Remote desktop with RDP and VNC

Open Windows desktops over RDP and other desktops over VNC in the same workspace as your terminals.

Add a remote desktop host#

Create a host as usual and choose RDP or VNC as protocol. VNC uses port 5900 by default. Remote desktops open as panes in the Workspace, next to your terminals, and keep running when you switch pages. You can place them in tabs and split panes and save them in workspaces. Saved layouts only refer to the host and never store passwords.

RDP#

In the pane you can scale the desktop, let the remote resolution follow the pane size, exchange the clipboard, switch to view-only mode and send Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Under Remote desktop in the host editor you set the Windows domain, a fixed desktop width and height (blank follows the pane size) and whether the clipboard is synchronized with Windows.

With Redirect printer switched on, Windows lists a printer named "Ravelon". Every job printed to it arrives as a PDF in the Downloads/Ravelon folder, and the pane offers to open it so you can print it on a local printer. The server needs the Microsoft Print to PDF driver. Audio and local drives are not redirected.

VNC#

VNC panes support fit or 1:1 scaling, fullscreen, view-only mode and Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Sign in with a password or a saved credential. Under Remote desktop → Connection security you choose:

  • Automatic: prefers TLS with certificate verification, then Apple Remote Desktop, then classic VNC. After a negotiation or certificate error it does not fall back to a weaker method.
  • TLS with certificate verification: requires encryption and checks the server certificate. For a private CA you can add a CA certificate (PEM).
  • Anonymous TLS: encrypts, but does not verify the server. Use it only on a trusted network or through SSH.
  • Apple Remote Desktop and Classic VNC: do not encrypt the desktop.
Tip: Under Authentication → Connect through, choose a saved SSH host. The whole VNC connection then runs encrypted and verified through SSH.

Clipboard exchange for VNC is off by default. Turn on Allow manual clipboard exchange to send text or copy received text with a click. Nothing reaches your clipboard automatically.

Limits#

VNC does not support SASL, RSA-AES or client certificate sign-in, and TLS 1.0 and 1.1 are refused.

Last updated 30 September 2026