To use Remote Desktop to access an Azure AD joined computer, you will need to do the following:

RDP stands for Remote Desktop Protocol, which is a protocol that allows a user to remotely access and control another computer.

Azure AD stands for Azure Active Directory, which is a cloud-based directory and identity management service provided by Microsoft. RDP to Azure AD would mean that you are using the Remote Desktop Protocol to access a computer that is connected to Azure Active Directory. This would allow you to remotely access and control the computer using your Azure AD credentials.

Cloud Computing with Azure

Let’s look at the steps we need to go through to get connected.

RDP to AzureAD joined PC

Let’s look at the steps we need to go through to get connected.

  1. First, open remote desktop as if you were going to connect to any other computer.
  2. Type in the computer name or IP address and expand the the Show Options section.
  3. Next, click the Save As button to save the RDP file locally. At this point you can close the Remote Desktop Connection dialog. It isn’t needed anymore.

Now you are ready to connect! Double click on the RDP file and fill in the dialog box.
For the user name field should be formatted as.\AzureAD\email@company.com

(Technically it only needs to be AzureAD\email@company.com but there are some strange caching things that happen when the VM autolocks and you go to sign back in. Adding the dot slash (.\) at the beginning will save you some headache of having to add AzureAD\ to the beginning of your username each time you try to log in.)

There you have it! now you can RDP into a computer with your Azure AD credentials
(aka, email address) to an Azure AD joined computer.

Note – This works for both AzureAD joined client PCs and also local accounts.

*Azure device needs to be pre-configured.