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If you want to access your Windows 11 PC remotely, it’s easy to do so thanks to Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), which comes with the Pro and Enterprise versions of Microsoft’s operating system. Although the default RDP port is 3389, there are times when you may want to change it. That is how.
When should I change my RDP port number?
Port “3389” is the universal default port for Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol, which means that malicious actors trying to compromise your system via Remote Desktop will know exactly where to look, especially if you have your host PC open. Remote Desktop. to the Internet. If you change this port, it may make it a little more difficult for unauthorized people to access the machine.
While some security experts criticize this type of port number change as “security by obscurity”, it may still be sensible to change the port number in addition to taking other security measures, such as using a VPN, creating a strong password, and running updates to help protect your machine.
Also, you may want to change your RDP port number if there is a firewall that is blocking 3389. In that case, using a different port that is not blocked by the firewall may allow a connection to your machine using RDP.
RELATED: How to connect to a VPN on Windows
How to change the RDP port number in Windows 11
In order to change the RDP port number, we will need to make a small edit to the Windows Registry. Don’t worry; it is not so difficult. First, sign in to Windows 11 with an administrator account on your PC.
Warning: Registry Editor is a powerful tool. Misuse can make your system unstable or even inoperable. Still, this is a very simple registry hack, and if you follow the instructions completely, you shouldn’t have any problems. If you haven’t used Registry Editor before, consider reading up on how to use it before you begin. We also recommend backing up the Registry (and your computer) before making any changes.
If you’re comfortable editing your registry, open the Start menu and type “regedit.” In the results below, click the “Registry Editor” icon.
When Registry Editor opens, use the sidebar to find the following key, or you can paste it into the Registry Editor address bar near the top of the window:
KEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControlTerminal ServerWinStationsRDP-Tcp
When you have located the appropriate “RCP-Tcp” key, browse the list of values ​​in the right half of the window and select “Port Number” by double-clicking on its name.
In the “Edit DWORD Value” box that opens, select the “Decimal” option under “Base” so you can enter a standard port number. Then, using the “Value data” text entry box, type in the new port number you want to use for RDP. For example, to use port “1337” for RDP, type 1337 in the frame. Finally, click “OK” to save the changes.
Advice: If you change your mind later and want to change the Windows 11 RDP port back to the default value, enter “3389” as the port number in this step.
Close Registry Editor, then restart your computer.
Very easy! Now that you have changed the RDP port, remember to specify it while remotely connecting to your PC via Remote Desktop client. Just remember to include a new port number when connecting with a colon after the IP address, like 192.168.1.100:1337.
RELATED: How to activate and use remote desktop in Windows 11
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