rdpclip.exe

Windows ProcessMicrosoft Corporation

Also called rdpclip, rdp clipboard, clipboard redirection

WindowsSystem Component

RDP clipboard redirector inside a remote session. It is not mstsc.exe on the client PC that opened the window.

What you need to know

rdpclip is clipboard redirection, not mstsc on the client.

rdpclip.exe runs in the remote session so copy/paste can cross the RDP boundary. mstsc.exe (or msrdc.exe) is the client on the machine you sit at. Ending rdpclip on the host session does not close the client window.

Safe?: Yes, inside an RDP session
Same as mstsc?: No. mstsc is the client window
Can I end it?: Clipboard redirect stops

Feex says

If paste died in a remote desktop, I restart rdpclip in that session. I do not reinstall mstsc on my laptop first.

What is rdpclip.exe?

rdpclip is clipboard redirection, not mstsc on the client. It lives in the session you connected to. The window on your desk is mstsc.exe or msrdc.exe.

What does it do?

It shares the clipboard (and related redirect) between local and remote. It does not draw the RDP client and it does not accept inbound connections.

Why is it running?

An RDP session started and clipboard redirection is allowed. A console login on the same PC should not need this helper.

Is it safe?

Usually safe

System32 rdpclip.exe in a remote session is Microsoft redirect. An rdpclip.exe in Temp is not. This is still not the client you launched.

A legitimate copy normally runs from:

C:\Windows\System32\rdpclip.exe

Runs inside the remote session
Client on your desk: mstsc.exe or msrdc.exe
Expected publisher: Microsoft Corporation

Can I end it?

Clipboard redirect stops

Ending rdpclip.exe in the session breaks copy/paste until it starts again. The mstsc window on the client can stay open. Restart the helper in that session, do not kill the client first.

Can I remove it?

Do not delete rdpclip.exe. Turn off clipboard redirection in the .rdp file or Group Policy if you do not want it. Uninstalling mstsc is not possible as an app and would not remove this host helper.

Should it start with Windows?

The session starts it when redirect is on. It is not Startup Apps on the client.

Normal resource behavior

These are contextual labels, not universal averages.

CPU: Spikes when you copy a large clip
Memory: Follows clipboard payload size
Disk: Low
Network: Clipboard channel on the RDP link

File information

rdpclip.exe file information
Executable name	rdpclip.exe
Common legitimate path	C:\Windows\System32\rdpclip.exe
Publisher	Microsoft Corporation
Signature expectation	Signed by Microsoft Windows

Common problems

Paste works locally but not in the remote session

Restart rdpclip on the host session. Reinstalling Remote Desktop Connection on the client does not replace this helper.

People end mstsc to "reset clipboard" and lose the session

Disconnecting the client is the wrong lever. The redirector is this process in the session.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose before you change anything destructive.

In the remote session, start rdpclip.exe again from System32

Or sign out and back in. On the client, leave mstsc alone if the window is still connected.

Check the .rdp Clipboard checkbox

Client settings must allow redirect. Policy on the host can still block it. That is not an msrdc vs mstsc install bug by default.

Technical details

rdpclip.exe technical details
Image name	rdpclip.exe
Role	RDP session clipboard redirector

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Microsoft Learn: RDP clipboard channel · Clipboard redirection is a session channel, not the client exe
Microsoft Learn: Remote Desktop clients · Clients are mstsc or msrdc, not the clipboard helper
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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