I cannot connect to my Virtual Machine, I am receiving an error Internal Error Ocurred when trying to use RDP

Question

I cannot connect to my Virtual Machine, I am receiving an error Internal Error Ocurred when trying to use RDP

Jorge Aroca 5

Sujitha Lakkireddy 85 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-03T15:54:00.2766667+00:00

Hi Jorge Aroca,

Thank you for choosing Microsoft Q&A forum.

The "An internal error has occurred" message when connecting to an Azure Windows VM through RDP is commonly caused by a corrupted RDP certificate, TLS configuration issues, or problems with the Remote Desktop service on the VM. Microsoft recommends the following troubleshooting steps.

Step 1: Verify that the Remote Desktop Service is Using Port 3389

If you have access to the Azure Serial Console, connect to the VM and run the following command:

Netstat -anob | more

Review the output and confirm that TermService.exe is listening on port 3389. If another application is using this port, RDP connections may fail with an internal error. Stop the conflicting service and restart the Remote Desktop service.

Step 2: Verify Network Security Group (NSG) Rules

Confirm that the Network Security Group associated with the VM allows inbound TCP 3389 traffic from your client IP address. Also ensure that no local firewall, proxy, or network device is blocking RDP traffic. Incorrect network configurations can prevent successful RDP connections.

Step 3: Renew the RDP Certificate

A corrupted or expired RDP self-signed certificate can cause the"An internal error has occurred" message. Microsoft recommends deleting the existing Remote Desktop certificate and restarting the Session Environment service so that a new certificate is generated automatically.

Step 4: Verify TLS Settings

This issue can also occur if required TLS protocols are disabled on the VM. Review the TLS configuration and ensure that the supported TLS versions are enabled. After making any changes, restart the VM and test the RDP connection again.

Step 5: Reset the RDP Configuration

From the Azure portal, navigate to the VM and use the Reset RDP Configuration option. This action resets Remote Desktop settings and Windows Firewall rules that may be preventing access.

Microsoft Documentation

1.An internal error occurs when you try to connect to an Azure VM through Remote Desktop https://learn.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/azure/virtual-machines/windows/troubleshoot-rdp-internal-error [learn.microsoft.com]

2.Troubleshoot Remote Desktop connections to an Azure virtual machine https://learn.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/azure/virtual-machines/windows/troubleshoot-rdp-connection

Thanks & Regards,
Sujitha
Jorge Aroca 5 Reputation points

2026-07-03T19:46:06.5+00:00

I already did all of that and the issue continue, anything else I can try?
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Sujitha Lakkireddy 85 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-04T11:20:46.9966667+00:00
Hi Jorge,

If you have already completed the standard troubleshooting steps and the issue still persists, please follow the steps below to gather additional information and identify the root cause.

Step 1: Check Windows Event Viewer Logs

If you can access the VM through Serial Console or by attaching the OS disk to a recovery VM, open Event Viewer and review the following logs:

Windows Logs > System

Windows Logs > Application

Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > TerminalServices

Look for any errors or warnings that occur at the same time as the failed RDP connection attempts. Pay particular attention to events related to:

Remote Desktop Services (TermService)

SessionEnv

Schannel (TLS/SSL)

Authentication failures

These logs can often reveal the exact component causing the RDP connection failure.

Step 2: Verify Remote Desktop Services

Check that the following services are running:

Remote Desktop Services (TermService)

Remote Desktop Configuration (SessionEnv)

Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector (UmRdpService)

If any of these services are stopped, start them and test the RDP connection again. Remote Desktop depends on these services to accept incoming connections.

Step 3: Check for Corrupted Windows Components

Run the following commands from a PowerShell or Command Prompt session with administrative privileges:

sfc /scannow

Once completed, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

These commands will scan and repair corrupted Windows system files that may be affecting Remote Desktop Services.

Step 4: Test from Another Client and Network

Try connecting to the VM:

From a different computer

From a different network connection

This helps determine whether the issue is specific to the VM or related to the local RDP client, cached credentials, security software, or network policies.

Step 5: Check for Security or Configuration Changes

Review whether any of the following occurred before the issue started:

Windows Updates

Group Policy changes

Security hardening changes

TLS or certificate modifications

Third-party software installations

Microsoft notes that RDP internal errors can sometimes be caused by changes to security settings, certificates, or even VM compromise.

Thanks & Regards,
Sujitha

Answer recommended by moderator

Jorge Aroca 5

The issue was the certificate for the RDP, I got to that answer via Serial Console thanks now is working

Sujitha Lakkireddy 85 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-09T09:55:00.4066667+00:00

Hello Jorge Aroca**,
**
I'm glad you were able to resolve the issue and thank you for letting us know.
Could you also share the steps you tried to mitigate it so others in the community can find the solution as well.

Thank you

1 additional answer

Your answer

Jorge Aroca 5 Reputation points

2026-07-03T19:46:06.5+00:00

I already did all of that and the issue continue, anything else I can try?
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Sujitha Lakkireddy 85 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-09T09:55:00.4066667+00:00

Hello Jorge Aroca**,
**
I'm glad you were able to resolve the issue and thank you for letting us know.
Could you also share the steps you tried to mitigate it so others in the community can find the solution as well.

Thank you

Answer 1

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A

Hello @Jorge Aroca I hope you are doing well.

The "Internal Error Occurred" message when using RDP is a generic error that can be caused by several factors, including network connectivity, RDP service issues on the VM, Network Security Group (NSG) rules, or a problem with the VM itself. could you give us more information? OS VM , since when is happening ?

Please check the following:

Verify that the VM is in the Running state and that Resource Health does not report any platform issues.

Confirm that TCP port 3389 is allowed in the VM's Network Security Group (NSG) and any applicable firewall.

Use Azure VM Run Command or the Serial Console (if enabled) to verify that the Remote Desktop Services (TermService) is running and restart it if necessary.

Run the Azure Virtual Machine Connection Troubleshoot diagnostic from the Azure portal to identify any connectivity issues.

References

Troubleshoot Remote Desktop connections to an Azure VM: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/virtual-machines/troubleshooting/troubleshoot-rdp-connection

Azure Virtual Machine Connection Troubleshoot: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/network-watcher/connection-troubleshoot-overview

If my answer helped you resolve your issue, please consider marking it as the correct answer. This helps others in the community find solutions more easily.

Jorge Aroca 5 Reputation points

2026-07-03T16:48:32.33+00:00

I did everything you included here, even the troubleshoot in azure and it shows Impossible to connect I click on see details and it says "Internet OK Server OK" even tho is showing error on the list, what else can I do?
Jorge Aroca 5 Reputation points

2026-07-03T19:46:13.3033333+00:00

I already did all of that and the issue continue, anything else I can try?