Microsoft Remote Desktop on Mac: A Long and Ghastly History of Keyboard Mapping Issues

For those who have struggled with the Microsoft Remote Desktop client on their Mac, the story is all too familiar. The software has a long and checkered past when it comes to correctly mapping keyboard layouts from non-US countries. In this article, we'll explore the history of these issues and why they continue to plague millions of users around the world.

One of the earliest examples of this problem was with version 1.x of the Microsoft Remote Desktop client for Mac. At that time, anyone using a Mac with a non-US keyboard layout would find that their keys were not mapped correctly to the Windows session. This resulted in a range of errors, including the infamous issue where the ' (speech marks) key on a UK Mac keyboard would generate @ (at symbol) in Windows and vice versa.

Fast forward to more recent versions of the software, and you might think that these issues had been fixed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Microsoft Remote Desktop 10.8.1 (2048), running under macOS Ventura 13.2.1 with a UK Mac keyboard, still exhibits the same bug. Thousands of Mac users around the world have reported this problem, and it's unclear why it has taken so long to resolve.

One potential reason for these issues is that Microsoft's software development team has historically been dominated by American programmers who are not familiar with international keyboard layouts. This lack of understanding has led to a range of problems, including the incorrect mapping of keys and the failure to support non-US keyboard layouts.

In recent years, Microsoft has made an effort to improve its relationship with the Mac-using community. However, this effort is not reflected in the company's remote desktop software. The JumpDesktop client, which is a chargeable product, does not suffer from these same issues. Unfortunately, this means that users are forced to choose between using a flawed piece of software or paying for an alternative solution.

The Parallels Remote Desktop Client for Mac, which has been available in the past, did not have the same bug as Microsoft's client. However, it is no longer available, and users are left with few options for resolving these issues.

In conclusion, the history of Microsoft Remote Desktop on Mac is a long and ghastly one, marked by a series of errors and failures to correctly map keyboard layouts from non-US countries. While some progress has been made in recent years, there is still much work to be done before this software can be considered reliable and user-friendly for all users, regardless of their location or keyboard layout.

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