How to Create Additional RDP User on Windows Server
Running everything on a Windows Server with a single Administrator account is convenient — until you need to give a colleague access, a developer needs to deploy code, or you want to limit what an application account can do. Creating additional user accounts is the right way to share a server safely. This guide shows you how to create additional RDP user accounts on Windows Server, grant them Remote Desktop access, and manage their permissions the secure way. Why Create Additional Users? Separate user accounts give you three big advantages over sharing one Administrator login: Prerequisites Method 1: How to Create Additional RDP User with Computer Management (GUI) This is the most visual method and works on all modern Windows Server versions. The account now exists, but it cannot do much yet — including logging in over RDP. That requires the next step. Granting RDP Access: The Remote Desktop Users Group By default, only Administrators can connect to a Windows Server over Remote Desktop. To let a standard user connect via RDP, add them to the Remote Desktop Users group. Microsoft’s documentation on allowing Remote Desktop connections explains this group-based approach in more detail: The user can now log in to the server through Remote Desktop with their own credentials. They will have standard user permissions — enough to work, but not enough to change system settings or install software server-wide. If the user genuinely needs full control (for example, a co-administrator), add them to the Administrators group instead, using the same steps. Be conservative with this: every administrator account is a high-value target for attackers. If you are unsure whether RDP is safe to expose, review the risks before granting that level of access. Method 2: Create a User with PowerShell For repeatable setups or managing several accounts at once, PowerShell is faster. Open PowerShell as an administrator and run: You should see jdoe in the list. To grant administrator rights instead, replace “Remote Desktop Users” with “Administrators” in step 3 — but think twice before doing so. Managing Existing User Accounts Creating accounts is only the beginning. Here is how to handle the everyday tasks, including how to change a Windows RDP password when a user forgets theirs: Security Best Practices for Server User Accounts Conclusion Creating additional users on Windows Server takes less than five minutes per account, and it is one of the highest-value security habits you can adopt. Remember the two-step pattern: create the user first, then add them to the Remote Desktop Users group to enable RDP access. Keep administrator rights rare, document what each account is for, and review the user list regularly. Your future self — and your security logs — will thank you. Frequently Asked Questions I created a user but they get “The connection was denied” when using RDP. Why? The most common cause is that the user is not a member of the Remote Desktop Users group (or Administrators). Add them to the group as described above and try again. Also check that RRemote Desktop is enabled on the server and that no firewall rule is blocking port 3389. Can two users be logged into the server at the same time? On Windows Server editions, yes — the server operating system supports two simultaneous remote administrative sessions plus the console session by default. If you need more concurrent users, you need the Remote Desktop Services role with the appropriate client access licenses. Should service accounts be in the Remote Desktop Users group? Generally no. Service accounts exist for applications, not for interactive logins. Keep them out of remote-access groups, give them only the specific permissions the application needs, and set long, random, non-expiring passwords stored in a password manager. What is the difference between disabling and deleting a user account? Disabling blocks logins immediately but keeps the account, its group memberships, and its SID intact — perfect for temporary suspensions. Deleting removes the account permanently; if you recreate a user with the same name later, it gets a new SID and none of the old permissions carry over.
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