macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install freerdplocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install FreeRDPMacPorts ports tree · net/FreeRDP/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install freerdp with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
X11 implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Version 3.28.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-06.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add freerdpAlpine Linux edge package indexes · freerdp · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install freerdpFedora Rawhide package metadata · freerdp · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#freerdpnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/fr/freerdp/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S freerdpArch Linux sync databases · freerdp · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install freerdpopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · freerdp · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install freerdpChocolatey community package catalog · freerdp · source: community.chocolatey.org
overview
Package summary
X11 implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
Project links
Commands and aliases
- freerdp-proxy
- freerdp-shadow-cli
- sdl-freerdp
- sfreerdp
- sfreerdp-server
- winpr-hash
- winpr-makecert
- xfreerdp
history
Project history and usage
FreeRDP is a free implementation of Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol, distributed as both libraries and client/server command-line programs. In package terms it is the portable RDP stack many Unix-like desktops, remote-access tools, and automation workflows build around when the native Microsoft client is unavailable or unsuitable.
Project history
The official project history describes FreeRDP as starting as a fork and later becoming a multi-platform implementation with Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android clients. The modern project also includes WinPR, the Windows Portable Runtime, which provides Windows API compatibility pieces used by FreeRDP on non-Windows systems.
The project announced FreeRDP 1.0 in January 2012 and has continued as an actively maintained RDP implementation. Current release notes show the 3.x line adding client, proxy, gateway, Android, codec, and security work while tracking Microsoft protocol extensions.
Adoption history
FreeRDP's adoption is tied to the need for interoperable RDP outside Microsoft's own clients. The project's own history calls it the standard client implementation where no native Microsoft client is available, and official site posts describe downstream use in related remote-desktop projects such as Remmina and Myrtille.
Because FreeRDP exposes libfreerdp as well as end-user clients such as xfreerdp and sdl-freerdp, it became both an application package and an infrastructure library for remote desktop front ends, thin-client systems, and RDP gateways.
How it is used
Typical package usage is direct interactive connection to Windows hosts with xfreerdp or SDL-based clients, plus library linking by graphical remote desktop applications. The official README points users to the wiki, API documentation, release downloads, Microsoft Open Specifications references, and compilation instructions.
Modern release notes emphasize security fixes, RDP gateway behavior, clipboard and device redirection, Android client work, codec support, proxy features, and compatibility with Azure and Entra related authentication extensions.
Why package nerds care
FreeRDP matters to package maintainers because it is a protocol implementation, a CLI client set, and a C library stack in one package. It pulls together fast-moving security updates, optional multimedia backends, platform-specific clients, and the WinPR compatibility layer, so downstream packaging decisions affect both desktop users and dependent remote-access software.
It is also a useful case study in open implementations of proprietary network protocols: packagers care about which RDP extensions are enabled, how TLS and smart-card support are built, and which client binaries are shipped.
Timeline
- 2012: FreeRDP 1.0 released by the project.
- 2019: Official project history describes FreeRDP as a multi-platform RDP implementation and identifies WinPR as part of the project.
- 2025: Official release posts continue the 3.x series with maintenance and protocol-facing improvements.
- 2026: 3.27.x release notes document active work on security, gateway behavior, Android support, clipboard handling, and Azure/Entra compatibility.
Related projects
- WinPR is part of the FreeRDP project and supplies portable Windows API compatibility for non-Windows platforms.
- Remmina is an official-site-highlighted multiprotocol remote desktop client that supports RDP via libfreerdp.
- Myrtille is an HTML remote desktop project whose official FreeRDP guest post describes resynchronizing its FreeRDP fork with the main repository.
