How to enable USB Redirection in Windows 10
Do on both Physical Windows Machine and Remote Host
All edits are under the following:
Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Remote Desktop Services \ >>
GPEdits:
- I also changed from "Administrators" to "Administrators and Users" in "Allow RDP redirection of other supported RemoteFX USB devices from this computer"
Remote Desktop Connection Client \ RemoteFX USB Device Redirection \ Allow RDP redirection of other supported RemoteFX USB devices from this computer (Enabled)
Remote Desktop Session Host \ Remote Session Environment \ RemoteFX for Windows Server 2008 R2 \ Configure RemoteFX (Enabled)
Remote Desktop Session Host \ Connections \ Allow users to connect remotely by using Remote Desktop Services (Enabled)
Remote Desktop Session Host \ Device and Resource Redirection\ Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection (Disabled)
gpupdate /force in elevated CMD Prompt and reboot
I too have had problems using RemoteFX USB Redirection
on a Windows 7 Client to a remote host on Azure running Windows 10, while the same machine configuration would successfully redirect USB to a Windows 8.1 Azure VM.
To be clear I've not had issues with the USB redirection for common devices (Flash drives, Printers, etc) that are supported with the vanilla setup of Remote Desktop. This type of USB redirection, for example, allowing me to see a Flash drive that I plug in to my Windows 7 client is working perfectly for me as I can see it in Explorer in the Azure VM.
A comparison of standard RDP redirection and RemoteFX redirection is detailed in this blog entry.
My particular USB redirection problem relates to the classes of devices not handled by the basic RDP high-level redirection, and for that I've enabled RemoteFX USB redirection on previous releases of Windows. When this is functioning correctly the computer icon () appears in the Remote Desktop title bar allowing me to select which device should be redirected to the VM.
Titlebar when RemoteFX USB Redirection is working
Following the instructions on numerous web resources for enabling RemoteFX USB redirection worked for me for earlier OS versions (i.e. Windows 8.1 on a Azure VM), but would not work for any Windows 10 VM I created. The titlebar stubbornly remained without the RemoteFX USB redirection feature.
Titlebar when RemoteFX USB Redirection was not working
I finally stumbled across this thread which solved my problem.
It seems there is one more step needed on a Windows 10 host compared to previous OS versions and that is:
Run
gpedit.msc
on the target VM (the target windows 10 Virtual Machine) to start theGroup Policy Editor
.gpedit.msc
can be typed in from a run dialog (use WinKey+R) if you have administrator access, or start an elevatedCMD.EXE
and typegpedit.msc
from the command line.Locate the item
Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Remote Desktop Services \ Remote Desktop Session Host \ Device and Resource Redirection\ Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection
from the treeview of theGroup Policy Editor
.Bizarrely set this item to
Disabled
.Run
gpupdate /force
from an elevated command prompt.At least disconnect RDP session and connect again, if this does not work reboot target VM.