How do you copy and paste on a Mac using Remote Desktop?

Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac - Clipboard does not allow copying files when using "Workspaces" connection

Hi,

Two users and myself found out that recently [perhaps in the last month or two], copying and pasting files from our Remote Desktop session [connected to a Windows server] to the local Mac desktop no longer works. Only copying text works.
Please enlighten me as to whether this is due to an update or there is some configuration I am missing

[I have tried looking everywhere and there seems to be no such configuration -- the solution in a previous forum post was for "PCs" not "Workspaces". In the "Workspaces" tab we are not able to access the same settings as under the "PCs" tab, so we cannot adjust whether clipboard is shared.]

Mac os 10.14.6

Thanks,

Philip

remote-desktop-servicesremote-desktop-client

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ZheliZheng-1681 answered • Feb 3, '21 | ZheliZheng-1681 edited • Feb 3, '21

Thanks for your input. I found that the clicking the refresh button on the upper right hand corner of the Work Resources icon seems to work. Not sure if that is what fixed it but now I can copy files from Mac to RDS and vice versa.

click-refresh-button-on-remote-desktop.png [18.0 KiB]

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KarlieWeng-MSFT answered • Feb 1, '21 | KarlieWeng-MSFT edited • Feb 2, '21

Hello @ZheliZheng-1681

You could configure Redirection to map the folder of Mac in Windows so that you can copy file from Windows to Mac
Transfer files between host/client computer with Remote Desktop v8 on Mac

or

try the Remote Desktop for Mac [Beta]
"In addition to supporting copy/paste of text and images, the preview app now supports copy/paste of files so that you can transfer files into and out of the remote session using both Command X/C/V and CTRL X/C/V." Quoted from here.

Best Regards
Karlie

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9 Replies

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Pimiento

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adamzito Sep 28, 2015 at 13:15 UTC

no not really, but some of the other programs out there have a file transfer built into their software. I use team viewer and it works also that are a few others. Microsoft doesn't like to support this type as it gives them vulnerability in theOS.I would say that the easiest way would be to send it from a personal email to your work email as a attachment, as I had to do.

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Mace

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Big Green Man

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Sep 28, 2015 at 13:18 UTC

Under Local Resources in the RDP settings, there's one called "Apply Windows key combinations." This can be set to "On this computer," "On the remote computer," or "Only when using the full screen. These are pretty self-explanatory.

Also, I don't believe you can copy and paste files between machines. Things copied on the remote computer can only be pasted on the remote computer, and things copied on the local computer can only be pasted on the local computer.

EDIT: Edited for clarity.

Edited Sep 28, 2015 at 14:38 UTC

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Datil

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David_CSG

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Sep 28, 2015 at 13:38 UTC

Apple expert

206 Best Answers

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5 How-tos

Actually, copy-paste does work [edited]: for clipboard contents that are text-only. I do so extensively between my Mac workstation and Windows PCs.

I'm using *this* version of RDP for Mac:

//itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-remote-desktop/id715768417?mt=12

Use the Apple-native Command-C and Command-V to copy & paste, and the Windows native ctl-c and ctl-v.
I do very occasionally see instances where copy-paste stops working, typically fixed by closing the session and quitting the program outright [and then relaunching].

Edited Sep 28, 2015 at 14:22 UTC

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Thai Pepper

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Nelson9480 Sep 28, 2015 at 13:43 UTC

You can definitely copy & paste text between a Mac and a RDP Windows machine; it's how I manage my company Domain Controllers - you just need to remember to use CMD+C on the Mac and then CTRL+V on the Windows [or vice versa].

I don't think you can copy files [documents, images, etc]; I tend to save those in a fileshare they can both access. Or they can create a folder redirection - in MS RDP on the Mac, edit the Remote Desktop settings for the PC, click on Redirection then add a new link to ther Desktop or whichever folder they wish.

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Poblano

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medvedd Sep 28, 2015 at 14:31 UTC

Copy-pasting of files definitely works, I use it all the times [between 2 Windows, RDP is set up via ssh tunnel].

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Chipotle

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KarlosDaTechGuy

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Sep 28, 2015 at 14:36 UTC

I copy and paste from local to remote all the time, but it is only text. Never really tried it with documents or files/folders as I would just drop files into a network share to access.

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Serrano

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paul6004 Sep 28, 2015 at 14:45 UTC

Yea she brought her macbook in and Ctrl+C worked. Not sure what she was talking about lol

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Poblano

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cboyer-ccc Sep 28, 2015 at 17:28 UTC

You could try stopping and restarting RDPCLIP.EXE on the session, and that usually fixes and copy/paste issues between the host and client PC.

Also, copy is Command-C on a Mac, and not Control-C.

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Pimiento

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Daniel1697 Mar 17, 2016 at 16:28 UTC

1st Post

Nelson9480 wrote:

You can definitely copy & paste text between a Mac and a RDP Windows machine; it's how I manage my company Domain Controllers - you just need to remember to use CMD %uFEFFC on the Mac and then CTRL %uFEFFV on the Windows [or vice versa].

I don't think you can copy files [documents, images, etc]; I tend to save those in a fileshare they can both access. Or they can create a folder redirection - in MS RDP on the Mac, edit the Remote Desktop settings for the PC, click on Redirection then add a new link to ther Desktop or whichever folder they wish.

This is the correct answer. If the clipboard sharing stops working, kill and restart rdpclip.exe on the windows session.

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