How to Use the Ctrl+Alt+Delete Command on a Virtual Machine

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All the ways to use Ctrl+Alt+Del on a remote desktop

Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: November 16, 2024 Fact Checked

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Alternate Keyboard Shortcuts

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On-Screen Keyboard

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Actions Menu (Mac Only)

Are you trying to do Ctrl+Alt+Delete on a remote desktop, but it's not working correctly? If so, this is the article for you! Frustratingly, pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard will always open the security screen on the top-level device, not the virtual machine. Thankfully, there are a few ways to get around this. Keep reading to learn more.

Ways to Do Ctrl+Alt+Delete on a Remote Desktop

Try a different shortcut, like Ctrl+Alt+End for Windows or fn+Ctrl+Opt+Del on Mac.
Use the on-screen keyboard on the remote desktop to do Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
Use the Actions menu on a Mac if your virtual machine software has the option.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Alternate Keyboard Shortcuts

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1
Use a different keyboard shortcut. When using a remote desktop, there are a few other keyboard shortcuts you can try to do Ctrl+Alt+Del:
- Windows:
  - Ctrl+Alt+⇲ End^{[1]
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  - Ctrl+Alt+Fn+⇲ End
  - Ctrl+Alt+⌤ Ins^{[2]
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- Mac:
  - Ctrl+⌥ Opt+→^{[3]
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  - Fn+Ctrl+⌥ Opt+→
  - Fn+Ctrl+⌥ Opt+Del^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

On-Screen Keyboard

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1
Open the virtual keyboard on the remote desktop. How you do this varies depending on what operating system you're using:
- Windows 10 and earlier: Go to Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard. Toggle on the option that says Use the On-Screen Keyboard.^{[5]
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- Windows 11: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard. Toggle on the option that says Use the On-Screen Keyboard.^{[6]
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  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
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- Mac: Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, then turn on the Accessibility Keyboard.^{[7]
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Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Some remote desktops have their own built-in virtual keyboard. Check for any buttons or toggles within the remote desktop window to toggle the on-screen keyboard. Note that not all remote desktop software will have this feature, however.
On a Windows computer, this is Ctrl+Alt. On a Mac, it's ⌘ Cmd+⌥ Opt.
For Windows, this is Del. On Mac, it's Esc.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Actions Menu (Mac Only)

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Depending on the remote desktop software you're using, you may have an Actions menu. If you do, click it.
This will perform the Ctrl + Alt + Delete action on the remote desktop.