> 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/vnc.md).

# VNC

Configure the VNC entry in Remote Desktop Manager, covering VNC application, password, display, and advanced connection settings.

The VNC entry in Remote Desktop Manager allows users to configure and manage VNC remote connections.

{% hint style="info" %}
Set ***Display*** to any mode other than ***External*** to choose between FreeVNC and IronVNC in the ***VNC application*** list. Set ***Display*** to ***External*** to choose between RealVNC, TightVNC and UltraVNC. Most settings of the ***Settings*** and ***Advanced*** tabs are disabled when ***Display*** is ***External***.
{% endhint %}

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="200"></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. Click the browse button to select a folder, or click the add (<em><strong>+</strong></em>) button to create a new one.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Display</strong></td><td><p>How the entry opens:</p><ul><li><strong>Default (inherited)</strong> — Uses the display mode of the nearest parent folder that sets one, otherwise the default of the entry type.</li><li><strong>External</strong> — Opens the entry in the external VNC application.</li><li><strong>Embedded (tabbed)</strong> — Opens the entry in a tab of the main window.</li><li><strong>Embedded (connect on demand)</strong> — Opens a tab of the main window that waits for you to connect.</li><li><strong>Undocked</strong> — Opens the entry in a separate window.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Host</strong></td><td>Where the host of the entry comes from. <em><strong>Host configured</strong></em> uses the <em><strong>Host</strong></em> entered in the <em><strong>General</strong></em> tab. <em><strong>Linked</strong></em> uses a host entry from a vault. <em><strong>Inherited</strong></em> uses the host of a parent folder.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Credentials</strong></td><td>How the credentials of the entry are provided. Read more on <a href="/rdm/ribbon-menu-bar/edit/entry-credentials-options.md"><em><strong>Credentials</strong></em> options</a>. When the credentials come from a credential entry, the <em><strong>VNC password</strong></em> and <em><strong>System authentication</strong></em> settings of the <em><strong>Settings</strong></em> tab are disabled.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### General

<table><thead><tr><th width="236.39996337890625">SETTINGS</th><th>DESCRIPTION</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>VNC application</strong></td><td><p>The application used to open the session. The options depend on the <em><strong>Display</strong></em> mode.</p><p>When <em><strong>Display</strong></em> is <em><strong>External</strong></em>:</p><ul><li><strong>RealVNC</strong></li><li><strong>TightVNC</strong></li><li><strong>UltraVNC</strong></li><li><strong>Default (application settings)</strong> — Use the default VNC application set in the application settings. The resolved application is shown next to the list.</li></ul><p>Otherwise:</p><ul><li><strong>Default (application settings)</strong> — Use the default embedded VNC 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><p>A second list sets the configuration source:</p><ul><li><strong>Custom configuration</strong> — Configure the host, port and arguments in this tab.</li><li><strong>Config filename</strong> — Use a VNC configuration file.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Custom configuration</strong></td></tr><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>Arguments</strong></td><td>Additional command-line arguments passed to the VNC application. Click the help button for the supported arguments. Available when <em><strong>Display</strong></em> is <em><strong>External</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Full screen</strong></td><td>Open the session in full screen. Available when <em><strong>Display</strong></em> is <em><strong>External</strong></em> and the <em><strong>VNC application</strong></em> is not <em><strong>TightVNC</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Config filename</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Config filename</strong></td><td>Select the config filename. Available when <em><strong>Display</strong></em> is <em><strong>External</strong></em>.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Settings

