Microsoft Remote Desktop for Windows Phone adds ability to pin apps to Start screen

By Sam Sabri
last updated

Microsoft has just pushed out an update for the Remote Desktop Preview app on Windows Phone. This app launched in late April 2014 and allows you to to connect to a remote PC using your Windows Phone. Since that first release, we've seen a handful of updates to the app which have provided increased functionality. Today's update to Microsoft Remote Desktop Preview on Windows Phone is notable for allowing you to pin apps to the Start screen.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Preview version 8.1.7

  • Pinning apps to the Start screen
  • Background refresh and notifications

Remote Desktop

We're sure a number of you will be excited for today's update, especially the ability to jump straight to a desktop app by pinning it to your Start screen. This is an improvement made to Azure RemoteApp within Remote Desktop Preview for Windows Phone. As you'll recall, Azure RemoteApp support was added to Remote Desktop Preview last month in an update.

Any app available to you on Azure RemoteApp can be pinned to your Start screen. Once pinned, you can launch the app from your Start screen with a single tap.

Today's update also introduces background refresh and notifications. The list of apps available to you will be automatically synced while you're using Remote Desktop Preview on Windows Phone. New invitations will also show up to you as a notification on Windows Phone.

This is the last update for Microsoft Remote Desktop Preview on Windows Phone for 2014. We're not seeing the update live just yet in the Windows Phone Store, but keep your eyes open for when it does. Once you do get the update, let us know what you think of the additions! And still waiting for Remote Desktop Gateway and Remote Resources support? You'll have to wait until early next year as the team is putting the final touches on these features.

Source: Microsoft Via: @maryjofoley

QR: Remote Desktop

Sam Sabri
Sam Sabri
66 Comments
  • Cool
  • Great
  • Surprised that this didn't include RDP Gateway support as that's the no 1 wanted feature that's available in other apps.
  • Until RD Gateway support is available this App is as good as useless...for me.
  • You obviously didn't read the last sentence in the article.
  • I don't see any that they didn't read the article, just that they're surprised that it wasn't included, or, need it or it's useless you them.
  • I can't use it ..
  • I could never get this to work.. Why can't it just be "plug and play" like Splashtop❓
  • I think I got it to work.... Once!
  • Lucky bastard
  • Works without fail for me. I think I had an issue the first time I set it up (it was my fault) and that was it.
  • What were you doing wrong????
  • Just a dumb mistake on my part. Forgot I had changed my IP scheme for my VoIP server and because of past work habits I rarely use computer names to RDP.
  • Lol!!! Shit, man! It shouldn't be that damn hard.. Why does splashtop work so easily and this doesn't?...... You're going to have to completely walk me through it... I just have regular W8.1 on my laptop.. It's about 1.5years old.
  • Can you please tell me how did you set it up to work. I tried,but it always says initiating..... And then disconnecting... Giving 0x204 error but I searched error in Bing all it says is to ''allow remote connection from my computer" which I did.
  • You need the Pro version Of Windows 8/8.1 to use it sadly.
  • You need Pro on the machine you're trying to connect to. You do not need Pro to use the client to connect to other machines.
  • You need to be on same network to connect any machines
  • This is the most used app on my phone.
  • Same here... well one of the most used apps anyway...
  • @Milind Panchal Not true. RDP can be published through a firewall and made available on the Internet. You can also use a VPN to connect to another network.
  • No.
  • What good would that be if it were true, so much for remote...but luckily it is not true, you absolutely can route RDP.
  • That's litrealy what I said. -_-
  • Works with Windows 7 also!
  • I am using Windows 8 enterprise... Would I use remote desktop?? If possible plz giv me the following steps to do d needful... I have searched many of the sites but I have failed.
  • I first read it as Windows Phone adds ability to pin apps to start screen. xD
  • Hey Sam, offtopic to the title. I noticed in one of the pictures that you have five toggles in your action center. How did you do this? What phone are the screenshots from ?
  • 1520, 1320 have 5 icons there.
  • 5 toggle switches are available in large screen phones like the 1520
  • And not in 535?
  • Correct
  • What part of "Large screen phones like the 1520" didnt you understand?
  • Update not showing up here in the US.
  • well mine did work
  • Give it some time, it'll show... I just updated mine.
  • still beta -.-
  • And? It is working fine. Beta means they are adding features. Beta != bad software.
  • How do you setup remoteapp?
  • Pinning Azure RemoteAPPs is cool, but the latest update HAS NOT added Remote Desktop Gateway. I don't understand how they can keep updating this app without adding one of the most important functions of RDP.
  • You obviously didn't read the last sentence in the article.
  • You obviously don't understand what he's saying.
  • The update is available here in Algeria
  • It's just getting better.. A1
  • WP needs a Cisco VPN client for this to be useful to me.
  • Or you need an RDP gateway with web access.
  • I am using Windows 8 enterprise... Would I use remote desktop?? If possible plz giv me the following steps to do d needful... I have searched many of the sites but I have failed...plz help
  • TeamViewer or MRD, wich one?
  • Team viewer allows you to control your pc over the internet whereas MRD requires that both the pc and the phone be on the same network. So teamviewer for me.
  • Port forwarding or VPN work with RDP.
  • I can control all my office PCs from internet.
  • No it does not.
  • Can we connect to on premise Windows Remote Apps like we can on Windows, OSX, and android? Or is windows phone still limited to azure, like iOS?
  • Wow this is so cool!  It's all part of the beauty of Windows.  iOS and Android could never pin their remote apps to their home screens. ;)
  • Wish they wouldn't restrict this to Pro, at least for Windows Phone users.
  • It not about windows phone. The OS on the PC has to be pro cause non-pro versions dont have the remote feature in them.
  • Why? If you don't have Pro, it's likely you don't need this, or better said, if you need this, why are you buying anything but Pro or better?
  • Windows non-pro has not the RDP server, it is not a Windows Phone issue.
  • Sweet, one of the apps that just keeps getting better and better.
  • Wait so basically this app is just for pinning apps remotely??
  • The latest update adds this functionality. The app allows you to control a PC remotely.
  • Lol... You can read the full article...
  • Its always worked for me on my Icon and Surface from everywhere you need to open ports on your router there's guides on Microsoft's website
  • Can anyone please tell me how did to set it up to work. I tried but it always says initiating..... And then disconnecting... Giving 0x204 error but I searched error in Bing all it says was to ''allow remote connection" from my computer which I did.
  • Works great for me.
  • Great