Remote Desktop Always on top after minimize/maximize

Henry Prins 6

Has anyone been able to get a fix for the Windows 10 RDP client getting stuck in what appears to be "Always on top" state?

I've seen reports of this bug on line going back to 2017.

When you first connect to a new RDP session you can open new applications on your local desktop and they will show up above the RDP client. However once you minimize and maximize the RDP session, for what ever reason all new applications that get created in the same screen will "pop up" hidden behind the RDP session. This is an overly annoying issue when you work with many apps and remote desktops throughout the day.

Since this has been going on for YEARS now, I was hoping I would find something online, but either I haven't been able to find the correct search criteria or this BUG has simply been ignored by Microsoft.

KJWilco2016 11 Reputation points

2021-07-28T16:10:27.053+00:00

Same issue is continuing almost a year later
Stefan Hoffmann 6 Reputation points

2023-07-04T09:03:56.1733333+00:00

This error happens here since the last Win10 update.
Chris Brown 0 Reputation points

2023-12-12T23:33:05.7766667+00:00

December 2023 - still an issue 🙄
Gijsbert E 0 Reputation points

2024-04-03T08:39:22.9366667+00:00

April 2024, still happens. Modified the setting "videoplaybackmode:i:0" in both the actual rdp-file and Default.rdp

Win10 22H2

4 answers

lukval 41 Reputation points

2020-11-24T09:27:32.377+00:00

In my situation (Windows 10 Ent LTSC 1809) works the solution on https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/9fcf14e3-b831-443e-8d3b-7d7b6fbf6faf/remote-desktop-app-quotalways-on-topquot-after-fall-creators-update?forum=win10itprogeneral ... open default rdp file with a text editor and changed the setting "videoplaybackmode:i:1" to "videoplaybackmode:i:0".
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8 people found this answer helpful.
David 11 Reputation points

2020-12-02T15:19:30.35+00:00

This had no effect for me.

Problem persists.
-Daily hassle.

Effectively, I cannot use one monitor (keep all my windows on other monitor(s)) unless I want to use the mouse to minimize.

Ctrl-Alt-Home then Alt-Tab doesn't work either.

Unrelated to Outlook. Can reproduce with Notepad++ and RDP and no other windows open.

Paul Goldstraw 1 Reputation point

2021-01-06T11:51:35.953+00:00

I also have this issue. One keyboard based work-around I use is the aero-snap functionality (Win-Key + arrow keys) to force it over to the other screen and maximise it. It's not ideal as my other screen is a 13" laptop screen - there's a reason I'm primarily using an attached monitor - but it does get it onto the other screen without minimising the RDP session.

Hopefully a fix will be forthcoming soon though I'm certainly not holding my breath

Oliver 1 Reputation point

2021-01-22T12:10:32.753+00:00

Hey, this one worked for me, thanks! Still its inconvinient if one uses multiple target PCs.

Timon Meis 6 Reputation points

2021-04-19T08:18:35.207+00:00

Great, that's working for me 👍

Found the default.rdp under c:\users\documents\default.rdp

hope it stays tha way..

Martin Jan Wijnand Loohuizen 1 Reputation point

2021-06-01T08:28:53.437+00:00

Yes! Thank you!!

Doug 1 Reputation point

2021-06-03T14:07:19.457+00:00

This worked for me BUT the current version of my default.rdp file did not have the videoplaybackmode:i:0 string. I was able to cut and paste it from an older version of the file and now new windows show up in front of Remote Desktop.

If you don't see "videoplaybackmode:i:1" when you open the default.rdp file in Notepad, just add it,change the last digit to 0, save the file, and restart Remote Desktop. Solved.

Weekend Wang 1 Reputation point

2021-07-23T06:41:13.373+00:00

Hi Oliver, you can click Show Options then Save As, save your every target to a single *.rdp file.
Change videoplaybackmode respectively then you can double click the foo.rdp and bar.rdp to connect multiple target PCs.

