- To back up the Remote Desktop app settings, open the app’s main menu and select the “Backup” option, browse the destination folder, and save the “rdb” file with all the connections and settings.
- To restore the app, open the Remote Desktop main menu, select the “Restore” option, browse the backup location, and choose the “rdb” backup file to restore.
UPDATED 10/31/2023: On Windows 11 (and 10), you can backup and restore the settings of the Remote Desktop app, and in this guide, I’ll outline the steps to complete this process.
The Remote Desktop app allows you to connect to remote computers and servers that have been configured to receive remote desktop connections. Although the app is convenient, if you are a system administrator who connects to a lot of devices on a regular basis, it can be a chore having to manually sync connections and settings between your devices or recreate the connections when you reinstall the app or the operating system on your computer.
Luckily, the Remote Desktop app includes a backup feature that makes it easy to export and import your connections and settings.
In this guide, I’ll teach you the steps to backup and restore your connections and settings using the Remote Desktop app for Windows 10 and 11.
Backup Remote Desktop app settings on Windows 11
To backup Remote Desktop app connections and settings on Windows 11 (or 10), use these steps:
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Open Remote Desktop on Windows 11 (or 10).
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Click the menu (three-dotted) button in the top-right.
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Select the Backup option.
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Click the Browse button.
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Save the RemoteDesktopWorkspace.rdb file to the location you want to export the settings, such as OneDrive or USB flash drive.
Once you complete the steps, you can keep the file in a safe place until you need to restore the settings on the same computer or copy the settings to another device.
Restore Remote Desktop app settings on Windows 11
To restore connections and settings in the Remote Desktop app, use these steps:
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Open Remote Desktop.
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Click the menu (three-dotted) button in the top-right.
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Select the Restore option.
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Click the Browse button.
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Select the RemoteDesktopWorkspace.rdb file to restore.
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Click the Open button.
After you complete the steps, the remote connections to other devices and servers will be restored in the app, but you may still need to enter the password to establish a connection.
Update October 31, 2023: This guide has been updated to ensure it is still accurate and reflects that the instructions also work on Windows 11.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He's also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ & Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, and LinkedIn.