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220-1102 Practice Question: A user complains that their Remote Desktop…
A user complains that their Remote Desktop session to a Windows 10 Pro workstation frequently disconnects after a few minutes of inactivity. The workstation is on a local network. Which setting should the technician modify on the host computer to prevent this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the idle session timeout with power management or screensaver settings, assuming that preventing the screen from turning off will keep the RDP session alive, when in fact the disconnect is controlled by a dedicated Remote Desktop timeout policy.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the idle session limit in Remote Desktop settings
The Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) has a configurable idle session limit that disconnects sessions after a period of inactivity. By default, Windows 10 Pro may enforce a short idle timeout (often 1-5 minutes) to conserve resources. Increasing this limit in the Remote Desktop Session Host settings (under Local Group Policy or the Remote Desktop Services configuration) prevents the automatic disconnection the user is experiencing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disable the screensaver
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the screensaver on the host system primarily affects the local display's behavior, preventing it from showing a screensaver image after a period of inactivity. However, screensavers are a purely cosmetic local display setting and do not influence the state or duration of an active Remote Desktop session. A remote session's connection status is managed by the Remote Desktop Services, which operates independently of the local display's screensaver activation, meaning it will not prevent session disconnections.
- ✓
Increase the idle session limit in Remote Desktop settings
Why this is correct
Increasing the idle session limit directly addresses the problem of premature disconnections. Remote Desktop Services on the host system incorporates specific policies, often configured via Group Policy or local security policy, that dictate how long an active session can remain idle before being automatically disconnected or terminated. By extending this configured timeout value, the Remote Desktop host will allow the user's session to persist for a longer duration of inactivity, preventing early disconnections.
- ✗
Change the power plan to High Performance
Why it's wrong here
While changing the power plan to High Performance prevents the entire host system from entering sleep or hibernation, which would indeed disconnect Remote Desktop sessions, it does not directly control the idle timeout of an *active* Remote Desktop session itself. Power plans manage system-wide power states, whereas the issue described is a specific idle timeout for the remote session, which is governed by Remote Desktop Services policies, not the overall system's power management.
- ✗
Enable Network Level Authentication
Why it's wrong here
Network Level Authentication (NLA) is a security feature designed to enhance the initial connection process for Remote Desktop Services by requiring user authentication *before* a full graphical session is established. This pre-authentication step helps conserve host resources and mitigate certain types of attacks. However, NLA is solely concerned with the *establishment* and *security* of the connection, having no impact on the management of an *already established* session's idle timeout or its subsequent disconnection due to inactivity.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Editions and Features
Key term
Group Policy
Group Policy is a Windows-based feature that allows administrators to centrally manage and enforce settings for users and computers across an organization.
Key term
Windows 10
Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system developed by Microsoft that combines the familiarity of Windows 7 with the modern features of Windows 8, designed to run on a wide range of devices from desktops to tablets.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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