Disable UDP for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)

RDP sessions can become unstable, freeze, or drop frequently over unreliable networks (like VPNs) due to UDP fallback issues. Forcing RDP to use only TCP can often resolve these problems.

The Fix

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client]
"fClientDisableUDP"=dword:00000001

Why it works

• This registry tweak on the client machine forces the RDP client to use only TCP, bypassing the default behavior of attempting UDP connections for improved performance on stable networks.

Verify

• After applying the registry change and restarting the RDP client, connect to a remote session. If the previous issues are gone, the fix is likely working. There's no direct UI indicator, but performance stability is the verification.

Notes

• This change needs to be applied on the client machine that is initiating the RDP connection.
• Requires Administrator privileges.
• After applying the registry change, close and re-open your Remote Desktop Connection client for it to take effect.

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