Remmina

Remmina is a free, open-source remote desktop client for Linux. With one app, sysadmins can reach Windows machines over RDP, Linux and macOS desktops over VNC, virtual machines over SPICE, and servers over SSH. If you are after a Remmina download, it ships in the repositories of nearly every Linux distribution and as Flatpak and Snap packages.

It is a GTK application developed by the Remmina community and licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later. RDP support comes from FreeRDP, and the other protocols are plugins, so one window can hold saved profiles for every server you look after. There is no official Windows or macOS build.

Remmina at a glance

What it does

• RDP client based on FreeRDP: NLA, clipboard, audio, drive and printer redirection, multi-monitor and dynamic resolution, RD Gateway.
• VNC client for Linux, macOS and Windows VNC servers, plus a GTK-VNC plugin for KVM/GNOME setups.
• SPICE for QEMU/KVM virtual machines, X2Go sessions (with pyhoca-cli installed) and SSH terminals with SFTP file transfer.
• Saved connection profiles with groups, a quick-connect bar and tabbed or full-screen sessions.
• Built-in SSH tunnel for RDP and VNC, so you can reach hosts that only listen on a private network.
• Password storage in the desktop keyring through the secret plugin (GNOME Keyring) or KWallet.
• A WWW plugin for web admin consoles, and an EXEC plugin that runs a command as a “connection”.

How IT teams use it

RDP to a Windows server

1. Pick RDP in the protocol drop-down, type the server name or IP in the quick-connect bar and press Enter, or click + to create a saved profile.
2. In the profile set the username and domain, the resolution (use “Use client resolution” or dynamic resolution for laptops) and colour depth.
3. If the server sits behind a Remote Desktop Gateway, fill in the gateway fields on the Advanced tab.
4. Save and double-click the profile. Accept the server certificate fingerprint only after checking it.

From a terminal or a script you can open a session directly:

remmina -c rdp://administrator@srv-files01.corp.example

Reach a VNC host through an SSH jump server

1. Create a VNC profile with the internal address of the target, for example 10.0.5.20:5900.
2. Open the SSH Tunnel tab, enable the tunnel and enter the bastion host and your SSH user or key.
3. Connect: Remmina opens the tunnel first, then the VNC session over it, so nothing needs to be exposed to the internet.

Copy files to a remote Windows PC

1. Edit the RDP profile and set Share folder to a local directory.
2. Connect; the folder shows up on the Windows side as a redirected drive under This PC.
3. For Linux servers use an SFTP profile instead, which opens a file browser for uploads and downloads.

Install and first run

Ubuntu (newest builds through the project’s PPA):

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:remmina-ppa-team/remmina-next
sudo apt update
sudo apt install remmina remmina-plugin-rdp remmina-plugin-secret

Flatpak (any distribution):

flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak install --user flathub org.remmina.Remmina

Snap: sudo snap install remmina. Debian, Fedora, Arch: Remmina is in the official repositories.

Gotchas:

• Distribution packages may split plugins. If RDP or SPICE is missing from the protocol list, install the matching remmina-plugin-* package.
• Without the secret plugin and a running keyring, saved passwords are not stored or you are asked every time.
• Profiles are plain .remmina files in ~/.local/share/remmina/ (Flatpak keeps them under ~/.var/app/org.remmina.Remmina/). Back them up when moving to a new laptop.
• Older distro releases ship older FreeRDP, which can fail against hardened Windows servers. Flatpak or the PPA give you current versions.

Limitations

• Client only: Remmina does not let others connect to your machine (it has no host or server component).
• No official Windows or macOS builds. Version 1.4.43 added minimal macOS build support for people compiling it themselves, not a release.
• No ID-based connections through NAT. You need a reachable IP, a VPN such as WireGuard or an SSH tunnel.
• RDP behaviour depends on the FreeRDP version your package uses, so results vary between distributions.
• No central profile sharing for teams; profiles are local files.

Remmina vs alternatives

For help-desk sessions to users behind home routers, an ID-based tool such as RustDesk or AnyDesk is easier, since Remmina needs a direct route. TigerVNC is a lighter choice if you only use VNC, and X2Go gives better full Linux desktop sessions over slow links (Remmina can open X2Go sessions too). On Windows and macOS, a connection manager such as Remote Desktop Manager Free or Royal TS fills the same role.

FAQ

Is there Remmina for Windows?

No. Remmina is a Linux/Unix application. On Windows use the built-in Remote Desktop client or a multi-protocol manager such as Remote Desktop Manager Free.

Is there Remmina for Mac?

There is no official macOS release. Mac users usually choose Royal TSX, Remote Desktop Manager or the Windows App for RDP.

How do I connect to RDP with Remmina?

Choose RDP in the protocol list, enter the host name or IP, press Enter and log in with your Windows credentials. Save a profile if you connect often.

How do I copy files with Remmina?

For RDP, set Share folder in the profile and the folder appears as a drive on the Windows side. For Linux servers, open an SFTP connection.

Remmina vs FreeRDP: what is the difference?

FreeRDP is the RDP library and command-line client (xfreerdp/wlfreerdp). Remmina uses FreeRDP underneath and adds a GUI, saved profiles and other protocols.

Remmina vs RustDesk: which should I use?

Use Remmina to reach servers and PCs you can route to over RDP, VNC or SSH. Use RustDesk when you need to reach machines behind NAT by ID, or when people need to connect to your computer.

Is Remmina free?

Yes, completely: free and open source under GPL-2.0-or-later, with no paid edition.

Last checked against official sources: 1 October 2026 (developer website: remmina.org). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in production.