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

Last updated: July 30, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows

If Flow pastes nothing into your remote desktop session, or inserts a single letter "v" instead of your text, this guide covers setup and fixes. These are two different symptoms with two different causes, so start by identifying yours in Quick checks.

Known limitation: pasted text shows up as a single "v" (macOS)

On macOS, when you dictate into a remote-desktop / VDI client (Microsoft Windows App / RDP, VNC, Amazon WorkSpaces, macOS Screen Sharing, Splashtop, TeamViewer, and others), you may see a single letter "v" instead of your text. This is a current, known limitation in how Flow triggers the paste on macOS: the remote window receives the paste keypress but not the accompanying Command key, so the guest sees a plain "v". Your transcript isn't lost. It's on your clipboard. This affects remote-desktop clients broadly on macOS. It is not specific to Citrix, and it is not caused by your machine, your permissions, or your app version.

Workaround (macOS): paste manually

  1. Enable clipboard sharing in your remote desktop client first. This is required. Without it, the transcript can't reach the remote session at all.

  2. Dictate as usual. Your transcript is copied to your local clipboard.

  3. Delete the stray "v" that Flow inserted.

  4. Paste with the guest's native shortcut: Ctrl+V on a Windows guest, or Cmd+V on a macOS guest.

Note: Flow's own Paste Last Transcript shortcut (Ctrl+Cmd+V on Mac) uses the same paste path and produces the same single "v" in remote sessions. Use the guest's native paste shortcut instead.

Quick checks

  • Nothing pastes at all? Clipboard sharing is most likely disabled in your client or blocked by IT policy. Work through the setup steps below.

  • A single letter "v" appears (macOS)? That's the known limitation above. Enabling clipboard sharing alone won't fix it. Use the manual paste workaround.

  • 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 with the remote session, not with transcription.

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.

There are two notifications you might see when auto-paste doesn't complete:

  • When there's nothing to paste (transcription is empty): Flow shows "Click a textbox and use [shortcut] to paste."

  • When Flow has transcribed text but can't paste it (for example, no text field is focused in the remote session): Flow shows a copy-capable notification containing the transcribed text so you can copy it and paste manually.

Note: Flow simulates the standard paste shortcut (Cmd+V on Mac, Ctrl+V on Windows) to insert text. Whether that paste reaches your remote session depends on your remote desktop client's clipboard sharing settings, and on macOS it is subject to the known limitation described at the top of this article. Context-aware formatting (capitalization and spacing matched to surrounding text) doesn't apply inside remote sessions, because Flow can't read the surrounding text in a remote window, so text pastes with default formatting.

How to set it up

Mac

Follow these steps to set up Flow with your remote desktop on Mac.

Note: Flow requires Microphone and Accessibility permissions on your local Mac. Grant these in System Settings → Privacy & Security 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 Windows App / 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.

  3. Select your microphone in Flow: open Flow, go to Settings → General → Microphone, and click Change to open the mic picker. For best accuracy, use the built-in mic. AirPods are flagged with a warning.

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. Check the result. Flow attempts Cmd+V automatically. If your text appears in the remote session, you're done.

    1. If nothing appears: click inside the remote text field and press Cmd+V, or use your Paste Last Transcript shortcut (default Ctrl+Cmd+V).

    2. If a single letter "v" appears: delete it and press the guest's native paste shortcut (Ctrl+V on a Windows guest, Cmd+V on a macOS guest). Paste Last Transcript will not help with this symptom, because it uses the same paste path.

Tip: If auto-paste into remote sessions is unreliable, use the Copy Last Text shortcut (Ctrl+Cmd+C on Mac) to copy the last transcript to your clipboard without pasting. You can also copy it from the menu bar under Dictation → Copy last transcript. Then click into the remote text field and paste with the guest's native shortcut.

Windows

Follow these steps to set up Flow with your remote desktop on Windows.

Note: On Windows, Flow requires only Microphone permission. Accessibility permission is not needed (unlike on Mac). If Windows is blocking microphone access, Flow will show a notification after you try to dictate. Grant access in Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.

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.

  3. Select your microphone in Flow: open Flow, go to Settings → General → Microphone, and click Change to open the mic picker. For best accuracy, use the built-in mic. AirPods are flagged with a warning.

Warning: If your remote desktop client runs with administrator privileges, Flow can't paste into it. You'll see a notification: "Update admin settings to paste!" with the body "Run Flow as Administrator to insert text everywhere." To fix this, right-click Flow and choose 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. Check the result. Flow attempts Ctrl+V automatically. If text appears in the remote session, you're done. If not, click inside the remote text field and press Ctrl+V, or use your Paste Last Transcript shortcut (default Alt+Shift+Z).

Tip: If auto-paste into remote sessions is unreliable, use the Copy Last Text shortcut (Alt+Shift+X on Windows) to copy the last transcript without pasting. You can also paste from the system tray icon → "Paste last transcript." Then click into the remote text field and paste normally.

Client-specific notes

Microsoft Windows App / Remote Desktop (RDP)

Once clipboard sharing is on, paste works reliably from a Windows local machine.

  • Enable clipboard sharing in connection settings before connecting to your session.

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

  • On macOS, this client is affected by the single-letter "v" limitation described at the top of this article. Use the manual paste workaround.

Citrix Workspace

Citrix clipboard behavior is controlled by policy.

  • Clipboard sharing must be enabled by your IT administrator.

  • Some Citrix policies block clipboard redirection for security reasons.

  • If paste doesn't work, ask IT to confirm clipboard redirection is enabled for your session.

  • Citrix sessions may have noticeable clipboard delays. Wait a moment after dictating before pasting.

VMware Horizon

Horizon behaves like RDP once clipboard redirection is on.

  • Enable clipboard redirection in your Horizon client's connection settings.

  • Text transfers cleanly, formatting does not.

  • Organization-level policies can override client settings. Check with IT if paste is blocked.

Amazon WorkSpaces

WorkSpaces usually works out of the box.

  • Clipboard sharing is typically enabled by default in the WorkSpaces client.

  • If paste doesn't work, check the WorkSpaces client preferences and confirm clipboard redirection is turned on.

  • On macOS, this client is affected by the single-letter "v" limitation described at the top of this article.

Windows 365 / Azure Virtual Desktop

Behavior matches standard RDP.

  • Clipboard redirection is usually enabled by default.

  • If clipboard is blocked, contact your IT admin to review the host pool settings.

  • Accessed on macOS through the Microsoft Windows App, so the single-letter "v" limitation applies.

VNC, macOS Screen Sharing, Splashtop, and TeamViewer

These clients need clipboard sync turned on manually.

  • Enable clipboard sharing or clipboard sync in the client's preferences.

  • On macOS, these clients are affected by the single-letter "v" limitation described at the top of this article. Use the manual paste workaround.

FAQs

Why do I see a single letter "v" instead of my text?

This is a current, known limitation on macOS, described at the top of this article. The remote window receives the paste keypress but not the accompanying Command key, so the guest sees a plain "v". Your transcript is still on your clipboard: delete the "v" and paste with the guest's native shortcut (Ctrl+V on a Windows guest, Cmd+V on a macOS guest). Clipboard sharing still needs to be enabled, but on its own it won't resolve this symptom, and neither will Flow's Paste Last Transcript shortcut.

What if Flow doesn't paste into my remote session at all?

This is a different symptom from a single "v" appearing. When auto-paste fails, Flow shows a notification with the transcribed text you can copy. Click inside the remote text field and press Ctrl+V (Windows guest) or Cmd+V (macOS guest). If manual paste also fails, clipboard sharing is likely disabled. Ask IT to confirm clipboard redirection is enabled for your session.

What if 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 about approved alternatives. Some organizations allow clipboard for text only, not files.

Why is there a long delay before text appears?

Remote desktop clipboard sync can be slow. Wait a moment after dictating, then paste manually. 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 that most VDI environments don't support. Install Flow on your local machine instead.

Limitations and notes

  • On macOS, pasting into remote desktop clients can insert a single letter "v" instead of your transcript. This is a current known limitation. See the note at the top of this article for the manual paste workaround.

  • Flow is supported on Mac and Windows local machines. It is not supported when installed inside the virtual desktop itself.

  • Context-aware formatting does not work inside remote sessions. Text pastes with default formatting.

  • Clipboard restore (Mac only) returns your original clipboard contents shortly after a successful paste. It preserves text and most clipboard types, but does not restore large binary clipboard payloads (file contents, PDF data, RTFD, or audio) that were on the clipboard before dictation. File URL references (for example, a file copied from Finder) are restored.

  • Clipboard restore only runs after a successful paste. If paste fails (no app reads the clipboard), your original clipboard is not automatically restored.

  • Dictation auto-stops after extended continuous recording, with a warning shortly before the cutoff.

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.

Include your remote desktop client (Microsoft Windows App, Citrix, VMware Horizon, VNC, and so on), 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. Submitting through this dialog attaches diagnostic logs automatically to help resolve issues faster.