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 0

Sujitha Lakkireddy 0 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 0 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?

1 answer

Your answer

Jorge Aroca 0 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?

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 0 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 0 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?