iOS 17+ · iPadOS 17+

Windows Remote Desktop on iPhone and iPad

A real RDP client built on FreeRDP 3, NLA, Active Directory, NTLMv2, TLS 1.3. A better Microsoft Remote Desktop alternative on iOS.

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Microsoft Remote Desktop on iOS is the obvious starting point, it is free, official, and gets the basics done. SSHive takes a different angle: bundle a real RDP client into the same app as your SSH terminal, SFTP, VNC and VPN, so you do not need to switch apps to do a full ops task. The RDP engine is FreeRDP 3, the same modern codebase used in many Linux RDP front-ends, with TLS 1.3, CredSSP, NLA and NTLMv2, connecting to Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, 2025 and Windows 10/11 Pro/Enterprise out of the box. NLA can be disabled per profile for legacy boxes, NetBIOS and FQDN domains are both accepted in a dedicated Domain field separate from the username, and Ctrl+Alt+Del has its own button in the RDP toolbar. Free includes 2 concurrent RDP sessions; Pro removes the cap. The session survives device rotation on iPhone Pro Max (landscape works well), and the integrated VPN client (IKEv2 / IPSec / OpenVPN) can auto-connect before RDP for protected fleets, no need to juggle a separate VPN app. No subscription, no data sent to us. If a corner of the RDP UX could be smoother for your workflow, we are listening.

What works on iPhone and iPad

FreeRDP 3 engine

The FreeRDP 3 series is the latest generation of the open-source RDP stack, with TLS 1.3, CredSSP, NLA and NTLMv2 supported out of the box. It is the same engine widely deployed on Linux desktops and embedded in third-party tools. SSHive bundles it natively into iOS without any cloud relay or proxy, your RDP traffic goes directly from your iPhone to the Windows server.

Active Directory done right

Domain field is separate from username. Accept both NetBIOS (`CORP`) and FQDN (`corp.example.com`) formats. NLA + NTLMv2 are negotiated by default for modern AD environments. For old DCs you can disable NLA per-profile.

Configurable resolution

Default is 1920×1080 with adaptive scaling for the iPhone or iPad screen. You can override per profile to match exactly the server's expected resolution (helpful when you connect from a small iPhone and want the remote display to render at native iPad-size on the server side).

Mouse, keyboard, Ctrl+Alt+Del

Tap as left-click, long-press as right-click, two-finger tap as middle-click. With a Magic Keyboard on iPad, all modifier keys work. A dedicated "Send Ctrl+Alt+Del" button is in the RDP toolbar, useful for unlocking a locked Windows session.

iPhone Pro Max landscape

Sessions survive rotation. On iPhone Pro Max in landscape, the Windows desktop renders at high enough resolution to actually be usable, you can open Server Manager, click around, type in a console window. Not a substitute for a laptop, but enough for a quick admin task on the move.

Built-in VPN auto-connect

Toggle "Auto-connect VPN before SSH/RDP" on a profile and SSHive activates the configured VPN (IKEv2 / IPSec / OpenVPN) before launching the RDP session. No more remembering to open the VPN app first and then switch back. Uses Apple NetworkExtension / Packet Tunnel Provider, system-level, not a sock proxy hack.

Why use SSHive over Microsoft Remote Desktop

Active Directory the way Windows does it

A dedicated Domain field, separate from the username, accepting both NetBIOS (`CORP`) and FQDN (`corp.example.com`). NLA + NTLMv2 are negotiated by default. Same input model that AD admins already use on Windows itself, no `DOMAIN\username` packing required.

RDP + SSH + SFTP in one app

On Microsoft Remote Desktop you RDP. To get SSH or SFTP next to it, you switch to another app and lose your VPN context. SSHive keeps RDP, SSH, SFTP, VNC and VPN in one window, exactly what an oncall engineer needs at 2am.

