On my Mac, I use Microsoft's Remote Desktop app to connect to a Windows box. I can see in the preferences how to map the Command key to Alt, and the Option key to the Windows key, so that the Alt and Windows keys are in the same physical layout on my Mac RDP connection as they are on the actual Windows keyboard. That is, the Alt key (Command) is directly to the left of the space bar, and the Windows key (Option) is directly to the left of that. But if I set it up that way, I can't use Alt-Tab on the Windows machine-the Mac intercepts it and treats it as a Command-Tab to switch away from the RDP app. I know some programs are able to prevent this-VirtualBox and VMWare, for instance, let you use Command-Tab as Alt-Tab inside a windows guest. (In fact, one solution to this I had was to use a Windows virtual machine on the mac, only to use that to RDP into another machine!) Short of creating a windows virtual machine, is there any way I can get the Mac RDP app to send Command-Tab as Alt-Tab to the remote Windows machine? You could do this:.
Swap the Command key and Option key in Mac Keyboard Preferences. Set Alt to Option (default) in RDP Client Preferences and set Windows Start to Command. This gives you the same layout as a Windows keyboard on Remote Desktop, though it does affect the remainder of your Mac applications. I find that it's not that big of a deal to get used to swapped option and command keys on the Mac. I spend a lot of time in an RDP session and I spend another 30% of my time on a PC, so it's just easier to use that layout for me.
Brown's RemoteApp service allows members of the Brown community to access applications virtually without having to fully install them on the computer. There are two methods of connecting to RemoteApps:. (useful if you're not on your own computer) After you've connected, check out our. Recommended Method: Microsoft Remote Desktop Part 1: Install Microsoft's Remote Desktop Application. On your University-issued Mac, click to open Self Service and install.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection is Microsoft's own proprietary software that enables you to connect from your Mac to a Windows computer.
On your personal Mac, click and open the Mac App Store and install. Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 requires OS X 10.11 El Capitan or later. If you are using a Mac with an unsupported version of macOS, you can attempt to download and configure Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0.44 using instructions. Part 2: Connect to RemoteApps using Microsoft Remote Desktop If you regularly use the same computer to connect to your RemoteApp sessions, you can add a direct connection via the Microsoft Remote Desktop client. This will allow you to easily access RemoteApps from your computer. From your Dock or Applications folder, launch the 'Microsoft Remote Desktop' app you installed in the previous step. Click the '+' button in the menu bar and click 'Remote Resources'.
Enter your Brown email address when prompted and click the 'Find Feed' button. Click the 'Add' button when the Remote Resources feed is discovered. Click the drop-down menu next to 'User Account:' and select 'Add User Account.' . Enter your Brown username and password as depicted and click 'Save' and then 'Add Feed'. Click the 'Apps' button in the menu bar to show available RemoteApps.
After you've connected, check out our. Alternate Method: Connect Via the Web If you are connecting from a public computer or a device that you do not use regularly, you can access RemoteApps on the web instead of saving your username and password in the Microsoft Remote Desktop client.
Install the Microsoft Remote Desktop app as described in Part 1 above. Visit and log in with your Brown username and password. Once you've logged in, you will see the RemoteApps for which you are eligible. Double-click the application you'd like to use. You'll be prompted to download a small helper file. When you open the file, you will be asked to log in with your Brown username and password again. Your application will start, and you can use it in a similar fashion as if was installed locally on your own computer.
After you've connected, check out our Tips for Using RemoteApps (below). Using Brown's RemoteApps.
Even though the application looks as if it's running locally on your computer, the application is actually running remotely on a computer in Brown's datacenter. This enables us to keep the application up-to-date and conserve computing resources when they are not in use. The 'My Documents' in the RemoteApp service ties in to the Documents folder in your Brown Network Home Folder. So, you can save information between sessions, and copy and paste files into your Documents folder when needed.
If you'd like to access this folder outside the RemoteApps, see our article. If you leave your RemoteApp open for more than an hour without mouse or keyboard input, you may be logged out.
However, if you have a short disconnection, you will be able to pick up right where you were - even if you switch computers.