> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.devolutions.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.devolutions.net/rdm/knowledge-base/knowledge-base-articles/entry-settings/apple-remote-desktop-ard.md).

# Apple Remote Desktop (ARD)

Configure Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) session settings in Remote Desktop Manager, including display, authentication type, and performance options.

This article details the many settings and options available for Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) session entries in Remote Desktop Manager.

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="141.99993896484375"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>SETTINGS</strong></td><td><strong>DESCRIPTION</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td>The name of the entry.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Folder</strong></td><td>The folder where the entry is located. A folder can be selected by clicking the arrow or the three dots to open the <em><strong>Folder</strong></em> window. To create a new folder, click on the plus (<em><strong>+</strong></em>) icon.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Display</strong></td><td>How the session is displayed. <em><strong>Embedded (tabbed)</strong></em> means that the remote connection is open within the same window as the other tabs or entries. Each connection has its own tab, making it easy to switch between them. An <em><strong>Undocked</strong></em> display refers to the session window being detached from the main application. It allows you to move and resize the remote session window freely on your desktop.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Host</strong></td><td><em><strong>Host configured</strong></em> lets you select the host. <em><strong>Linked (vault)</strong></em> indicates that the host for the entry is linked to a host entry. <em><strong>Inherited</strong></em> is used when the host is inherited from a higher-level or parent entry.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Credentials</strong></td><td><ul><li><strong>Username and password</strong>: You will set the username and password in the <em><strong>General</strong></em> tab.</li><li><strong>Linked (vault)</strong>: Links to credentials available in the current shared vault.</li><li><strong>Inherited</strong>: Inheritance means that credentials will automatically be passed down from a higher-level entry to lower-level entries that inherit from it.</li><li><strong>My personal credentials</strong>: These credentials are not entry specific but are instead taken from the option under <em><strong>File</strong></em> – <em><strong>My account settings</strong></em> – <em><strong>Local credentials</strong></em> – <em><strong>My personal credentials</strong></em>.</li><li><strong>None</strong>: Remote Desktop Manager will not send credentials to the entry.</li><li><strong>Find by name (user vault)</strong>: Searches for the name of an entry in the user vault.</li><li><strong>My privileged account</strong>: These credentials are not entry specific but are instead taken from the option under <em><strong>File</strong></em> – <em><strong>My account settings</strong></em> – <em><strong>Local credentials</strong></em> – <em><strong>My privileged account</strong></em>.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table>

### General

<table><thead><tr><th width="130.7999267578125">SETTINGS</th><th>DESCRIPTION</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Host</strong></td><td>Enter a hostname or choose one from a list by clicking on the ellipsis button. Available when <em><strong>Host</strong></em> is set to <em><strong>Host configured</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Port</strong></td><td>Select the default port (5900) or use the <em><strong>Port generator</strong></em> to generate one.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Username</strong></td><td>Enter the session's login username. Available when <em><strong>Credentials</strong></em> is set to <em><strong>Username and password</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Password</strong></td><td>Enter the session's login password. Available when <em><strong>Credentials</strong></em> is set to <em><strong>Username and password</strong></em>. It is unavailable when the <em><strong>Disable password saving in vaults</strong></em> system setting is enabled.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Embedded application</strong></td><td><p>The application used to display the embedded session:</p><ul><li><strong>Default (application settings)</strong> — use the default ARD application set in the application settings. The resolved application is shown next to the list.</li><li><strong>FreeVNC</strong></li><li><strong>IronVNC</strong></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Settings

<table><thead><tr><th width="225.99993896484375">SETTINGS</th><th>DESCRIPTION</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Display</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Scaled</strong></td><td>Scale the remote display to fit the session's embedded or undocked window.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Screen</strong></td><td><p>Choose which remote monitor to display:</p><ul><li><strong>Default</strong></li><li><strong>Primary</strong></li><li><strong>Custom</strong> — enter the monitor number (1 to 25) in <em><strong>Display no.</strong></em></li><li><strong>Prompt</strong> — choose the monitor when the session is launched.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Preserve aspect ratio</strong></td><td>Automatically stretch and/or crop the image to preserve quality if the resolution differs between the remote and local monitors. Available when <em><strong>Scaled</strong></em> is selected.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Performance</strong></td><td><p>Set the image quality of the remote monitor between:</p><ul><li><strong>Default</strong></li><li><strong>Full quality (zlib full color)</strong></li><li><strong>Low quality (zlib black and white)</strong></li><li><strong>Medium quality (zlib grayscale)</strong></li><li><strong>High quality (zlib 16-bit colors)</strong></li><li><strong>Adaptive quality (Apple MVS codec)</strong></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Custom compression level</strong></td><td>The compression level, from 1 to 9. Shown when <em><strong>Performance</strong></em> is set to <em><strong>Full quality (zlib full color)</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Resolution quality</strong></td><td><p>Set the resolution quality of the remote monitor between:</p><ul><li><strong>Default</strong></li><li><strong>Low</strong></li><li><strong>High</strong></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Miscellaneous</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>View only (input ignored)</strong></td><td>Disallow input in the remote session.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Enable clipboard transfer</strong></td><td>Allow transferring the content of the clipboard from the local machine to the remote one and vice versa.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Request shared session</strong></td><td>Send a request for a shared session if a user is already using the remote machine.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Hide toolstrip</strong></td><td>Hide the toolstrip of the session.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Authentication type</strong></td><td><p>Choose ARD authentication type between:</p><ul><li><strong>ARD</strong>: Take control on the remote machine without asking the local user for permission.</li><li><strong>ARD ask observe</strong>: Send a prompt to the local user of the remote machine asking for permission to observe (view only without input).</li><li><strong>ARD ask control</strong>: Send a prompt to the local user of the remote machine asking for permission to send input.</li></ul><p>Hidden when the embedded application is <em><strong>IronVNC</strong></em>, which negotiates the authentication type with the host.</p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Connection timeout</strong></td><td>The length of time (in seconds, from -1 to 3600) to wait for a connection to the remote machine before terminating the attempt and generating an error.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>When viewing this computer and another user is logged in using the display, what do you want to do?</strong></td><td><p>What to do when another user is logged in on the remote computer's display:</p><ul><li><strong>Ask other login to share the display</strong></li><li><strong>Share the display</strong></li><li><strong>Connect to a virtual display</strong></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Advanced

<table><thead><tr><th width="255.5999755859375">SETTINGS</th><th>DESCRIPTION</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Keyboard</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Apply Windows key combinations (for example, ALT+TAB)</strong></td><td><p>Choose on which machine, and under what circumstances, the Windows combinations should apply (ex. ALT+TAB). Here are the options:</p><ul><li><strong>On the local computer</strong></li><li><strong>On the remote computer</strong></li><li><strong>In full-screen mode only</strong></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table>


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