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    :What do I do if I cannot connect to a Windows ECS instance due to the "Don't allow remote connections to this computer" setting?

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    :What do I do if I cannot connect to a Windows ECS instance due to the "Don't allow remote connections to this computer" setting?

    Last Updated:Jun 06, 2025

    You cannot connect to Windows Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instance by using tools such as Workbench. After you log on to the instance by using Virtual Network Computing (VNC), the Remote Desktop option is set to Don't allow remote connections to this computer.

    Problem description

    The Remote Desktop option is set to Don't allow remote connections to this computer, as shown in the following figure.

    image

    Check whether the issue occurs

    1. Connect to an instance by using VNC.

    2. Press Win+R, enter sysdm.cpl, and then press the Enter key to go to the System Properties dialog box.

      image

    3. On the Remote tab, check the Remote Desktop options. Don't allow remote connections to this computer is selected as shown in the following figure.

      image

    Procedure

    Important

    The procedure involves modifying Windows system configurations. Before proceeding, create snapshots for the instance to roll back to the previous instance status if configuration errors occur.

    Step 1: Change the value of the Remote Desktop option in the System Properties dialog box

    Press Win+R, enter sysdm.cpl, and then press the Enter key to go to the System Properties dialog box. On the Remote tab, change the Remote Desktop option to Allow remote connections to this computer, click Apply, and then click OK.

    image

    What if the Remote Desktop option is grayed out (not editable)?

    1. Press Win+R, enter gpedit.msc, and then press the Enter key. The Local Group Policy Editor window appears.

    2. Choose Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Connections. Find and double-click Allow users to connect remotely by using Remote Desktop Services.

      image

    3. Select Enabled, click Apply, and then click OK.

      Note

      To be able to modify this configuration item in the System Properties dialog box, select Not Configured.

      image

    Step 2: Modify the registry file

    Modify the fDenyTSConnections option in the registry file to resolve the issue.

    1. Press Win+R, enter regedit, and then press the Enter key to go to the Registry Editor window.

      image

    2. Navigate to the \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server path, and find and double-click fDenyTSConnections.

      image

    3. In the fDenyTSConnections dialog box, set Value data to 0.

      A value of 0 for this configuration item represents allowing remote connections.

      image

    4. Restart the instance.

    Step 3: Check whether the issue is resolved

    1. Connect to an instance by using VNC.

    2. Press Win+R, enter sysdm.cpl, and then press the Enter key. The System Properties dialog box appears.

    3. On the Remote tab, check whether the Remote Desktop option is set to Allow remote connections to this computer.

    4. Log on to the instance again by using a remote connection tool.