Share via

Remote Session Environment

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

Policy settings in this node control configuration of the user interface in Remote Desktop Services sessions.

The full path of this node in the Group Policy Management Console is User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Remote Session Environment.

Note

If you are using the Local Group Policy Editor, Policies is not part of the node path.

Available policy settings

Name Explanation Requirements

Start a program on connection

Configures Remote Desktop Services to run a specified program automatically upon connection.

You can use this setting to specify a program to run automatically when a user logs on to a remote computer.

By default, Remote Desktop Services sessions provide access to the full Windows desktop, unless otherwise specified with this setting, by the server administrator, or by the user in configuring the client connection. Enabling this setting overrides the Start Program settings set by the server administrator or user. The Start menu and Windows Desktop are not displayed, and when the user exits the program the session is automatically logged off.

To use this setting, in Program path and file name, type the fully qualified path and file name of the executable file to be run when the user logs on. If necessary, in Working Directory, type the fully qualified path to the starting directory for the program. If you leave Working Directory blank, the program runs with its default working directory. If the specified program path, file name, or working directory is not the name of a valid directory, the RD Session Host server connection fails with an error message.

If the status is set to Enabled, Remote Desktop Services sessions automatically run the specified program and use the specified Working Directory (or the program default directory, if Working Directory is not specified) as the working directory for the program.

If the status is set to Disabled or Not Configured, Remote Desktop Services sessions start with the full desktop, unless the server administrator or user specify otherwise. (See Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon\Run these programs at user logon setting.)

Note
This setting appears in both Computer Configuration and User Configuration. If both settings are configured, the Computer Configuration setting overrides.

At least Windows Server 2003

Remove remote desktop wallpaper

This policy setting allows you to specify whether desktop wallpaper is displayed to clients when they are connected to a remote server using RDP.

You can use this setting to enforce the removal of wallpaper during a Remote Desktop Services session.

If you enable this policy setting, wallpaper is not displayed in a Remote Desktop Services session.

If you disable this policy setting, wallpaper is displayed in a Remote Desktop Services session, depending on the client configuration.

If you do not configure this policy setting, Windows Vista displays wallpaper to remote clients connecting through Remote Desktop, depending on the client configuration (see the Experience tab in the Remote Desktop Connection options for more information). Servers running Windows Server 2008 do not display wallpaper by default to Remote Desktop Services sessions.

At least Windows Server 2008

Always show desktop on connection

This policy setting allows you to specify whether the desktop is always displayed after a client connects to a remote computer or whether an initial program can run. It can require that the desktop be displayed after a client connects to a remote computer, even if an initial program is already specified in the default user profile, Remote Desktop Connection, or through Group Policy.

If you enable this policy setting, the desktop is always displayed when a client connects to a remote computer. This policy setting overrides any initial program policy settings.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, an initial program can be specified that runs on the remote computer after the client connects to the remote computer. If an initial program is not specified, the desktop is always displayed on the remote computer after the client connects to the remote computer.

Note

If this policy setting is enabled, then the Start a program on connection policy setting is ignored.

At least Windows Server 2008