11 PC with a Microsoft Account

Read this guide to learn how to RDP to a Windows 11 computer with a Microsoft Account, such as an Outlook.com account.

Step 1: Disable Passwordless Account and PIN

If Passwordless account is enabled in your Microsoft account or PIN authentication is enabled in your Windows 11 PC, you’ll not be able to sign in to the PC via RDP.

Follow the subsections below to disable these features.

Step 1.1: Disable PIN Authentication

1. Search Sign-in options in Windows 11 and open it in the Settings app.

2. On the Sign-in options > Ways to sign in page, expand PIN (Windows Hello) and remove any PIN configuration. If the PC is not set up to use PIN, the Set up button will be displayed.

Do not close the Settings app as it is required in the next step.

Step 1.2: Disable Passwordless Account

In this subsection, you’ll sign in to your Microsoft Account and ensure that Passwordless Account sign-in is disabled. Passwordless Account allows you to log in to your Windows 11 PC using a Microsoft Authenticator app without providing a password.

Although this is convenient if you are only required to sign in to the PC locally, if this option is enabled, you cannot do so via RDP.

Follow these steps to disable this option in your Microsoft account.

1. From the Settings page, click on your Microsoft account profile (at the top left of the page).

2. Then, on the details blade of the page, scroll to the Accounts settings section and select Your info.

3. Scroll to the Related settings section and click the link next to Accounts. This will open your Microsoft account’s page in your default browser.

4. Sign in to your Microsoft account if required. Then, select Security > Manage how I sign in on the menu.

5. Finally, scroll to the Additional security section and if Passwordless account. os turned on, turn it off.

Step 2: Enable and Configure Remote Desktop

In this final step, you’ll enable RDP in your Windows 11 PC and configure other required settings.

Step 2.1: Enable Remote Desktop (RDP)

1. Search for remote desktop settings on your Windows 11 PC and open the sections in the Settings app.

2. Then, on the System > Remote Desktop blade, ensure the button is turned on.

Step 2.2: Disable Network Level Authentication

3. Click on the arrow next to the On button.

4. Uncheck Require device to use Disable Network Level Authentication to connect (Recommended).

Step 2.3: Add the Microsoft Account to the Remote Desktop Users Group

5. Scroll to the Remote Desktop Users section and select the link next to it.

6. A note should indicate that your Microsoft account is already a group member. If it has not been added already, use the Add button to add it to the group.

Step 3: RDP to the PC with the Microsoft Account

The following tasks must be performed from a remote computer.

1. Search RDP from a Windows PC and open the Remote Desktop Connection app.
2. When the app opens, enter the name or IP address of the Windows PC you need to RDP into. After that, click Connect. You will be prompted to enter a username and password to connect.

Enter your Microsoft account, e.g., [email protected], then enter the account’s password and click OK.

Conclusion

Connecting to a Windows 11 PC remotely via RDP is supposed to be straightforward. Unfortunately, this simple process is complicated if PIN authentication is enabled on the PC and/or Passwordless account is turned on in your Microsoft account.

The solution is to disable these settings, enable RDP, and disable Network Level Authentication. Additionally, you must add the Microsoft account to the Remote Desktop Users group.

In this guide, I explained the steps to complete these tasks and successfully sign in to a Windows 11 PC via RDP.

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