What are the best practices to avoid remote desktop session timeouts and disconnects?

1 Check your network connection

The first thing to do when you experience remote desktop slowness or lag is to check your network connection. A poor or unstable network connection can affect the quality and speed of your remote desktop session. You can use tools like ping, traceroute, or speedtest to measure your network latency, bandwidth, and packet loss. Ideally, you want a low latency, high bandwidth, and no packet loss for a smooth remote desktop experience. If you find any problems with your network connection, try to troubleshoot them by restarting your router, modem, or device, or contacting your internet service provider.

2 Adjust your remote desktop settings

Another factor that can affect your remote desktop performance is the settings of your remote desktop client and server. You can tweak some of these settings to optimize your remote desktop session for your network and device conditions. For example, you can lower the display resolution, color depth, or visual effects of your remote desktop session to reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred. You can also disable unnecessary features like sound, clipboard, or printer redirection to save bandwidth and resources. You can find these settings in the options or preferences menu of your remote desktop client or server.

3 Close unnecessary programs and processes

Sometimes, the slowness or lag of your remote desktop session is not caused by the network or the remote desktop settings, but by the programs and processes running on your local or remote device. These programs and processes can consume CPU, memory, disk, or network resources, which can affect the performance of your remote desktop session. To fix this, you can close any unnecessary programs and processes that you are not using on your local or remote device. You can use tools like Task Manager or Resource Monitor to identify and terminate any resource-hogging programs and processes.

4 Update your software and drivers

Another possible cause of remote desktop performance issues is outdated or incompatible software or drivers on your local or remote device. Outdated or incompatible software or drivers can cause errors, crashes, or security vulnerabilities, which can affect your remote desktop session. To fix this, you can update your software and drivers to the latest versions available. You can use tools like Windows Update or Device Manager to check for and install any available updates for your software and drivers.

5 Use a VPN or a remote desktop gateway

One more thing you can do to improve your remote desktop performance is to use a VPN or a remote desktop gateway. A VPN or a remote desktop gateway can provide a secure and reliable connection between your local and remote device, especially if you are accessing your remote device over the internet or a public network. A VPN or a remote desktop gateway can also bypass any firewall or network restrictions that might block or limit your remote desktop access. You can use tools like OpenVPN or Remote Desktop Gateway to set up and use a VPN or a remote desktop gateway.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?