Setting up Audio for Remote Desktop

There are many different methods to configure your sound for remote desktop to ensure maximum performance. You can do this yourself or seek help from specialists.

The need to configure a remote desktop with sound

Setting up sound for a remote desktop is necessary in a variety of cases. The main use cases include:

• Listening to music or audio books. If you're working on a remote computer that doesn't have your music library or audiobooks on it, you can redirect audio from your local computer to listen to them without having to copy the files.
• Receive various notifications. Sound notifications about new emails, messages or system events can be very useful, especially if you are working on an important project and don't want to miss anything important.
• Using voice chat. If you use online communication programs such as Skype, Zoom or Discord, you will need to set up audio to be able to communicate with other people by voice.
• Sound recording. If you host webinars, online courses, or other events, you may need to record audio from a remote computer.

In addition to the cases listed above, adjusting the sound can be useful in other situations. It should be noted that setting up audio for remote desktop is not always necessary. If you don't use features that require audio, you can skip this step.

How to connect to a remote desktop with sound?

Connecting to a remote desktop with audio is a process that requires some considerations. It is important to follow these steps to set up your server computer:

1. Press Win+R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find the Windows Audio service, open its properties and set the startup type to Automatic.
3. Start the service and click OK.
4. In the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc), navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Device and Resource Redirection.
5. Double click Allow audio and video redirection.
6. Select Enabled and click OK.

To configure the client device, you also need to follow certain steps to ensure a connection with audio. To do this you need to follow these simple instructions:

1. Use mstsc.exe or Remote Desktop application.
2. Enter the server address and click Options.
3. On the Local Resources tab, select Sound.
4. In the Remote audio field, select Play on this computer.
5. Click OK and connect to the remote desktop.
6. After connecting to the remote desktop, open Control Panel > Sound.
7. Select Playback and make sure your local computer's speakers are selected as the default device.
8. Select Record and make sure your microphone (if you have one) is selected as the default device.
9. If necessary, adjust the volume and other sound settings.

As you can see, you can configure all the necessary parameters yourself. In this case, some subtleties should be taken into account in order to avoid mistakes. It is important to strictly follow the instructions described. If you can’t carry out all the settings yourself, it’s best to contact specialists who will help you complete all the tasks with minimal costs in the process.

Nuances to pay attention to

When setting up audio for a remote computer, there are some subtleties to consider that will help improve playback quality. Among the main ones you should pay attention to:

• The sound quality when working via a remote desktop may be worse than when working locally. This is because audio is compressed and transmitted over the network, which can result in loss of quality. Audio latency may also be greater than with local operation.
• Audio redirection may not be secure if the network is not secure. Attackers can intercept the sound and use it for their own purposes. To ensure security, it is recommended to use a VPN or other network security methods.
• Not all programs and games are compatible with audio redirection. If you are using a program that is not compatible with audio redirection, the audio may not work.
• Audio settings on the server and client computer may affect audio quality. Make sure the audio settings on both computers are optimized for remote desktop use.
• Audio redirection may consume additional resources on the server and client computer. If you are having performance issues, try disabling audio redirection.
• Some features, such as remote desktop audio recording, may not be available depending on your configuration.

If there are any problems, you should try rebooting your device. It is also important to check that your drivers and software are up to date. By following simple tips, you can set the required parameters for remote applications to work with sound.