It's certainly no solution - but just to add to the conversation: by default hitting command+(Show All Windows) shows the desktop. i.e. hitting command-F3 where F3 is functioning as a special key and not truly as "F3" If nothing else, it's an easy reach on the keyboard and somewhat logical. I still can't understand why there is no show desktop special key - especially in light of the dedicated dashboard key (who uses that?) and an empty space at F5.
The hotkeys
Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow and
Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow
are eaten up by the Remote Desktop Client.
Their only effect is to switch you to back to the host computer.
It looks like this was some intended feature that was never fully programmed
and completed, but there is no way to turn it off.
These hotkeys are not even listed by Microsoft in its official documentation at
Remote Desktop Services Shortcut Keys.
Solution 1 : Use the Microsoft Store version
Another version of RDP can be found in the Microsoft Store at
Microsoft Remote Desktop.
This version does not have this semi-implemented feature, so it lets through
these hotkeys without a problem.
This was verified on Windows 10 version 1903.
Solution 2 : Translate the hotkeys on both client and server
This solution will use AutoHotkey
installed on both client and server, to:
- On the client, translate the above hotkeys to others that are not intercepted
by RDP
- On the server, translate these keys back to the above hotkeys.
You may for example use on the client the following AutoHotkey script to convert
Ctrl+Alt+arrow to
Ctrl+Win+arrow:
;Send Ctrl+Win+Left when user types Ctrl+Alt+Left
^!Left::
send !#{Left}
return
;Send Ctrl+Win+Right when user types Ctrl+Alt+Right
^!Right::
send !#{Right}
return
You may use on the server the following AutoHotkey script to convert
Ctrl+Win+arrow to
Ctrl+Alt+arrow:
;Send Ctrl+Alt+Left when user types Ctrl+Win+Left
^#Left::
send !^{Left}
return
;Send Ctrl+Alt+Right when user types Ctrl+Win+Right
^#Right::
send !^{Right}
return
If required, you may restrict these hotkeys to particular windows or process
by using the AutoHotkey commands of
#IfWin[Not]Active / #IfWin[Not]Exist.
Best Answer
The key combination to use is Cmd + \
Sourced from the second comment of this blog post.