Remote Desktop / Alt Key Problem - And A Fix! :-)

Suffered from this annoying problem when using Microsoft Remote Desktop.

Normal/Shift keypresses okay.. Alt keypresses don't show numbers or punctuation..

I know in the past I've not had this issue (or not as bad), but don't use it often enough on the phone to remember what might've changed.. May've been my Key1 where it worked.. May have been a software update (OS or RDP) that's floored it.. This fault continues with the new RDP beta that's out now.

Browsing for fixes I hadn't seen anyone post one, other than using the virtual keyboard once logged in, which isn't great as a workaround.. Then I stumbled across a half-a-fix...

1) Load up the RDP app and get logged in..
2) Press the keyboard at the top of the screen.. That makes two toolbars appear along the bottom..
First with the Windows key etc on, Second with Mic, Smileys etc.
3) Press the Back arrow. Now type some numbers/punctuation.

The Mic/Smileys toolbar remains, but so does the ability to use Alt. Note if you put the app into the background, the action needs repeating. Only have my own phone to test on, but hopefully it's a fix that'll work on others okay.

Not perfect, but a relatively easy fix until whichever party who's responsible fixes it :-)

Do you use RDP on your phone? surely everything is too small to do anything useful? I remote in on my laptop and even a tablet sometimes annd the table really is a struggle...

Works on my phone, it's easy to activate.
Thanks a lot

Originally Posted by mikeath

Do you use RDP on your phone? surely everything is too small to do anything useful? I remote in on my laptop and even a tablet sometimes annd the table really is a struggle...

Its not too small, its amazing in combination with openvpn.

Thanks for the fix, I updated the app last night and cant type numbers WTF so annoying

i use teamviewer on my phone and same thing happens. i use the sym button to bring up numbers and whatnot. may work for you as well.

Originally Posted by citystars41

i use teamviewer on my phone and same thing happens. i use the sym button to bring up numbers and whatnot. may work for you as well.

I thought I had tried that, but double-checked, definitely doesn't work for me :-(
I get something similar to pressing "SYM" as when say composing an email.
When using SYM in an email, SYM1 SYM2 SYM3 gets me ` { }
When using SYM in RDP, the same gets me { ` }
A slight switcharound! :-\
Who knows, one day, it all may just work!

Originally Posted by mikeath

Do you use RDP on your phone? surely everything is too small to do anything useful? I remote in on my laptop and even a tablet sometimes annd the table really is a struggle...

Sure, can't say that often, but it beats carrying a laptop/tablet around all the time. So long as you pick a sensible resolution, don't mind squinting, and are good with zoom/pinch, you get there eventually. I'd just use it for stuff like restarting a server, password resets, etc, so nothing too painful.