Using Remote Desktop

Request Access First

Engineering users: Contact your department IT support team setup permissions to Remote Desktop - the below notes only cover how to use.

How to connect to your UT Windows computer using Remote Desktop

(you computer must be turned on and connected to the network)

  1. Open Remote Desktop
    1. In the Search bar enter: Remote Desktop Connection
    2. Quick Tip:  You can pin a Remote Desktop Connection on your taskbar by right-clicking and choosing Pin to Taskbar
  2. Enter the name of your computer:  computer-name.austin.utexas.edu
    1. How do I find my Computer Name? - make sure check for a change in computer name for new computers and re-imaged computers.
  3.  Enter the Remote Desktop Gateway details (should only have to do the first time)  by following directions here - Using the Remote Desktop Gateway (RDG)
  4. Click Connect
  5. Log into the RG Gateway
    1. Username:  austin\YourEID
    2. Password:  YourEID-Password
    3. You will be prompted for DUO authentication
  6. If prompted, re-enter your EID password
  7. Once the connection is complete, a new window will appear with your remote desktop session, and you can use your applications as normal.

How to disconnect from your Remote Desktop Session - Windows

  • Disconnect  (recommended )

    • Clicking the X in the top right corner of the remote desktop session window.

    • This closes the session but leaves all applications running.

  • Logoff – this logs you off your UT computer so that someone else could login
    • From your remote desktop session choose, Start > Logoff
    • All programs in the remote session will end and your session will close
  • Note:  Do not leave applications open with unsaved files overnight or for extended periods of time, because patching is periodically done overnight which sometimes requires a reboot of your computer and you could lose unsaved work.

Remote Desktop Software

Remote desktop software is built into every version of Windows and also available for Mac OS and Linux