If you sign-in to your PC using a Microsoft Account, you may be unable to connect to it with Remote Desktop or with network file sharing, or locally schedule tasks using that account. Here’s how to fix it.
Before getting started, take note:
- Passwordless is not supported. Functions like Microsoft Remote Desktop, network file shares, and task scheduling requires that your account has a password. If you have converted to a passwordless account, you must decide if you want to add back a password to the account (less secure) or take another path like using a separate local system user account (with a password) or use another solution like Google Remote Desktop where applicable.
- Never use port forwarding. Although it’s possible to do, making the Windows Remote Desktop available from outside your network with port forwarding is extremely insecure and risky unless you use a private tunnel solution (perhaps one is built into your router). Tailscale is also a great way to establish a direct connection to your PC from abroad (which then lets you remote-desktop just as you would locally, without port forwarding).
- Consider some alternatives. As an alternative that is both more secure and more functional (while still being free to use), I recommend Google Remote Desktop. This solution that provides the necessary HTTPS secure tunneling for connecting from outside your house, but also provides additional multi-factor security (at least 3 factors of security) for connecting to your system remotely. Despite the name, it doesn’t require Google Chrome at all and works just fine with Microsoft Edge. I highly recommend it above insecure options like port forwarding. This security concern doesn’t apply if you are using Remote Desktop entirely inside your network (LAN), so read on for how to do it with a Microsoft Account login.
Method One, the Quick & Easy Way
On the PC hosting the remote desktop session (running Windows Pro or better), run the following command, replacing the example email address with your Microsoft Account email address that you use to login to the computer. You can just put this directly into your Run box or type it into a Command Prompt terminal.
runas /u:MicrosoftAccount\[email protected] winverType the command exactly as shown, only changing the email address that comes after the \ mark.
This command runs the “winver” program under the credentials of the user account specified. It sounds (and is) pretty simple, but what it does in the background is caches your Microsoft Account credentials. Since your local user account had no password, it wasn’t eligible for RDP use even if it has appropriate permissions otherwise.
When you press Enter, you’ll be prompted for your password, which for security will not show while you type it, but go ahead and key it in and press Enter.
After supplying the password and pressing Enter, you’ll know it worked if you see the About Windows dialog box open. Go ahead and close it and the terminal window — you’re all done.
At this point, you should be able to connect to the remote computer using the same account & password you just used to run the above command. When connecting, enter your username the same way, with the MicrosoftAccount\ preceding it. If it doesn’t connect, be sure to check your connection type (see below).
Method Two, the Alternative (Slight Hassle) Way
Another way to get local credentials set for your user account is to unlink your Microsoft Account, setting a local password during the process. Once set, you’ll be able to keep using those local credentials even if you later re-link your user account to a Microsoft Account. Here’s the long steps should you wish to take them:
- Go to Settings > Accounts > Your Info, then click “Sign in with a local account instead”. Windows will show some warnings and suggest you don’t do this, but do it anyway. Make sure you set a password during the process (a user account with no password cannot connect by RDP, even if it has appropriate permissions otherwise).
- When done, restart your computer and verify you can connect from another PC using the local account username/password you just set.
- If desired, return to back to step 1 and click “Sign in with a Microsoft Account” and finish that process to re-link the account to your Microsoft Account.
Don’t Forget Your Network Type
A tangent issue to the topic at hand, it’s important to note that RDP connections may not work if your Network Type is not considered private (it would be dangerous to allow RDP on an untrusted connection). Here’s one quick way to make sure it’s set correctly.
- Open File Explorer and click Network in the navigation pane at the left side.
- If a yellow bar appears mentioning that Network Discovery is turned off, click it, then set your Network Type as “Private” (assuming you’re inside a private network like your home).
Now that your Network Type is set to Private, you should have no issues connecting to the PC over RDP or network shares.
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