Per-profile credentials in Keychain

Each RDP profile has its own credentials in the iOS Keychain, biometric-gated. Microsoft Remote Desktop saves credentials but doesn't per-profile gate them as cleanly. SSHive's Keychain entries are flagged `kSecAttrAccessibleWhenUnlockedThisDeviceOnly`, they are inaccessible if the phone is locked and not synced to iCloud.

Other RDP clients on iOS

Microsoft Remote Desktop

Free

The official, free Microsoft client. The right starting point if all you need is RDP to a single Windows VM and you do not need SSH/SFTP next to it.

Jump Desktop

One-time + Connect.io subscription

A polished RDP and VNC client for iOS with cross-platform sync via Jump Desktop Connect.io. Strong UI, a solid choice if cross-device sync is the deciding factor.

Remotix

Subscription

Multi-protocol remote desktop (RDP, VNC) with NEAR-screen acceleration. Built around team and enterprise rollouts.

RDP on iPhone, what is actually possible

iOS RDP has historically meant "occasional rescue tool", a way to reach a Windows server for ten minutes and then go back to a real computer. With iPhone Pro Max screens, iPad Pro M-series, and Magic Keyboards, that ceiling has moved. SSHive's RDP runs FreeRDP 3 native (no Electron, no JavaScript wrapper), so even a fairly busy Server Manager or SQL Server Management Studio session is responsive on cellular if the server's network is fast. In practice the workflow that benefits most is incident response. An alert page hits your phone, you open SSHive on iPhone, the saved RDP profile auto-connects the VPN, then opens the Windows VM. You type in the Event Viewer, check a service, run a PowerShell command. Twenty minutes later you are back to your laptop. Without SSHive that workflow needed: a separate VPN app, a separate RDP client, manually entered AD credentials in each, and SSH in yet another app if the alert came from a Linux-fronted load balancer. Security is the same model as the rest of SSHive: per-profile RDP credentials live in the iOS Keychain with `BiometryCurrentSet`, FreeRDP runs in-app without a relay, the VPN client uses Apple's NetworkExtension framework (system-level, not a sock proxy hack), and no telemetry runs. The RDP wire protocol itself uses TLS 1.3 + CredSSP, so even if your hotel Wi-Fi is hostile, the session is protected from passive sniffers. Limitations to be honest about: iPhone screens are small for RDP work; iOS background restrictions can suspend long-running sessions if the device sleeps; clipboard sync between iOS and Windows is more constrained than on a desktop. SSHive does its best with these (auto-reconnect on resume, large-target tap zones in the RDP toolbar), but RDP on iPhone is a complement to a laptop, not a replacement. RDP on iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is much closer to a real Windows workstation.

Frequently asked questions

Does SSHive RDP on iPhone support Windows Server 2025?+

Yes. FreeRDP 3 targets the current Microsoft RDP wire protocol with TLS 1.3 and CredSSP/NLA. Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025 work out of the box; Windows 10 and 11 Pro/Enterprise are also supported.

Can I RDP through a corporate VPN from my iPhone?+

Yes. Configure your VPN (IKEv2, IPSec/Xauth or OpenVPN) inside SSHive, enable "Auto-connect VPN before SSH/RDP" on the RDP profile, and SSHive activates the VPN via Apple NetworkExtension before opening the RDP session. Tailscale and WireGuard (running as separate system VPN apps) also work transparently.

Can I disable NLA for legacy Windows servers?+

Yes, there is a per-profile checkbox to disable NLA. Useful for old Windows Server 2008 R2 boxes or misconfigured environments. Default is NLA enabled, which is what modern systems expect.

How is the keyboard handled on iPhone for Windows shortcuts?+

A toolbar exposes the keys touch screens cannot send (Win, Alt, Ctrl, Esc, F1-F12, arrows). A dedicated Ctrl+Alt+Del button is always visible. With a Magic Keyboard on iPad, the full keyboard works including Windows key (mapped to Mac Command by default, flippable per profile).

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