Microphone forwarding to an RDP server on macOS

By default, a remote desktop session can play the server's sound on your Mac, but it does not use your microphone unless microphone redirection is enabled. To record or speak inside the session, audio capture redirection has to be turned on for both sides: the server has to accept a redirected microphone, and the Windows App on the Mac has to offer one. This guide covers both, in that order, and ends with a check that proves the microphone reached the session.

Requirements

• A Windows Server 2022 or 2025 with a graphical desktop and RDP access enabled.
• Administrator access to the server (required to change Group Policy and service settings).
• A Mac running macOS Ventura 13 or later, with the Windows App installed from the App Store.
• A microphone connected to the Mac and recognized by macOS.

Part 1: Allow microphone redirection on the Windows Server

The server side has to accept a redirected microphone before the Mac can send one.

Allow audio recording redirection

Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) and go to:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Device and Resource Redirection

Set Allow audio recording redirection to Enabled.

gpupdate /force

This policy controls the following registry value. You do not need to edit it by hand, but you can check it directly for diagnostics:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
fDisableAudioCapture = 0

A value of 0 allows audio recording redirection. A value of 1 disables it. If the policy has never been configured, this value may not be present, which is normal.

Make sure the required services are running

Audio redirection depends on two services: Windows Audio and Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector (UmRdpService). Open the Services console and confirm both are running. If either is not, set its startup type to Automatic and start it.

Part 2: Configure the Windows App on the Mac

With the server ready, the Mac has to grant microphone access and offer the microphone to the session.

Allow microphone access in macOS

Open System Settings, go to Privacy & Security, then Microphone. Turn on access for the Windows App. Without this, macOS blocks the microphone silently and nothing reaches the session.

Enable the microphone in the connection settings

Open the Windows App and edit the saved PC connection. In Devices & Audio, enable Microphone. Save the changes and reconnect to the server.

Verification

On the server, open Sound settings, then More sound settings, and go to the Recording tab. With the Mac connected and the microphone enabled, a redirected input device such as Remote Audio should appear there. If you do not see it, right-click in the list and make sure Show Disabled Devices is enabled.

To confirm it end to end, open an application on the server that can record audio and check that it receives input from the redirected device.

Troubleshooting

• The microphone is not listed on the server: confirm microphone access is on for the Windows App in macOS, and that Microphone is enabled under Devices & Audio in the connection settings.
• No redirected device appears at all: confirm Allow audio recording redirection is Enabled on the server and that the Mac reconnected afterward.
• The device exists but an application cannot record: check the application's selected input device and make sure the application can access the redirected microphone.
• RDP redirection fails in general: confirm the services from Part 1 are running, and consider whether the connection is a plain administrative session rather than a Remote Desktop Session Host session.