rdp-cli
Choose RDP playback and microphone routing: local or remote
Set RDP sound and microphone independently in rdp-cli, understand client, host and off, and verify what the remote application actually receives.
Two choices, two directions
client means the computer where the rdp-cli viewer is open; host means the controlled Windows computer. A web viewer on another computer uses that browser computer’s devices. Playback decides where the remote application is heard. Microphone decides which device supplies sound to that application. Both options default to client.
| --audio-mode · Playback | --microphone-mode · Microphone | |
|---|---|---|
| client | Listen in the viewer | Use the explicitly enabled viewer microphone |
| host | Play through the controlled computer’s default speakers | Use the controlled computer’s default microphone |
| off | Disable session playback | Disable microphone input |
Prepare the controlled computer for host mode
Before choosing host for either option, run these commands once on the controlled Windows computer using its matching rdp-cli.exe. Windows requests administrator approval to install the rdp-cli host-audio service from the same EXE. This is required for host playback as well as host microphone use. The compatibility command is named host-microphone.
.\rdp-cli.exe host-microphone install
.\rdp-cli.exe host-microphone status
Choose the route when connecting
Follow the quick start to connect once with --save-credential RDP_ACCOUNT, using a credential name you choose. The examples below reuse that saved credential; replace the host, account and reference. Choose one combination, not both. client/host lets you hear locally while the remote app uses the remote microphone; host/client does the reverse. off can replace either value. Changing routing requires a new connect; reconnect and viewer mute do not change the route.
Windows PowerShell: rdp-cli → .\rdp-cli.exe.
rdp-cli connect --host 192.0.2.20 --user USER --credential-ref RDP_ACCOUNT --audio-mode client --microphone-mode host
rdp-cli connect --host 192.0.2.20 --user USER --credential-ref RDP_ACCOUNT --audio-mode host --microphone-mode client
Check the result, then stop capture
Save data.session as SESSION. Open a viewer to listen. For client microphone, take control and explicitly enable the microphone; accept the operating-system or browser permission. Choose the recording device and start recording in the remote application. Selecting a mode does not start a recording. Confirm actual sound and a saved recording, not just connected status.
rdp-cli status --session SESSION
rdp-cli audio status --session SESSION
rdp-cli watch --session SESSION --viewer window
If silent, inspect audio status and the requested modes in status. HOST_PLAYBACK_DEVICE_UNAVAILABLE or HOST_MICROPHONE_DEVICE_UNAVAILABLE means the selected physical device is unavailable; bridge-waiting errors require checking the host service. HOST_MICROPHONE_RDP_CAPTURE_UNAVAILABLE indicates an RDP host edition or policy limitation; Windows 7 Professional cannot provide every combination. Stop active capture explicitly when finished. Reconnection does not restart it. These options are for RDP; VNC and native X11 have no equivalent audio route.
rdp-cli audio microphone --session SESSION --action stop