In the table above, the following terminology is intended to be used to describe some important features:
Listening mode: where a server connects to a viewer. The server site does not have to configure its firewall/NAT to allow access on a defined port; the onus is on the viewer, which is useful if the server site has no computer expertise, while the viewer user would be expected to be more knowledgeable.
Built-in encryption: the software has at least one method of encrypting the data between the local and remote computers, and the encryption mechanism is built into the remote control software.
File transfer: the software allows the user to transfer files between the local and remote computers, from within the client software's user interface.
Audio support: the remote control software transfers audio signals across the network and plays the audio through the speakers attached to the local computer. For example, music playback software normally sends audio signals to the locally attached speakers, via some sound controller hardware. If the remote control software package supports audio transfer, the playback software can run on the remote computer, while the music can be heard from the local computer, as though the software were running locally.
Multiple sessions: the ability to connect to a server as many users, and have each one see their individual desktops.
Seamless window: the software allows an application to be run on the server, and just the application window to be shown on the client's desktop. Normally the remote user interface chrome is also removed, giving the impression that the application is running on the client machines.
Remote assistance: remote and local users are able to view the same screen at the same time, so a remote user can assist a local user.
Access permission request: local user should approve a remote access session start.
NAT passthrough: the ability to connect to the server behind a NAT without configuring the router's port forwarding rules. It offers an advantage when you can't reconfigure the router/firewall (for example in case it is on the Internet service provider's side), but is a serious security risk (unless the traffic is end-to-end encrypted), because all the traffic will pass through some proxy server which in most cases is owned by the remote access application's developers.[citation needed]
Maximum simultaneous connections: number of clients connected to the same session
Screen blanking: the ability to prevent the user of the host/server from viewing what is currently being displayed on the screen while a remote user is connected.
Remote Printing: the remote user can print a file from the host computer to a printer connected to the client computer.
Session persistence: unsaved work will not be lost when the user disconnects or in the event of connection loss
^ Some features are MS Windows- and Apple Mac-only.[13]
^ Available to view a remote desktop from Google Android Linux devices.[14]
^ Available to view a remote desktop from Apple iOS devices.[15]
^ There exists an "official" client for Apple Mac OS, as well as several independent implementations. See for example the "CoRD" entry above, an alternative open source RDP client for Mac[18]
^ Windows Mobile Remote Desktop is an optional part of WM 6.1.[20][21]
^ abTo use Windows or Mac OS X as a client, an X server needs to be installed and running. Windows or Mac OS X can be used as a server, if they have an SSH server running; but only X11 applications (not native GUI applications) can display their GUI on the client; on Windows these probably have to be run within Cygwin.
^Since it is a GTK+ application, it can be accessed using the Broadway HTML5 back-end, but this is not yet mature or a full replacement for a browser remote desktop client.
^ Remote Desktop Services are single user only. Local screen is locked when remote user connects and local user can not view remote user's activities. Remote user is disconnected when local user logs in. Terminal Services use multiple independent desktops. Local user views its own desktop and can not view remote users' activities. Local user is not notified when remote user connects.
^ Provided the server is running Windows 2008 or later.
^ Assistance mode uses a separate client named MSRA (Microsoft Remote Assistance). Remote user must approve your access in assistance mode.
^ Access approval is always requested in assistance mode and never in remote access mode.
^ 3 with the free version; up to 15 with a license
^ UltraVNC allows a single Window to be shown, however it is still doing full screen polling and not capturing the application details. This can cause other windows to overlap and popup windows to "disappear".