Couch Lag

Moonlight fails after Remote Desktop or when the PC is locked

Updated · By Couch Lag

Short answer: Microsoft Remote Desktop locks the PC’s physical console session, and Moonlight’s docs say that lock causes streaming problems even after you disconnect and stops Moonlight from starting programs. Sign in at the PC itself, or with a remote tool that uses the console session, such as Chrome Remote Desktop, TeamViewer or VNC, then stream again.

Checked October 31, 2026 against Moonlight PC v6.2.0 and Sunshine v2026.914.233613 (latest stable releases) and their documentation. Sources are listed at the end of the page.

Why Remote Desktop breaks streaming

Game streaming captures the PC’s “console session”, meaning what the physical monitor, keyboard and mouse would show. Moonlight’s docs explain that Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDP) locks that console session until someone signs in again. Moonlight lists RDP as a known compatibility problem: the computer is technically locked, which causes streaming issues even after you disconnect, and the lock prevents starting programs through Moonlight.

Fix it now

  1. Sign in at the PC. Wake the monitor, sign in to Windows normally, and leave it at the desktop.
  2. Not at home? Moonlight’s docs suggest a remote desktop tool that connects to the console session, such as Chrome Remote Desktop, TeamViewer or VNC, to sign in again. Close it before you start streaming.
  3. Restart the stream. Quit the app in Moonlight and start it again. If it still fails, restart Sunshine, or the PC.

Prevent it

  • Don’t use Microsoft Remote Desktop on the PC you stream from. Use Moonlight’s Desktop app for remote desktop work instead. Moonlight PC has an “Optimize mouse for remote desktop instead of games” option for that.
  • Moonlight’s FAQ notes that Sunshine includes a “Desktop” option out of the box, so you don’t need to add anything to stream the whole desktop.
  • Keep the PC from sleeping if you stream from outside the house. Moonlight warns that a sleeping or hibernating PC usually can’t be reached until someone wakes it. See Wake-on-LAN.

Related Windows quirks with Sunshine

  • Sunshine runs as a service. That is the default with the Windows installer. Because a service may not have your account’s access, Sunshine’s docs say you can get “permission denied” when launching a game from a non-system drive. The documented fix is to give the SYSTEM account full permissions on that drive.
  • Capture method: Sunshine’s beta wgc capture isn’t compatible with the Sunshine service. Keep the default Desktop Duplication (ddx) unless you know you need WGC.
  • Cursor stuck or invisible: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+N hides or shows the host cursor in Sunshine. If the mouse acts strangely, Sunshine suggests plugging a physical mouse into the host.

FAQ

Why does Moonlight stop working after I used Remote Desktop?

Microsoft Remote Desktop locks the PC’s console session. Moonlight’s docs say this causes streaming issues even after you disconnect and stops Moonlight from starting programs. Sign in at the PC again, or with a console-session tool such as Chrome Remote Desktop, TeamViewer or VNC.

Can I use Moonlight instead of Remote Desktop?

Yes. Stream Sunshine’s Desktop app. Moonlight PC has an option to optimize the mouse for remote desktop use instead of games.

Why does Sunshine say permission denied when launching a game?

On Windows, Sunshine runs as a service that may not have your account’s access to other drives. Sunshine’s docs say to give the SYSTEM account full permissions on the drive the game is on.

Sources

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