Reinstall Remote Desktop Connection [hot] Jun 2026

If you came here searching for a quick answer, follow this decision tree:

: Reboot your computer to ensure all system hooks are cleared.

Here’s a concise review of the process for (RDP) on Windows:

Microsoft offers a modern Remote Desktop application through the Microsoft Store, separate from the classic mstsc.exe client. This UWP (Universal Windows Platform) app was hosted at https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9wzdncrfj3ps , but Microsoft announced in March 2025 that this dedicated "Microsoft Remote Desktop" app would be deprecated. reinstall remote desktop connection

That’s it. Your Remote Desktop Connection has now been effectively "reinstalled" with fresh settings and registry hooks.

Reinstalling is a common troubleshooting step for resolving connection errors, missing executables, or corrupt system files. In modern versions of Windows, specifically Windows 11 version 23H2 and later, Microsoft has streamlined this process by allowing the application to be uninstalled and reinstalled like a standard app. 1. Prerequisites for Reinstallation

: Ensure "Remote Desktop" is allowed through the Windows Defender Firewall . If you came here searching for a quick

Here’s a helpful guide for a feature, broken down by Windows version. This is useful when RDP is corrupted, missing, or not working properly.

Sometimes the executable file itself is perfectly fine, but corrupted registry paths or configuration caches make Remote Desktop fail to launch. Reinstalling its settings will resolve this issue. Step 1: Delete Corrupted RDP Cache Files Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type cleanmgr and hit to open Disk Cleanup. Select your primary drive (usually C:) and click OK .

You don’t "reinstall" it like a normal app. Instead, you the feature. That’s it

: Corrupted registry paths preventing Windows from recognizing RDP protocols.

If your Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client is crashing, failing to connect, or missing entirely, you typically do not need to download a new installer. Windows treats RDC as a core system component.

Method 1: Reinstall via Windows Optional Features (For the Modern App)

Because the classic Remote Desktop Client ( mstsc.exe ) is a core component of the Windows operating system file structure, you cannot completely delete the executable file. Instead, "reinstalling" it requires stripping out corrupted binary files and forcing Windows to restore clean copies from its official component store.

The process for reinstalling RDC on Windows 8 and 8.1 is similar to Windows 10: