Use Flow with remote desktops (Citrix, RDP, VDI)

Last updated: April 30, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows

If Flow isn't pasting into your Citrix, RDP, VMware, or other virtual desktop session — or text appears garbled or delayed — this guide covers setup and fixes. Most issues resolve in under 2 minutes by enabling clipboard sharing.

Quick checks

  • Is clipboard sharing enabled? Most remote desktop paste failures are caused by clipboard redirection being disabled in your client or by IT policy.

  • Is Flow running locally? Flow must be installed and running on your local machine — not inside the virtual desktop.

  • Does paste work outside the remote session? Dictate with Flow and paste into a local text editor. If text appears locally but not in the remote session, the issue is clipboard sharing — not Flow.

How Flow works with remote desktops

Flow runs on your local computer and uses your local microphone and clipboard. When you dictate:

  1. Flow transcribes your speech on your local machine.

  2. Text is copied to your local clipboard.

  3. Flow attempts to paste automatically (Cmd+V on Mac, Ctrl+V on Windows).

  4. The remote desktop receives the paste if clipboard sharing is enabled.

If auto-paste fails, Flow opens the Scratchpad — a small window showing your transcribed or polished text. Edit the text if needed, click Copy, then paste it manually into your remote session. You can also open the Scratchpad at any time with Option+S on Mac or Win+Alt+S on Windows.

On Windows, Flow verifies the paste landed correctly. If the wrong content was inserted or the paste failed, Flow opens the Scratchpad with your dictated text ready to copy, and your original clipboard contents are restored.

If you use Polish and paste fails, the Scratchpad shows a before-and-after comparison of your original and polished text, with copy controls for either version.

On Mac, after a successful paste, Flow restores your original clipboard contents within about 500ms.

Note: Flow has no special integration with remote desktop apps — it uses the same standard paste mechanism (Cmd+V / Ctrl+V) as any other app. Whether the paste reaches your remote session depends entirely on your remote desktop client's clipboard sharing settings. Context-aware formatting (capitalization and spacing matched to surrounding text) won't work inside remote sessions, since Flow can't read the remote text field. Text pastes with default formatting.

How to set it up

Mac

Note: Flow requires Microphone and Accessibility permissions on your local Mac (System Settings → Privacy & Security). Grant these before proceeding.

Initial setup

  1. Install Flow on your local Mac (not in the remote session).

  2. Enable clipboard sharing in your remote desktop app:

    1. Microsoft Remote Desktop: Preferences → General → enable "Clipboard."

    2. Citrix Workspace: Check your Citrix policies (IT may need to enable this).

    3. VMware Horizon: Connection settings → enable clipboard redirection.

Dictate and paste

  1. Connect to your remote desktop session.

  2. Click inside a text field in the remote application.

  3. Press your Flow hotkey and dictate on your local Mac.

  4. Paste. Flow attempts Cmd+V automatically. If text appears in the remote session, you're done. If not, the Scratchpad opens — edit if needed, click Copy, then press Cmd+V in the remote session.

Tip: You can also copy the last transcript from the menu bar: Wispr Flow → Dictation → Copy last transcript, then paste normally in your remote session.

Windows

Note: Flow requires Microphone permission on Windows (Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone). Grant this during setup. No Accessibility or Screen Capture permissions are needed on Windows.

Initial setup

  1. Install Flow on your local Windows PC (not in the remote session).

  2. Enable clipboard sharing in your remote desktop app:

    1. Microsoft Remote Desktop: Click "Show Options" → Local Resources → Clipboard (check the box).

    2. Citrix Workspace: Your IT admin must enable clipboard redirection.

    3. VMware Horizon: Enable clipboard sharing in connection settings.

Important: If your remote desktop client runs with elevated (administrator) privileges, Flow can't paste into it and will show "Update admin settings to paste!" To fix this, right-click the Flow app and select "Run as administrator."

Dictate and paste

  1. Connect to your remote session.

  2. Click inside a text field in the remote application.

  3. Press your Flow hotkey and dictate.

  4. Paste. Flow attempts Ctrl+V automatically. If text appears in the remote session, you're done. If the paste fails or the wrong text is inserted, the Scratchpad opens — edit if needed, click Copy, then press Ctrl+V.

Tip: You can also paste from Flow's system tray icon → "Paste last transcript."

Platform-specific notes

Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDP)

  • Clipboard sharing usually works well.

  • Enable it in connection settings before connecting.

  • Text transfers between local and remote clipboards, but formatting does not.

Citrix Workspace

  • Clipboard must be enabled by your IT administrator.

  • Some Citrix policies block clipboard for security.

  • If paste doesn't work, check with IT about clipboard redirection settings.

  • Citrix may have delays — wait 1–2 seconds after dictating before pasting.

VMware Horizon

  • Enable clipboard redirection in your Horizon client settings.

  • Works similarly to RDP when enabled.

Amazon WorkSpaces

  • Clipboard sharing is typically enabled by default.

  • Check WorkSpaces client settings if paste doesn't work.

Windows 365 / Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Clipboard redirection is usually enabled.

  • Works like standard RDP.

FAQs

Flow doesn't paste into Citrix apps

When auto-paste fails, the Scratchpad opens with your transcribed text. Edit if needed, click Copy, click inside the Citrix text field, and paste manually (Cmd+V on Mac / Ctrl+V on Windows). If manual paste also fails, clipboard sharing is likely disabled — contact your IT team.

Clipboard sharing is disabled by my company

If your organization blocks clipboard sharing, you can't transfer text from Flow to the remote session. Ask IT if there are approved alternatives — some organizations allow clipboard for text only (not files).

There's a long delay before text appears

Remote desktop clipboard sync can be slow. Wait 2–3 seconds after dictating, then paste manually. Flow detects paste failures within about 1 second and opens the Scratchpad. Make sure you've clicked inside the remote text field before pasting.

Text pastes but characters are wrong

Character encoding can differ between systems. Check that both systems use the same language and keyboard settings. Try pasting into Notepad first, then copying to your target app.

Should I install Flow inside the virtual desktop?

No. Flow requires local microphone access, internet connectivity, and system-level permissions. Most VDI environments don't support these. Install Flow on your local machine instead.

Can I stop Polish from auto-pasting so I can review the changes first?

Yes. In Polish Settings, turn off Auto paste after polish. When disabled, polished text opens in the Scratchpad with a before-and-after comparison instead of being pasted directly. Review, copy, and paste manually when you're ready.

Common issues

Polish paste failed and polished text was lost

When a Polish paste fails, Flow now opens the Scratchpad with a before-and-after comparison of your original and polished text. Use the copy controls to grab the polished version, then paste it manually. To get this fix:

  1. Update Wispr Flow to the latest version.

  2. Restart Flow after updating.

On Windows, Flow pasted old clipboard text instead of the dictation

Flow could previously paste stale clipboard contents on Windows instead of your dictated text. Flow now detects this and recovers automatically by opening the Scratchpad with your dictated text, ready to copy and paste manually with Ctrl+V. To get this fix:

  1. Update Wispr Flow to the latest version.

  2. Restart Flow after updating.

Still stuck?

Reach out to our support team if:

  • You've tried all the steps above and text still doesn't paste into the remote session.

  • You need guidance on using Flow with your organization's specific VDI environment.

  • You see an error message not covered in this guide.

When contacting support, include your remote desktop platform (Citrix, RDP, VMware, etc.), your local OS (Mac or Windows), and what you've already tried. Most paste issues are resolved in one reply.

Tip: In the Flow desktop app, click Help in the sidebar, then select Talk to support. Messages sent this way include diagnostic information to help resolve issues faster.