Is the MsRdpClient11NotSafeForScripting::SendKeys() method broken or disabled on Windows11? All the other API calls work except this one. I am bit encoding the fields for the lParam, and have tried both bool and VARIANT_BOOL to indicate keys up/down.

Question

Is the MsRdpClient11NotSafeForScripting::SendKeys() method broken or disabled on Windows11? All the other API calls work except this one. I am bit encoding the fields for the lParam, and have tried both bool and VARIANT_BOOL to indicate keys up/down.

R Hartley 0

I am using the MsRdpClient11NotSafeForScripting class to write a C++ RDP client.

All the other needed functions/methods work except SendKeys().

I need to know if it is known broken / disabled on Windows 11 method broken or disabled on Windows11?

I use a bitfield to encode the fields for the "lParam", and have tried both bool and VARIANT_BOOL to indicate keys up/down, with various ways of casting to get the data references through.

R Hartley 0 Reputation points

2025-11-05T06:48:07.12+00:00

referring to this API call: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/win32/termserv/imsrdpclientnonscriptable-sendkeys
Harry Vo (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,505 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-01T09:36:32.5766667+00:00

Hi @R Hartley , do you have any update on Tom's response?

1 answer

Your answer

R Hartley 0 Reputation points

2025-11-05T06:48:07.12+00:00

referring to this API call: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/win32/termserv/imsrdpclientnonscriptable-sendkeys
Harry Vo (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,505 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-01T09:36:32.5766667+00:00

Hi @R Hartley , do you have any update on Tom's response?

Answer 1

Tom Tran (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,115 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @R Hartley , Thanks for the details!

is SendKey() broken or disable?

I don't think SendKeys() is broken or disabled on Windows 11. Since it is still supported in the current RDP ActiveX control in the document (MsRdpClient11NotSafeForScripting class).

If the method appears to do nothing, it’s usually due to how the parameters are passed rather than an OS issue.

You can check a few things to see if it meets the requirement:

Ensure the session is fully connected and the control has focus before calling SendKeys. (See Keyboard Input Overview)
Use VARIANT_BOOL values (VARIANT_TRUE / VARIANT_FALSE) for the key up/down array.
For Windows key combinations (like Win + L or Alt + Tab), confirm the “Apply Windows key combinations” setting is configured to send them to the remote session. See: KeyboardHookMode property.
For security reasons, sequences like Ctrl + Alt + Del can’t be sent programmatically; use Ctrl + Alt + End instead. See Terminal Services Shortcut Keys.
ALT-based shortcuts may require the remote app to see them as system keys, which depends on the context bit in the key data. (See WM_SYSKEYDOWN)

Hope this helps! If you still have any questions, please feel free to comment below. I'll be happy to assist you!

R Hartley 0 Reputation points

2025-11-05T10:59:14.17+00:00

Thank you for getting back to me, I will incorporate your suggestions, and reply shortly.
Tom Tran (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-07T02:46:40.16+00:00

Hi @R Hartley ,

Just checking in to see how you are doing - I hope you are doing well!

If you still need any assistance, I'll be happy to help!
Tom Tran (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T02:14:23.4566667+00:00

Hi @R Hartley ,

Haven't heard from you in a while - I hope you are doing well.

Have you managed to resolve your issue? If yes, please kindly consider sharing it here so others with the same issue can benefit from your post easily.

If you still need assistance, I'll be happy to help out!
R Hartley 0 Reputation points

2025-11-18T17:43:26.6833333+00:00

Why would the Control need to have focus? This is an API call to itself.
Tom Tran (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-19T03:45:39.5733333+00:00
Hi @R Hartley ,

Thanks for raising that point!

I get why that sounds confusing, but here’s the simple reason: Windows only sends keyboard input to the window that’s active. The RDP control works the same way it acts like those keys came from a real keyboard. If the control’s window isn’t active, Windows assumes you’re typing somewhere else, so the keys don’t reach the remote session.

So even though you call SendKeys() on the object, the control still needs focus because that’s how Windows decides where keyboard input goes. You can see this principle in Keyboard Input Model, which explains that only the focused window receives keyboard messages.

As for finding an example of this, I totally understand why you are frustrated because I could barely find anything relating to this. After digging around, I managed to find a few community discussions that might give you a better starting point:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1138606/alternative-to-sendkeys-when-running-over-remote-desktop

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/59624421/rdp-activex-sendkeys-winl-to-lock-screen

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21994276/setting-wm-keydown-lparam-parameters

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/70602446/running-a-program-that-sends-keystrokes-in-an-rdp-session

These are the threads that I managed to find at the moment. Please let me know if these are helpful to you so I can assist you further.
Tom Tran (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-21T02:13:43.4766667+00:00

Hi @R Hartley ,

Just checking in to see how you are doing - I hope you are doing fine!

If you have any questions, please comment below. I'll happy to assist you!
Tom Tran (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-24T02:41:02.2066667+00:00

Hi @R Hartley ,

I'm just checking in to see if you have resolved your issue yet - If you have any questions, please comment below. I'll be happy to assist!

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Is the MsRdpClient11NotSafeForScripting::SendKeys() method broken or disabled on Windows11? All the other API calls work except this one. I am bit encoding the fields for the lParam, and have tried both bool and VARIANT_BOOL to indicate keys up/down.

1 answer

Your answer