# Remote Desktop error 0x1908

The Remote Desktop error **0x1908** (often displayed as extended error 0x0) means your RDP client is configured to require smart card or **Windows Hello for Business** authentication, but the remote computer or your current session setup cannot support or access those devices. See <https://learn.microsoft.com/en-ie/answers/questions/2129230/rdp-fails-on-win11-24h2-the-selected-user-credenti>

You can bypass or fix this issue using the following steps:

Method 1: Disable Smart Card Redirection (Recommended)

This is the most common fix when connecting from a personal device. \[[1](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1q7cg74/user_wfh_encounter_rdp_error_when_they_trying_to/)\]

1. Open the **Remote Desktop Connection** (mstsc) app.
2. Click **Show Options** at the bottom to expand the menu.
3. Navigate to the **Local Resources** tab.
4. Under *Local devices and resources*, click the **More...** button.
5. Uncheck the box for **Smart cards** or **Windows Hello for Business**.
6. Click **OK**, go back to the **General** tab, and click **Save**. \[[1](https://accountants.intuit.com/support/en-us/help-article/intuit-hosting-service/windows-hello-business-error-connecting-rightworks/L4Ma5f9EH_US_en_US?srsltid=AfmBOoonj9E8TEbuX9yOv9m4LT39RHiueKxMicQxJNtHXxfF9hJQyaCf), [2](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/300054/remote-desktop-connection-an-internal-error-has-oc), [3](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1q7cg74/user_wfh_encounter_rdp_error_when_they_trying_to/)\]

Method 2: Check RDP Client Group Policy

If you are managing the connection through Group Policy, you may need to explicitly disable required smart card policies. \[[1](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5673035/(window-title)-remote-desktop-connection-(content))\]

1. Press `Win + R`, type `gpedit.msc`, and press **Enter**.
2. Go to `Computer Configuration` &gt; `Administrative Templates` &gt; `Windows Components` &gt; `Remote Desktop Services` &gt; `Remote Desktop Session Host` &gt; `Security`.
3. Locate **Require use of specific security layer for remote (RDP) connections** and set it to **Enabled**, choosing `RDP` or `Negotiate` as the security layer (instead of forcing SSL/TLS which sometimes triggers authentication conflicts).
4. Open the command prompt as administrator and run `gpupdate /force` to apply the policy. \[[1](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2127658/hello-i-am-getting-an-error-the-remote-computer-re), [2](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/300054/remote-desktop-connection-an-internal-error-has-oc), [3](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5673035/(window-title)-remote-desktop-connection-(content))\]

Method 3: Disable Network Level Authentication (NLA)

Sometimes the remote session manager gets stuck caching these credentials, and turning off NLA allows a legacy password login. \[[1](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/289598/microsoft-remote-desktop-unable-to-connect-error-c)\]

1. On the **remote computer**, press `Win + R`, type `sysdm.cpl`, and hit **Enter**.
2. Go to the **Remote** tab.
3. Uncheck **Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (more secure)**.
4. Try to connect from your client machine. Once connected and authenticated, you can turn this setting back on. \[[1](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5496777/windows-11-pro-remote-desktop-error-0x708), [2](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/remote/troubleshoot-remote-desktop-disconnected-errors), [3](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/289598/microsoft-remote-desktop-unable-to-connect-error-c), [4](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/300054/remote-desktop-connection-an-internal-error-has-oc)\]

If you'd like, I can:

- Help you **troubleshoot further** by checking the Event Viewer on the host machine.
- Guide you through **enabling Windows Hello** across your domain using official Microsoft documentation. \[[1](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/identity-protection/hello-for-business/rdp-sign-in), [2](https://serverfault.com/questions/654507/rdp-error-while-trying-to-establish-connection)\]