How to Send Ctrl + Alt + Del through Remote Desktop?

The three key combinations Ctrl + Alt + Del display a menu through which Task Manager, Sign Out, Switch User, and Lock can be accessed. In older Windows operating systems, these combinations will directly open the Task Manager. However, after Windows 7 the three key combinations were changed to display multiple options. In the Remote Desktop Session, these three key combinations won’t work because it will work on the main system. In this article, we will show you the methods where users can send the Ctrl + Alt + Del through Remote Desktop.

Sending Ctrl + Alt + Del through Remote Desktop

Since the combination will mostly work for the main system, the user will need to use the other combination that works for RDP. There is also a setting available in the RDP options for the keyboard combinations. All options that open by this combination are also available through different methods. However, to make this combination work the user will require to use one of the below methods.

Method 1: Using the Ctrl + Alt + End

1. Hold the Windows key and press R to open the Run command window. Type ‘mstsc‘ and Enter to open Remote Desktop Connection.

   

2. Click on the Show Options button at the bottom and select the Local Resources tab.
3. Here you need to check the Keyboard option. If the ‘Only when using the full screen‘ option is selected, then it means unless you have not opened full screen, combinations won’t work. You can also select the ‘On the remote computer‘ option, then it will work on any size window.

   

4. Now connect to the other computer and try using Ctrl + Alt + End combination instead of the default Ctrl + Alt + Del combination.

   

Method 2: Using the On-Screen Keyboard

1. In the Remote Desktop Session search for the On-Screen Keyboard and open it.
   Note: You can also open it through typing ‘osk‘ in the run command window.

   

2. Now on the On-Screen Keyboard try pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Del combination.
3. If it doesn’t work, you can try to use Ctrl + Alt on a physical keyboard and press Del on the On-Screen Keyboard.