I would like Powertoys workspaces to launch remote desktop connection

PowerToys Workspaces does not natively recognize or manage open Remote Desktop connections as part of its workspace configurations. When you create a workspace, it captures the current state of applications that are open at that moment, but if the Remote Desktop connection is already established, it may not be included in the workspace capture.

To effectively manage your home vs. office configurations using PowerToys Workspaces, you can manually add the Remote Desktop application to your workspace setup. You can do this by launching the Remote Desktop application and then capturing the workspace after it is open. However, keep in mind that if the Remote Desktop connection is already active, it may not reposition as expected when launching the workspace again.

For optimal results, consider using command line interface (CLI) arguments to control the launch behavior of the Remote Desktop application, if applicable.

If you need to frequently switch between configurations, creating separate workspaces for each setup (home and office) might be beneficial, allowing you to quickly launch the desired environment each time.

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Thank you for sharing your inquiry with us.

Powertoys Workspaces is designed to help users launch and organize groups of applications and files for specific workflows. However, there are some current limitations regarding Remote Desktop (RDP).

• PoweToys Workspaces does not natively support Remote Desktop sessions.
• It cannot capture or relaunch an active RDP window as part of a workspace.
• Open RDP windows are not recognized as workspace items, and there’s no built-in integration for managing RDS sessions through Workspaces.

And the reason for this limitation is:

• Workspaces use standard Windows APIs to launch and reposition apps.
• RDP sessions behave differently because they are remote sessions rather than local app windows.
• When you capture a workspace, it records local app states only, not remote session states.

Reference: PowerToys Workspaces Utility for Windows Desktop Management | Microsoft Learn

Hence, I would like to share with you some workaround that you can try.

1. Add RDP Shortcuts to Your Workspace Folder

Save your .rdp files (Remote Desktop Connection profiles) in the same folder used by your workspace. When launching the workspace, manually open the .rdp files to initiate your remote sessions quickly.

2. Use Dedicated RDS Tools for Advanced Management

For more advanced Remote Desktop workflow automation or session management, consider using:

• Scripts (PowerShell or command-line)
• Third-party RDS management tools
• Native Windows tools such as Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDMan), RDCMan alternatives or Windows Admin Center
• These provide better control over RDP sessions than PowerToys Workspaces currently can.