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="247.60003662109375"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>SETTINGS</strong></td><td><strong>DESCRIPTION</strong></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Credentials</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>VNC password</strong></td><td>Enter the password required to authenticate the VNC session. Available with <em><strong>Custom configuration</strong></em> when <em><strong>Display</strong></em> is not <em><strong>External</strong></em>, or when the <em><strong>VNC application</strong></em> is <em><strong>UltraVNC</strong></em> or <em><strong>TightVNC</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>System authentication</strong></td><td>Enter <em><strong>Username</strong></em>, <em><strong>Domain</strong></em>, and <em><strong>Password</strong></em> for system authentication. Available when <em><strong>VNC password</strong></em> is available and <em><strong>Display</strong></em> is not <em><strong>External</strong></em> or the <em><strong>VNC application</strong></em> is <em><strong>UltraVNC</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Display</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Color depth</strong></td><td><p>Select the color depth to balance performance and visual quality:</p><ul><li><strong>True color</strong></li><li><strong>256 colors</strong></li><li><strong>64 colors</strong></li><li><strong>8 colors</strong></li><li><strong>8 gray colors</strong></li><li><strong>4 gray colors</strong></li><li><strong>2 gray colors</strong></li><li><strong>Default</strong></li><li><strong>auto</strong></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Zoom</strong></td><td>Adjust the display zoom level, from 20% to 400% (100% by default). Available when <em><strong>Scaled</strong></em> is cleared.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Scaled</strong></td><td>Scale the VNC session window dynamically.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Smart resize</strong></td><td>Enable automatic resizing based on window dimensions.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Preserve aspect ratio</strong></td><td>Maintain the original aspect ratio when resizing the session window. Available when <em><strong>Scaled</strong></em> is selected.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Miscellaneous</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Connection timeout</strong></td><td>Set the timeout period in seconds, from -1 to 3600 (default 10 seconds).</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Embedded delay (x64 only)</strong></td><td>Defines a delay in milliseconds, from -1 to 9999, before embedding the session (-1 ms by default).</td></tr><tr><td><strong>View only (input ignored)</strong></td><td>Allow viewing without sending keyboard/mouse inputs.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Hide toolstrip</strong></td><td>Hide the toolbar during the session. Available with <em><strong>Custom configuration</strong></em> when the embedded application is FreeVNC or IronVNC.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Advanced

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="281.199951171875"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>SETTINGS</strong></td><td><strong>DESCRIPTION</strong></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Mouse</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Mouse cursor</strong></td><td><p>Select how the mouse cursor is handled during the VNC session:</p><ul><li><strong>Track remote cursor locally</strong></li><li><strong>Let remote server handle mouse cursor</strong></li><li><strong>Don’t show remote cursor</strong></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Emulate 3 buttons (with 2-button click)</strong></td><td>Enable 3-button mouse functionality when using a 2-button mouse.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Swap mouse buttons 2 and 3</strong></td><td>Swap right and middle mouse buttons.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Track mouse movements</strong></td><td>Track and synchronize cursor movement. Available with <em><strong>Custom configuration</strong></em> when the embedded application is FreeVNC or IronVNC.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Encoding</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Preferred encoding</strong></td><td><p>Select the encoding type:</p><ul><li><strong>Default</strong></li><li><strong>auto</strong></li><li><strong>CoRRE</strong></li><li><strong>Hextile</strong></li><li><strong>RAW</strong></li><li><strong>RRE</strong></li><li><strong>Tight</strong></li><li><strong>Ultra</strong></li><li><strong>Zlib</strong></li><li><strong>ZlibHEX</strong></li><li><strong>ZRLE</strong></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Custom compression level</strong></td><td>Set a compression level, from 1 to 9. Available when <em><strong>Preferred encoding</strong></em> is <em><strong>Default</strong></em>, <em><strong>Tight</strong></em> or <em><strong>Zlib</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>JPEG compression level</strong></td><td>Define JPEG image compression level, from 1 to 9. Higher values reduce bandwidth but may lower image quality. Available when <em><strong>Preferred encoding</strong></em> is <em><strong>Default</strong></em> or <em><strong>Tight</strong></em>.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>DSM plugin</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>DSM filename</strong></td><td>Specify the DSM (Data Stream Modification) encryption plugin for enhanced security. Type a file name or select one of the <code>.dsm</code> files found in the installation folder.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Proxy</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Proxy host:port</strong></td><td>Define a proxy server (IP and port) to route the VNC connection through a specific network proxy.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><strong>Keyboard</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Apply Windows key combinations (for example, ALT+TAB)</strong></td><td><p>Control how Windows keyboard shortcuts (for example, <kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>Tab</kbd>) are processed:</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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