The easiest way to change the screen resolution of a Remote Desktop session on Windows 10 is to set it before you connect. Open Remote Desktop Connection, select Show Options, go to the Display tab, and drag the Display configuration slider to the size you want. You can also launch a session at an exact size with a command such as mstsc /w:1600 /h:900.
Once you’re connected, the remote PC normally follows the size of your session window. Changing resolution in the remote PC’s Display settings often isn’t allowed during a Remote Desktop session.
Note: Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) now run until October 12, 2027.
Quick Answer
Press Windows + R, type mstsc, select Show Options > Display, set the slider, and select Connect.
Method 1: Set the Resolution in Remote Desktop Connection
- Press Windows + R, type
mstsc, and press Enter. - Select Show Options at the bottom left.
- Open the Display tab.
- Drag the Display configuration slider. The size in pixels appears under it. Drag all the way right for Full Screen.
- Optional: check Use all my monitors for the remote session to span several screens (not available on every Windows edition).
- Go back to the General tab and select Connect.
To reuse these settings, go to the General tab and select Save As to create an .rdp file.
Method 2: Use a Command With an Exact Size
- Press Windows + R.
- Type
mstsc /v:ComputerName /w:1600 /h:900, replacing ComputerName with the remote PC’s name or IP address and the numbers with the width and height you want. - Press Enter.
Use /f instead of /w and /h to start in full screen, or /span to stretch the session across side-by-side monitors.
Method 3: Change the Size During a Session
- Toggle full screen: Press Ctrl + Alt + Break (on laptops without a Break key, use the Restore button on the connection bar).
- Resize the window: Current Windows versions update the remote resolution to fit when you resize the window. If yours doesn’t, right-click the session’s title bar and select Smart sizing to scale the picture instead.
- Reconnect: For a specific size, disconnect and reconnect using Method 1 or 2.
Common Settings
| Goal | What to set |
|---|---|
| Fill your screen | Slider at Full Screen, or /f |
| A window you can place beside other apps | Slider at a smaller size, such as 1600 × 900 |
| Use two monitors | Use all my monitors, or /multimon |
| Sharper text on a high-DPI laptop | Full Screen, and set scaling on the remote PC |
About the Remote Desktop Apps
The built-in Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc) is still part of Windows. Microsoft retired its separate Remote Desktop apps and now points people to the Windows App for cloud PCs and work connections. See Microsoft’s notice on the Remote Desktop client end of support. In Windows App, display options are in each connection’s settings.
Troubleshooting
- Text looks blurry: Smart sizing is scaling the image. Turn it off and connect at your screen’s native resolution. Our guide to fixing a blurry screen covers scaling settings on the remote side.
- “Display settings can’t be changed from a remote session”: That’s expected. Change the size from your side with Method 1 or 2.
- Black bars around the session: The requested size doesn’t match your monitor’s shape. Use Full Screen.
New to Remote Desktop? Start with how to remote into a computer on Windows 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Windows 10 Home PC be the remote computer?
No. Home can connect to other PCs, but only Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions can accept Remote Desktop connections.
What’s the highest resolution Remote Desktop supports?
It supports very high resolutions, including 4K, as long as both PCs and the connection can handle it.
Summary
- Open
mstsc, select Show Options > Display, and set the slider. - Or use
mstsc /w: /h:for an exact size. - Use Ctrl + Alt + Break to toggle full screen.
- Reconnect to apply a new size.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.