Microsoft Remote Desktop for iOS gains RDP connections support

What you need to know

• Microsoft Remote Desktop received several new features in a new update.
• The update brings support for RDP files and RDP URIs
• Microsoft Remote Desktop also recently received a significant update that brought support for Windows Virtual Desktop.

A new update for Microsoft Remote Desktop brings several new features that make the app more useful (via OnMSFT). Support for RDP files and RDP URIs comes with this update, which is one of the most notable changes. URI stands for Uniform Resource Identifier and is used to integrate Remote Desktop features across platforms. Microsoft explains the feature in more depth in the Remote Desktop support documentation.

The complete changelog from the app's listing in the App Store explains all of the new features. Here's a quick breakdown:

• Support for launching connections from RDP files and RDP URIs.
• Workspace headers are now collapsible.
• Concurrent zoom and pan is now supported in Mouse Pointer mode.
• A press-and-hold gesture in Mouse Pointer mode will now trigger a right-click in the remote session.
• The force-touch gesture for right-click in Mouse Pointer mode has been removed.
• The in-session switcher screen now supports disconnecting, even if no apps are connected.
• Light dismiss is now supported in the in-session switcher screen.
• PCs and apps are no longer automatically reordered in the in-session switcher screen.
• The hit test area for the PC thumbnail view ellipses menu has been enlarged.
• The Input Devices settings page now contains a link to supported devices.
• Fixed a bug that caused the Bluetooth permissions UI to repeatedly appear at launch for some users.
• Fixed crashes that were showing up in error reporting.

Microsoft Remote Desktop on iOS went untouched for over a year in terms of updates, but last month it received a significant update. That update brought support for Windows Remote Desktop. With another update coming this month, it seems that Microsoft Remote Desktop will receive more regular updates going forward.