Windows remote desktop - how to untrap keyboard?

I have two monitors, will a full-screen remote desktop session running on one of them, and regular windows programs running on the other.

When one of the other programs have focus, I can Alt+Tab between the windows normally, and one of the choices that I can Alt+Tab to is the remote desktop.

Once I switch to the remote desktop, the keyboard is "trapped" by the remote desktop, so that further Alt+Tab's switch between the programs open in the remote desktop.

Is there a keyboard shortcut that "un-traps" the keyboard while the remote desktop has the focus, so that a subsequent Alt+Tab will switch to one of the programs on my other monitor?

(I am used to VirtualBox virtual machines where there is a key (usually Right Ctrl) which does precisely that, i.e. un-traps the keyboard from the VM.)

Solution 1:

When full screen and set active, there is no way to "untrap" keys.

However, based on your comments on the other answer, if you just want a plain keyboard only method of getting out of Remote Desktop, try the following:

Press Ctrl+Alt+Pause/Break.

This will take you out of full screen mode and "untrap" the keys, meaning you can do Alt+Tab. To get back to full screen mode, simply do the same shortcut.

Solution 2:

Since I had the same problem and read these answers I must add my solution - maybe it helps someone else.

I wanted to press Ctrl+Alt+Pause/Break but accidently hit Press Ctrl+Alt+Home.

I found that this moves the focus out of the maximized window to the title bar and after that Alt+Tab is working.

Think this is slightly more handy ..

Solution 3:

Before connecting to the remote computer, you can change in the properties (local sources) to never send keyboard shortcuts to the remote pc. By default its set to: Only when in full-screen. When set to local, certain keyboard shortcuts that are different than what you normally use become active.

Alt-tab becomes alt-pageup.
Ctrl-alt-del becomes ctrl-alt-end.

Microsoft documentation about this