Sources
- https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/master/ChangeLog
- https://www.freerdp.com/
- https://www.freerdp.com/2012/01/16/freerdp-1-0-released
- https://www.freerdp.com/2019/01/16/hi-freerdp-history
- https://www.freerdp.com/2019/01/23/hi-remmina
- https://www.freerdp.com/2020/11/09/hi-myrtille
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:server
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 21 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 2 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
${SYSCONF_DIR}/xfreerdp.json${SYSCONF_DIR}/certificates.json
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
freerdp-proxy | cli | global executable | |
freerdp-shadow-cli | cli | global executable | |
sdl-freerdp | cli | global executable | |
sfreerdp | cli | global executable | |
sfreerdp-server | cli | global executable | |
winpr-hash | cli | global executable | |
winpr-makecert | cli | global executable | |
xfreerdp | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-07
manager version3.28.0
manager updated2026-07-06
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected3.28.0
https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:freerdp |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.28.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/freerdp |
| Homepage | https://www.freerdp.com/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP#readme |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| Source archive | https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/archive/refs/tags/3.28.0.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-07-06T10:06:57Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | cjson, ffmpeg, jansson, jpeg-turbo, libcbor, libfido2, libusb, libx11, libxcursor, libxext, libxfixes, libxi, libxinerama, libxrandr, libxrender, libxv, openssl@3, pkcs11-helper, sdl3, sdl3_ttf, uriparser |
| Build dependencies | cmake, pkgconf |
| Uses from macOS | cups |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
| Caveats | xfreerdp is an X11 application that requires an XServer be installed and running. Lack of a running XServer will cause a "$DISPLAY" error. XQuartz provides an XServer for macOS. The XQuartz can be installed as a package from www.xquartz.org or as a Homebrew cask: brew install --cask xquartz |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | freerdp |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Requirements |
|
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Nix95%
freerdp
nix profile install nixpkgs#freerdp- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
apk95%
freerdp 3.26.0-r0
FreeRDP client
sudo apk add freerdp- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
apk95%
freerdp-dev 3.26.0-r0
FreeRDP client (development files)
sudo apk add freerdp-dev- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
apk95%
freerdp-doc 3.26.0-r0
FreeRDP client (documentation)
sudo apk add freerdp-doc- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
apk95%
freerdp-libs 3.26.0-r0
FreeRDP client (libraries)
sudo apk add freerdp-libs- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
dnf95%
freerdp 3.26.0-7.fc45
Free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
sudo dnf install freerdp- License: Apache-2.0 AND HPND AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain AND OFL-1.1
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 25 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
dnf95%
freerdp-devel 3.26.0-7.fc45
Development files for freerdp
sudo dnf install freerdp-devel- License: Apache-2.0 AND HPND AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain AND OFL-1.1
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: freerdp
- 12 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
dnf95%
freerdp-libs 3.26.0-7.fc45
Core libraries implementing the RDP protocol
sudo dnf install freerdp-libs- License: Apache-2.0 AND HPND AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain AND OFL-1.1
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: freerdp
- 32 dependencies
- 12 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
dnf95%
freerdp-server 3.26.0-7.fc45
Server support for freerdp
sudo dnf install freerdp-server- License: Apache-2.0 AND HPND AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain AND OFL-1.1
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 9 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
dnf95%
libwinpr 3.26.0-7.fc45
Windows Portable Runtime
sudo dnf install libwinpr- License: Apache-2.0 AND HPND AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain AND OFL-1.1
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: freerdp
- 13 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
dnf95%
libwinpr-devel 3.26.0-7.fc45
Windows Portable Runtime development files
sudo dnf install libwinpr-devel- License: Apache-2.0 AND HPND AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain AND OFL-1.1
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: freerdp
- 7 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
pacman95%
freerdp 2:3.26.0-1
Free implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
sudo pacman -S freerdp- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- 32 dependencies
- 8 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
zypper95%
freerdp 3.26.0-3.1
Remote Desktop Viewer Client
sudo zypper install freerdp- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 14 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
zypper95%
freerdp-devel 3.26.0-3.1
Development Files for freerdp
sudo zypper install freerdp-devel- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 5 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
zypper95%
freerdp-proxy 3.26.0-3.1
Remote Desktop Security and Monitoring Proxy Server
sudo zypper install freerdp-proxy- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
zypper95%
freerdp-proxy-plugins 3.26.0-3.1
Plugins for the Security and Monitoring Proxy Server
sudo zypper install freerdp-proxy-plugins- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: freerdp
- 7 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Freerdp
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment