The Windows Remote Desktop Client (mstsc.exe) by default only stores the last 10 connections in its history dropdown. For sysadmins and developers who frequently connect to multiple servers, this limitation becomes frustrating when you need to access older connection entries.

The connection history is stored in the Windows Registry under:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default

To increase the history limit beyond the default 10 entries:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client]
"NumMRU"=dword:00000020

You can apply this change through several methods:

Manual Registry Edit:

1. Open regedit.exe
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client
3. Right-click → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value
4. Name it "NumMRU"
5. Set value to desired number (hexadecimal)
6. Restart Remote Desktop Client

PowerShell Script:

# Set RDP history to 32 entries
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client" -Name "NumMRU" -Value 32 -Type DWord

• This affects the current user profile only
• The maximum effective value is 50 (0x32 in hex)
• Existing entries won't be deleted if you reduce the number
• Works on Windows 10/11 and Windows Server 2012-2022

For advanced users, Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection Manager allows managing unlimited servers with groups and folders, though it requires separate installation.

The built-in Windows Remote Desktop client (mstsc.exe) maintains a history of recently connected computers, but Microsoft limits this list to around 17-20 entries by default. For power users or IT professionals managing multiple servers, this restriction can be frustrating as older connections keep dropping off the list.

We can extend this limit by modifying Windows Registry values. Here's the complete technical approach:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default]
"MRU0"=hex:...
"MRU1"=hex:...
"NumMRU"=dword:00000014

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Servers]

1. Press Win+R, type regedit and press Enter
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default
3. Locate the NumMRU value (create it if missing)
4. Change the value data to your desired number (in hexadecimal)
5. For example, to set 50 entries: dword:00000032

For enterprise deployment, you can create a .reg file or PowerShell script:

# PowerShell implementation
$regPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default"
if (-not (Test-Path $regPath)) {
    New-Item -Path $regPath -Force | Out-Null
}
Set-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name "NumMRU" -Value 50 -Type DWord

• Third-party RDP managers like Remote Desktop Connection Manager
• Create shortcuts with connection parameters
• Use PowerShell Remoting for frequent connections

1. Always back up your registry before making changes
2. The MRU list uses hexadecimal encoded values
3. Connection history is user-specific (HKCU)
4. Windows updates may reset these values