By Hester / Last Updated March 23, 2023

How to get out of Remote Desktop full screen [2 Methods]

Do you know how to get out of Remote Desktop full screen? If you are in a Remote Desktop Connection and having problems exiting the full screen, you are going to the right place! Try the following methods to exit the Remote Desktop full screen.

Remote Desktop Full Screen

Method 1. Exit RDP full screen from the connection bar

You can click the minimize button in the connection bar to exit the full screen.

Menu Bar

Sometimes the connection bar may disappear. In this case, press "Ctrl + Alt + Home” to show the connection bar. If it does not appear, go to method 2 to see how to exit Remote Desktop without connection bar.

Method 2. Exit RDP full screen with keyboard shortcuts

You can press the "Ctrl + Alt + Pause/Break" keyboard combination to switch the Remote Desktop session between a window and a full-screen mode.

If you don’t have a “Pause/Break” key or you are using a laptop with an “Fn” key, then you can try the following combinations:

  • Ctrl + Fn + Alt + F12
  • Ctrl + Fn + Alt + F6
  • Ctrl + Alt + Fn + Del

Bonus tip: Other handy keyboard shortcuts for RDP

Here are some handy Remote Desktop Connection keyboard shortcuts to improve work efficiency in your RDP sessions.

Shortcuts combination

Functions

Alt + Delete

Open the context menu of the active window

Alt + Home

Open the Start menu

Alt + Insert

Cycle through the tasks in the most recently used order

Alt + Left/Right Arrow

Switch between the local and remote computer

Alt + Page Up

Switch between programs from left to right

Alt + Page Down

Switch between programs from right to left

Ctrl + Alt + End

Open the Task Manager

Ctrl + Alt + Minus(-)

Take a screenshot of the entire client window on the terminal server clipboard

Ctrl + Alt + Plus(+)

Get a screenshot of the currently open window in the client and save it on the terminal server clipboard

What if your keyboard not working?

If your keyboard is not working in the RDP session, try the following methods to solve the problem.

Method 1. Change Remote Desktop keyboard settings

Step 1. Search Remote Desktop Connection from the start menu and click Open.

Remote Desktop

Step 2. Click Show Options and go to the Local Resources tab. Under the Keyboard section, select On this computer.

On This Computer

Method 2. Use the on-screen keyboard

Step 1. Open Settings, and click Ease of Access.

Ease of Use Found in the Control Panel

Step 2. Click keyboard and turn on Use the On-Screen Keyboard.

Use the on Screen Keyboard

Step 3. Then you can perform the shortcuts with the on-screen keyboard.

On Screen Keyboard

Method 3. Use an external keyboard

If you need to use shortcuts operations frequently in your daily life, but your current keyboard lacks many important keys, using an external full-size computer keyboard is also a good choice.

AnyViewer: The best RDP alternative with easier operations

AnyViewer is a professional remote computer access tool with high security and easy operations. You can easily enter or exit the remote connection full screen with only one click and flexibly modify the display resolution in the remote session.

Full Screen Icon

Besides, AnyViewer has the following advantages over Remote Desktop Connection.

Compatible. AnyViewer supports Windows OS and Windows Server OS, while RDP does not support Windows Home/Standard edition.
File transfer. AnyViewer supports flexible file transfer between devices with or without remote control.
Multiple session. AnyViewer allows simultaneous multiple sessions, while RDP for Windows OS does not have such feature.
Instant chat. AnyViewer has the chat option for users to exchange messages during the remote session.

Download AnyViewer on your computers:

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7
Secure Download

Step 1. On the host computer, click Sign up for registration.

Log in Anyviewer

Step 2. Enter the information and click Sign up.

Sign Up for Anyviewer

Step 3. Log in to the account you registered before on the client computer, and the device will automatically assign when you log in.

Free Editions

Step 4. Go to Device. Click the computer you want to take control of and click One-click control to start unattended remote access.

Connect to My Devices

Notes:✎... AnyViewer offers budget-friendly plans for business use. You can subscribe to the Professional or Enterprise plan to gain more rights!
More concurrent channels for connections.
More simultaneous connections. (the Enterprise plan supports 10 simultaneous sessions)
More assigned devices for unattended remote access. (the Enterprise plan can assign 100 computers)
Connection in privacy mode to well-enough protect your data and privacy.
Best performance with high-image quality.

Conclusion

After reading this post, I believe you know how to get out of Remote Desktop full screen. If you think it is complicated to exit the RDP full screen or if you often need help when using it. We recommend using the best RDP alternative AnyViewer, and you won’t regret it!