Articles on: VPS Management

How to keep your Remote Desktop Session Alive with Remote Desktop Connection

Some applications require an active remote desktop session to keep running. To maintain this session in Remote Desktop Connection (RDC), you need to change settings in the Group Policy Editor on the remote computer.

Open Group Policy Editor:

Press Win + R on the remote computer to open the Run dialog. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. This opens the Local Group Policy Editor.

Navigate to Remote Desktop Session Host Policies:

In the Group Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Remote Desktop Services -> Remote Desktop Session Host -> Connections

Enable Keep-Alive Connections:

Look for the policy named "Configure keep-alive connection interval." Double-click on the policy to open its properties.

Configure Keep-Alive Interval:

Select the "Enabled" option. In the "Keep-Alive interval" field, specify the time interval (in seconds) at which the keep-alive packets should be sent to maintain the connection. For example, you can set it to 300 seconds (5 minutes).

Apply Changes:

Click *"OK"*** to apply the changes.

Restart Remote Desktop Services (optional):

To ensure the policy takes effect, you can restart the Remote Desktop Services on the remote computer. Open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges. Run the following command: net stop termservice && net start termservice

Always exercise caution when making changes to group policies, as incorrect configurations can affect the system’s behavior. If you’re unsure or uncomfortable with these changes, consider seeking assistance from your IT department or a knowledgeable colleague.

Updated on: 26/08/2025

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