Resolution, live
Pick an exact size or let the desktop follow the tab, and change your mind while connected. If the server cannot resize a running session, PluggedDesk says so and offers to reconnect at that size.
Features
What PluggedDesk does, and how well
Each feature below is in the product today unless it says otherwise. The table at the end names every one with its state.
Workbench
Arrange sessions the way the work is arranged
Every session is a tab in a group. Groups sit side by side or one above the other, and you can have as many as your screen has room for. A tab can be pinned, dragged to another group, or moved to a window of its own.
- Split a tab right or down: the same session, shown a second time. On any side, by dragging it there with Ctrl held
- Split and move sends the tab itself into a new group
- Move into New Window for a second monitor; closing that window brings its tabs home
- Pinned tabs stay first, and are not closed by Close Others, Close All, Ctrl+W or the middle button
Sessions
A session that looks right and carries your work
Fit
Fit the remote desktop to the tab, or show it pixel for pixel. Full screen with F11.
Scale
How large the remote computer draws its own text. Automatic keeps 100% up to 1920 × 1080, whatever your own screen is set to, and steps up for larger desktops.
Clipboard
Text, images, files and folders, in both directions. A file list from the server that names any path outside the paste folder is refused whole.
Keyboard
While a session has the keyboard, the Windows key and system shortcuts go to the remote computer. Open one of PluggedDesk's own menus and they come back to you.
An engine in its own process
The RDP engine is FreeRDP, run as a separate process for each session. If the engine fails, that session ends; the workbench and your other sessions do not.
Workspace
Set a rule once, where it belongs
Your estate is a tree of folders, computers and connections. A setting made on a folder applies to everything beneath it, a connection can set its own, and you can keep a personal override that changes nothing for anyone else. The properties pane shows where each value comes from.
- Favourites and recents above the tree; a filter inside it
- Ctrl K finds any folder, computer or connection and opens it
- Import
.rdpfiles; every saved password in them is dropped, and you are told how many - The workspace file holds no secret, so it can be copied, backed up and compared
Plainly
Every feature, and its state
Available in the product and tested by us. Less tested in the product, tested less widely than the rest. Being built in no release yet. Not yet not built.
| Area | Feature | State | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions | Remote Desktop (RDP) sessions | Available | FreeRDP engine, in its own process beside the application |
| Sessions | Network Level Authentication, TLS, certificate checks | Available | Strict by default; an accepted certificate is not remembered yet |
| Sessions | Change the resolution of a running session | Available | Through display control, where the server supports it |
| Sessions | Fit to tab, actual pixels, full screen | Available | |
| Sessions | Remote display scale, per connection and per session | Available | Automatic is 100% up to 1920 × 1080 |
| Sessions | Clipboard: text, images, files and folders, both ways | Available | Files can be switched off on their own |
| Sessions | Keyboard: Windows key and shortcuts go to the remote computer | Available | While the session has the keyboard |
| Sessions | RD Gateway and proxy | Less tested | Handed to the engine as set; tested less widely |
| Sessions | Drives, printers, sound and smart cards | Less tested | Off by default; handed to the engine as set; tested less widely |
| Workbench | Tabs: pin, close others, close to the right, close all | Available | |
| Workbench | Split right, left, up and down; drag tabs between groups | Available | |
| Workbench | Move a session into a new window; copy a view into one | Available | |
| Workbench | The layout is remembered between runs | Available | |
| Workbench | Dark and light colour themes | Available | |
| Workspace | Folders, computers and connections in a tree | Available | One file, no secrets in it |
| Workspace | Favourites, recents, search everything | Available | |
| Workspace | Settings inherited from folder to connection, with your own overrides | Available | |
| Workspace | Import .rdp files | Available | Saved passwords in them are dropped, and counted |
| Workspace | A workspace shared by a team | Not yet | Today a workspace is a file you copy |
| Credentials | Windows Credential Manager | Available | Only when you tick Remember |
| Credentials | Asked for once, used once, wiped | Available | When you do not tick Remember |
| Identity | Sign in with Exprezoe Identity | Being built | Built into the application; being switched on for Exprezoe staff |
| Identity | Sessions through PluggedHub | Being built | In no release yet |
| Updates | Signed automatic updates | Available | ECDSA P-256 signature, then size and SHA-256 of the installer |
| Platforms | Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit | Available | |
| Platforms | macOS and Linux | Not yet | Not built yet |
| Platforms | Installer signed with a publisher certificate | Not yet | Verify the SHA-256 shown on the downloads page |
| Extensions | Extensions in the activity bar | Not yet | The activity bar is ready for them; none exists yet |
"Tested by us" means automated tests and sessions driven with real input on a clean Windows machine. It does not mean every server, every network or every keyboard. If something behaves differently for you, we want to know.
PluggedDesk is in early access
Licenses are issued to teams we can support well while the product takes shape. Tell us about your team and what you look after. Every request is read by a person.