RDP Error Code 0x80004005: An Authentication Error Has Occurred

An authentication error has occurred

“On my Windows 2016 server connected via RDP, I’m getting an authentication problem. When attempting to connect, it displays ‘An authentication error has occurred (Code 0x80004005)’. It used to function perfectly fine. What is the source of this error, and how can I resolve it?”

How to fix RDP error code 0x80004005

Here in this part, two solutions are mentioned to fix RDP 0x80004005. By the way, this problem may also show up in other Windows systems when you use RDP for remote access, like Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2022 and you can use the exact solutions mentioned here to fix it.

Solution 1. Update Windows version

According to some users, this problem can be solved by updating their Windows versions.

Step 1. Click the Windows icon on the left-bottom corner, and then click Settings.

Step 2. Locate and click Update & Security.

Step 3. In the Update & Security interface, check whether the new version is available. If yes, download and install it (remember to back up your data first).

Solution 2. Disable NLA and credential support

As indicated by the error message, this RDP 0x80004005 error seems to be related to Network Level Authentication (NLA). Therefore, the solution we provided here is to disable NLA and credential support through the default RDP file.

Step 1. Search for Remote Desktop Connection in the Search box. And then open it.

Step 2. In the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box, click Show Options.

Step 3. In the General tab, click Save As to save all the settings of the current connection (including the connected user name and IP address) in the specified location.

Step 4. Find the Default.rdp file you saved, and then open it with Notepad.

Step 5. Find “authentication level:i:2” and change the last number to 0.

Step 6. Add the following line to the end of the file to disable credential support:

enablecredsspsupport:i:0

Step 7. Save the Default.rdp file. Then use the Default.rdp file to connect to your remote desktop computer.

AnyViewer: Secure remote desktop software requires no NLA

Network Level Authentication is designed to allow users who have authenticated themselves to the network before they can connect to your computer, so as to protect the safety of your remote connection. But sometimes enabling NLA can cause some unnecessary connection problems. Therefore, you might need remote desktop software which requires no NLA but can still provide you with a safe and secure remote connection.

AnyViewer is the free, safe, and professional remote desktop software for multiple Windows versions. It has the following benefits:

It is secured by Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) encryption, protecting the whole remote session.

It allows users to remotely control another computer without permission.

It enables users to connect to multiple remote computers simultaneously.

It is an easy-to-use tool. The setup process is not technically demanding for users.

Next, let’s see how to get started with AnyViewer.

Part 1. For unattended remote access with one-click

Step 1. Download, install, and launch AnyViewer on both computers. Go to Log in, and then click Sign up. (If you already have signed up on its official website, you can log in directly.)

Step 2. Fill in the signup information and you can see you successfully logged in to AnyViewer. Your device will automatically be assigned to the account you've logged in.

Step 3. Log in to the same AnyViewer account on the two devices, then click One-click control to achieve unattended remote access.

▶ Note: To access the remote computer in privacy mode, you need to upgrade to an advanced plan. After the upgrade, you can also assign more devices to the account for one-click control, file transfer, etc., enjoy high-quality image access, and so on.

Part 2. Two more connection methods of AnyViewer

Please note that connecting to another computer using the following feature won't allow you to transfer files between computers.

Connection method 1. Send a control request

Step 1. On the client computer, input the device ID of the host computer and then click Connect.

Step 2. Click Send a control request to your partner.

Step 3. On the host computer, click Allow to make the connection successful.

Connection method 2. Input security code

Step 1. On the host computer, go to Settings > Recipient. Tick the third option and then set the permanent security code.

Step 2. On the client computer, input the device ID of the host computer and then click Connect. Choose Input security code and enter the code. Click OK to achieve remote access.

Conclusion

When you encountered RDP authentication error code 0x80004005, the steps listed in this post would help solve your problem. Besides, if you want to try another remote desktop software that requires fewer configuration steps while ensuring the safety of your remote connection, you can use AnyViewer.