How to Enable and Configure Remote Desktop (RDP) on Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) support in Ubuntu has become considerably easier with the GNOME Remote Desktop stack included in modern Ubuntu Desktop releases. On Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, you can use the built-in GNOME Remote Desktop implementation to connect from Windows using Microsoft's native Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc), without installing xrdp.

This guide explains the complete setup, including:

• Installing and verifying GNOME Remote Desktop

• Enabling RDP

• Configuring RDP credentials

• Understanding Desktop Sharing vs Remote Login

• Finding the Ubuntu IP address

• Configuring UFW

• Connecting from Windows

• Testing port 3389

• Troubleshooting common RDP errors

• Diagnosing the "Credentials are not set, denying client" error

• Understanding grdctl

• Security considerations

• Headless-server considerations

The procedure is particularly useful for Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS systems used as development servers, AI servers, lab machines, home servers, or workstations.

1. Ubuntu 24.04 Has Built-In RDP Support

Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 LTS uses GNOME Remote Desktop for its native remote desktop functionality.

The Ubuntu documentation describes two different remote-access modes:

Desktop Sharing

Desktop Sharing allows a remote computer to view and control the desktop session that is already running.

The important limitation is:

The user must already be logged into the graphical session.

This is useful when you want to remotely control the physical Ubuntu desktop.

Remote Login

Remote Login allows a user to log into the Ubuntu machine remotely.

This is generally the better option for a machine that is being used as a server or workstation that you want to access remotely without requiring somebody to already be logged into the graphical desktop.

Ubuntu documents these as separate features under:

Settings → System → Remote Desktop

Ubuntu 24.04: Share your desktop remotely

GNOME likewise documents Desktop Sharing and Remote Login as separate RDP functions.

2. What We Are Configuring

The basic architecture looks like this:

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│       Windows PC            │
│                             │
│ Remote Desktop Connection   │
│          mstsc.exe          │
└──────────────┬──────────────┘
               │
               │ RDP
               │ TCP 3389
               ▼
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│     Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS      │
│                             │
│     GNOME Remote Desktop    │
│    gnome-remote-desktop     │
│                             │
│        GNOME Desktop        │
└─────────────────────────────┘

For a typical local-network installation:

Windows
192.168.1.x
     │
     │ TCP 3389
     ▼
Ubuntu
192.168.1.y

3. Check Whether GNOME Remote Desktop Is Installed

Open a terminal on Ubuntu:

apt policy gnome-remote-desktop

If it is installed, you will see a version such as:

Installed: 46.3-0ubuntu1.2

If it is not installed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install gnome-remote-desktop

Ubuntu 24.04's GNOME Remote Desktop package provides the gnome-remote-desktop service and the grdctl configuration utility.

4. Check the GNOME Remote Desktop Service