Add Users to RDP to Instance

Owned by Victoria Nguyen
Last updated: Mar 29, 2021
3 min read

User Setup Using Command Prompt

Create User

  1. Make sure that you have opened the RDP port on your instance and have retrieved the password for Admin. For instructions, click here.

  2. Open the Remote Desktop Connection app by pressing the Windows key and searching for “Remote Desktop Connection” or “RDP”.

  3. For Computer, enter the floating IP address of your Windows instance. For User Name, enter your username (likely to be “Admin”). Then click Connect.

  4. In the popup window, enter your password.

  5. Open an Elevated Command Prompt, by clicking on the Windows Start Button, typing Command Prompt, and clicking Run as administrator.

  6. Add new user account with the following command, replacing username and password with your desired credentials.

    net user username password /ADD

Assigning Admin Permissions [Optional]

  1. Add user to administrators group.

    net localgroup administrators username /add

  2. To see all users under the administrators group, run the following:

    net localgroup administrators

  3. To remove user from administrators group, use the command below:

Delete User

  1. To delete a user, please do the following:

User Setup Using Start Menu and Settings

Create User

  1. Make sure that you have opened the RDP port on your instance and have retrieved the password for Admin. For instructions, click here.

  2. Open the Remote Desktop Connection app by pressing the Windows key and searching for “Remote Desktop Connection” or “RDP”.

  3. For Computer, enter the floating IP address of your Windows instance. For User Name, enter your username (likely to be “Admin”). Then click Connect.

  4. In the popup window, enter your password.

  5. Right-click on the Windows Start Button and click on Computer Management.

  6. Expand Local Users & Groups and right-click on Users. Choose New User.

  7. Enter the relevant information like username and password.

  8. Uncheck User must change password at next logon and check Password never expires and then click Create.

Assigning Admin Permissions [Optional]

  1. Add the username to Administrators by clicking on Groups under Local Users & Groups.

  2. Double click on Administrators group to get the following window:

  3. Click Add and type the username you wish to add in the box under Enter the object names to select. Click Apply and then OK.

    The username should be listed as one of the members now.

  4. To remove the Admin permissions from a user, double-click on Administrators.

  5. Under members, select the user to remove. Click Remove.

  6. Then click Apply and OK.

Delete User

  1. Double click on the Users folder under Local Users and Groups.

  2. Right-click on the user you wish to delete. Click Delete.

  3. You will be asked to confirm the deletion of this user. If certain, click Yes.

Connect to RDP as the New Admin User

  1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection app by pressing the Windows key and searching for “Remote Desktop Connection” or “RDP”.

  2. For Computer, enter the floating IP address of your Windows instance. For User Name, enter your new Admin Username, newuser in this example. Then click Connect.

  3. When prompted, enter the password for the new Admin Username.