So, did you just encounter the “An authentication error has occurred” alert while setting up the Remote Desktop Connection on your Windows PC? Well, yes, this can be annoying. In this post, we have listed a variety of solutions that you can use to get rid of this error message.
The Remote Desktop Connection is a useful feature on Windows that allows you the user to remotely connect to and control another computer over a network or the Internet.
A Remote Desktop Authentication Error on Windows can occur when a user entered incorrect credentials. This can be caused when the user may not have the necessary permissions to access the remote computer. It can also occur if there are issues with the remote computer’s network settings or if it is not configured to allow remote connections. Other possible causes include network connectivity issues, the remote desktop being disabled, and interference from a third-party antivirus tool or Windows Defender Firewall.
Let’s quickly learn how you can fix the remote desktop authentication error on Windows 11.
Also read: 6 Ways To Activate Remote Desktop Connection In Windows 11 Pro
How to Fix the Remote Desktop Authentication Error on Windows
Solution 1: Manually Enable the Remote Desktop Connection Feature
If the Remote Desktop Connection is disabled by default, here’s how you can manually enable it via the Settings app.
Tap on the Windows icon placed on the Taskbar and select “Settings”. Switch to the “System” tab from the left menu pane. Scroll down and select “Remote Desktop”.
Now, toggle ON the “Remote Desktop” option to enable it. Windows will pop up a confirmation alert. Hit on the “Confirm” button to proceed.
Solution 2: Disable Windows Firewall
There may be a few instances where the Windows Firewall may block the Remote Desktop connections on your device. Temporarily disabling the Firewall may help you get rid of the authentication error. Here’s what you need to do:
Tap on the search icon placed on the Taskbar, type “Control Panel” and hit Enter.
In the Control Panel window, tap on the “System and Security” category.
Now, tap on the “Turn OFF Windows Defender Firewall” options for both Public Network Settings and Private Network Settings.
Hit on the OK button to save recent changes. After disabling Firewall, try using the Remote Desktop Connection to check if the issue was resolved.
Also read: How to Fix Remote Desktop Gateway server is Temporarily Unavailable
Solution 3: Turn Off Network Level Authentication
Here comes another effective workaround to fix the “An authentication error has occurred” issue on Windows 11.
Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type “Sysdm.cpl” in the textbox and hit Enter to open the System Properties window.
In the System Properties window, switch to the “Remote” tab.
Under the “Remote Desktop” section, check on the “Allow remote connections to this computer” option. Uncheck the “Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with network level authentication” option.
Hit on the OK and Apply buttons to save changes.
Reboot your device after making the above-listed changes. After rebooting your machine, try to establish a remote connection from your PC and check if the issue still persists.
Also read: How To Secure Your Network With Effective Remote Desktop Access
Solution 4: Edit the Registry
Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type “Regedit” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor app.
In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following folder location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\CredSSP\Parameters
Double-tap on the System folder. Right-click anywhere on the right side of the window and select New> D-WORD (32-Bit) Value. Name the new entry as “DisableTaskMgr”.
Double-tap on the new entry, and enter 2 in the Value Data field.
Exit all windows and reboot your device.
Solution 5: Uninstall Latest Windows Update
Launch the Settings app, and switch to the “Windows Update” section from the left menu pane. Tap on “Update History”.
Now, scroll down to the end of the page and select “Uninstall Updates”.
You will now see a list of recent Windows updates. Pick the latest update and hit the “Uninstall” button placed next to it.
Reboot your device. Launch the “Remote Desktop Connection” app and check if you are still encountering the authentication error.
Wrapping Up!
Here are a few simple workarounds that you can use for fixing the “Remote Desktop authentication error” on Windows. You can easily troubleshoot this error on your own using any of the above-listed solutions. So, first, get rid of this error, and control and manage your PC remotely without any interruptions.
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