SidianRDP

Guide

Access a Windows PC from a Mac

To use a Windows PC from a Mac, install Microsoft’s free Windows App on the Mac. If the PC runs Windows Home, add SidianRDP ($29.95 once) so it can accept the connection.

Download free trial See pricing

What you need

  • On the Mac: Microsoft’s Windows App (formerly “Microsoft Remote Desktop”), free from the Mac App Store.
  • On the Windows PC: Windows Pro’s built-in Remote Desktop, or on Windows 10/11 Home, SidianRDP.
  • A network path between them: the same home network, or a VPN such as Tailscale when you’re away.

Set up the Windows Home PC

  1. Install SidianRDP on the PC; the free 21-day trial starts automatically.
  2. Choose a connection password and click Allow connections.
  3. Note the address SidianRDP shows, for example STUDIO-PC:3387.

Connect from the Mac

  1. Open Windows App and add a PC. Enter the address including the port (STUDIO-PC:3387, or the PC’s IP address with :3387).
  2. When asked for credentials, enter any user name (for example sidian) and your SidianRDP connection password — not your Windows password.
  3. The first time, Windows App warns that it can’t verify the certificate. Check the fingerprint matches the one in SidianRDP (Updates and security), then continue.

You’ll see the PC’s real desktop, including its lock and sign-in screens. Copy and paste text and files between the Mac and the PC, and optionally blank the PC’s monitors with the privacy screen.

Tips for Mac users

  • SidianRDP shows the PC’s main display; use Windows App’s full-screen mode for the best fit on a Mac screen.
  • If the connection times out over a VPN, turn on Allow connections on all networks in SidianRDP — many VPN adapters are marked Public in Windows.
  • One person can connect at a time, and there’s no audio yet.

Questions

What app do I use on a Mac to connect to a Windows PC?
Microsoft’s free Windows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop) from the Mac App Store. It connects to Windows PCs over the Remote Desktop protocol.
Can a Mac connect to a Windows 11 Home PC?
Not on its own, because Windows Home can’t accept Remote Desktop connections. With SidianRDP installed on the Home PC, the Mac’s Windows App connects to it like a Pro PC.
Has SidianRDP been tested with the Mac Windows App?
Our tested clients so far are Windows’ Remote Desktop Connection and 1Remote. The Mac Windows App uses the same Network Level Authentication sign-in and should work; try it with the free trial before buying.

Try SidianRDP free for 21 days

$29.95 once per PC after the trial, with a year of updates. No subscription, no credit card for the trial.

Download free trial Setup guide

SidianRDP is independent software by Sidian Web Studio LLC and is not affiliated with Microsoft. Windows and Remote Desktop are trademarks of Microsoft.