Goomba 0 Reputation points

2024-03-08T10:22:25.8266667+00:00

Worked for me. Currently on Win11 #23H2 and it really was a struggle to have one rd session in fullscreen on one of 3 screens and my local stuff always popped up behind the remote session, now it has been corrected.
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Jenny Yan-MSFT 9,321 Reputation points

2020-08-26T07:20:08.683+00:00
Hi,
Thanks for posting in our Q&A forum. But to understand your problem better, could you please clarify the steps with more details for us to test further?

I did a quick test but failed to reproduce your issue.

Remote from a dual-monitors Win10 to another Win10 via mstsc, uncheck use all monitors in order to open new application from local desktop when there is a full screen remote session.

When remote session connected, open new application from second monitor and it popped up in the front.

Minimize full-screen remote session then maximize it, again open new application from second monitor, it was still brought in the front.

The test OS version is: 1903

Looking for your update.

Best Regards,
Jenny
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Jenny Yan-MSFT 9,321 Reputation points

2020-09-02T06:08:26.967+00:00

Hi,
Is there any update?

Please feel free to let us know if more assistance needed.

Thanks,
Jenny

Henrik Sjöström 11 Reputation points

2020-09-03T07:17:04.137+00:00

This is a general failure in Windows. A simple google search gets you a vast number of hits and Microsoft has yet to be able to reproduce it?
I currently run 2004 but have had this behaviour in the last two previous builds as well I believe.

Symptoms: Establish a RDP to another machine (usually one does not connect to another Windows 10 machine; far more common to a server like Windows Server 2016 or 2019).

Have your outlook client running.
Get a notification on new mail and click outlook.
Notice that it won't show and you click it again; where is it? Oh yeah, its probably stuck behind your RDP, so you minimize that window. And lo and behold, there it is.
This is the same for all windows; they are all hidden behind RDP.

Surely this can't be difficult to reproduce on a new machine?

Best Regards from Sweden.

Sean F 1 Reputation point

2020-11-12T23:50:39.223+00:00

Pretty much what Henrik says. Dual-monitor, try to open an app that is on the same monitor as the RDP session (Windows 10 clients, not servers for me) and it maximizes under the RDP session. Need to minimize the RDP session to get to it.

Sean F 1 Reputation point

2020-11-12T23:57:04.197+00:00

Pretty much what Henrik says. Dual-monitor, try to open an app that is on the same monitor as the RDP session (Windows 10 clients, not servers for me) and it maximizes under the RDP session. Need to minimize the RDP session to get to it.

See also this thread https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/9fcf14e3-b831-443e-8d3b-7d7b6fbf6faf/remote-desktop-app-quotalways-on-topquot-after-fall-creators-update?forum=win10itprogeneral

Peter Pilka 1 Reputation point

2021-09-24T16:17:01.687+00:00

Hi,
I have the same issue with RDP always on top. I reproduced steps by JennyYan-MSFT to reproduce the issue. Crucial point of the sequence is "uncheck use all monitors". The punchline of the issue is, that in case of unchecked checkbox it is necessary to check and uncheck it. So description for reproducing the issue is:
1.Remote from a dual-monitors Win10 to another Win10 via mstsc, checkbox use all monitors is already unchecked in order to open new application from local desktop when there is a full screen remote session.
And workaround is to check and uncheck the "use all monitors" in order to open new application from local desktop when there is a full screen remote session.
Best regards
Peter
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RICHARD MEADOWS 1 Reputation point

2021-10-05T17:55:23.457+00:00

Setting videoplaybackmode:i:0 resulted in my session not running full screen. Was only 1080p I have 1440 ultra wide.

Noticing that if I select display 1 size down from 'Full Screen', I get desired result. <sarcasm>That wasn't confusing at all </sarcasm>
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Richard Jansman 1 Reputation point

2022-07-05T06:20:40.477+00:00

The solution is: in the rd-client rightclick on your icon of the session desktop.
Disable default settings
Disable full screen
Now your session starts like a citrix session on 99%. Your local taskbar is below your session so you don't have to toggle. Also programs which you start from the taskbar do not pop up behind your desktop session.
If you want to have 99% on both screens you have to drag your 99% session to the other screen. Place you mouse on the right border and drag your session to the right monitor and it automatically resizing over both screens with your local taskbar on top below your desktop session.
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