5 Fixes for Remote Desktop Copy-Paste Not Working on Windows

Remote Desktop Services offer a valuable feature that allows users to copy and paste between the remote session and the local client. However, at times, this feature might stop working. If you are facing this issue, here are five fixes you can try to resolve it.
1. Check Remote Desktop Clipboard Process
First, ensure that the ‘rdpclip.exe’ process is running on both the remote and local machines. Use the Task Manager to check for this process. If it’s not running, manually start it by going into Task Manager > File > Run new task, type ‘rdpclip.exe’, and hit Enter.
2. Restart the RDP Clipboard Process
If ‘rdpclip.exe’ is already running, try restarting it. On both the remote and local computers, open Task Manager, find ‘rdpclip.exe’, right-click on it and select ‘End task’. Then restart it by following the process described above.
3. Clear Temporary Files
Sometimes temporary files can interrupt the clipboard function. Clearing these might resolve your problem. On the Windows computer, run ‘cleanmgr’, select the system drive and remove temporary files found in both the “Temporary files” and “Temporary Internet Files” folders.
4. Change Remote Desktop Connection Settings
Check your Remote Desktop Connection settings. Open Remote Desktop Connection > Show Options > Local Resources > Clipboards (ensure that Clipboard option is checked). This will allow copy-paste from/to your local machine to/from the remote machine.
5. Update or Reinstall RDP
If all else fails, there could be an issue with your Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Check for updates for your RDP client on Windows Update or consider reinstalling it.
Remember to always maintain security practices when adjusting settings on any machine to avoid potential vulnerabilities over remote connections.