Implementation
Browser-Based Multi-Monitor RDP
An Apache Guacamole extension that lets one Windows RDP session use multiple remote displays across separate browser windows or view-only devices.
Purpose
This project extends a development build of Apache Guacamole so remote displays can be managed independently of the browser windows showing them. It is a private deployment intended to make a Windows workstation usable remotely from one or more devices. A public source fork or a sequence of upstream pull requests is planned after the implementation is ready for release.
Implementation
The display manager can create, open, rename, resize, detach, reopen, and remove remote displays. Displays can be dragged into an edge-connected two-dimensional arrangement similar to an operating system’s display settings. Each display can follow its viewing window automatically or use a manually selected resolution; browser windows retain their display names and have independent fullscreen controls.
Secondary devices can join a selected display as view-only screens through a link or QR code. The original browser remains the sole mouse and keyboard controller. The interface also provides compact session and clipboard controls, plus account-synced performance presets that take effect after reconnecting.
The guest-pairing prototype makes adding an extra display a short QR invitation and code-verification flow: scan the invitation on the additional device, compare the six-digit code, and approve the connection on the main device. No separate Guacamole account is needed for the guest display.
Demonstrated result
One Windows session has been demonstrated with three simultaneous displays across three separate devices.
Current limitations
- Three displays have been demonstrated; larger setups have not yet been systematically verified.
- The guest prototype receives a combined desktop stream and crops the selected display in the browser; it does not isolate that display’s pixels in transit.
Attribution
This is independent work based on Apache Guacamole, an Apache Software Foundation project. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Apache Software Foundation. Apache License 2.0, NOTICE, and bundled third-party license requirements continue to apply to the underlying project.