> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/freerdp/freerdp/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# wlfreerdp

> The wlfreerdp Wayland-native RDP client. Built on libuwac, it runs directly on a Wayland compositor without requiring XWayland.

`wlfreerdp` is the Wayland-native FreeRDP client. It uses **libuwac** (Use Wayland As Client) — a companion library in the FreeRDP tree — to communicate directly with the Wayland compositor. Unlike the SDL client running on the Wayland backend, `wlfreerdp` has no X11 dependency at all.

## Prerequisites

<Steps>
  <Step title="Wayland compositor">
    A running Wayland compositor is required (e.g. GNOME on Wayland, KDE Plasma on Wayland, Sway, or any other wl-compositor-compliant environment).
  </Step>

  <Step title="libuwac">
    `libuwac` is part of the FreeRDP source tree (`uwac/` directory). It is built automatically when the Wayland client is enabled. You do not need to install it separately.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build the Wayland client">
    Enable `-DWITH_WAYLAND=ON` (enabled by default when Wayland is found; disable with `-DWITH_WAYLAND=OFF`):

    ```bash theme={null}
    cmake -GNinja -DWITH_WAYLAND=ON -B build -S .
    cmake --build build --target wlfreerdp
    ```

    Debian/Ubuntu build dependencies:

    ```bash theme={null}
    sudo apt install libwayland-dev wayland-protocols libxkbcommon-dev
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Synopsis

```bash theme={null}
wlfreerdp [file.rdp] [options] [/v:<server>[:port]]
```

`wlfreerdp` accepts the same global option set as `xfreerdp`. See [xfreerdp options](/clients/xfreerdp) for the full reference.

## Quick examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Basic connection theme={null}
  wlfreerdp /v:rdp.example.com /u:alice /p:secret
  ```

  ```bash Fullscreen theme={null}
  wlfreerdp /v:rdp.example.com /u:alice /f
  ```

  ```bash Custom size with NLA security theme={null}
  wlfreerdp /v:192.168.1.100 /u:CORP\\alice /p:secret /w:1920 /h:1080 /sec:nla
  ```

  ```bash Drive and clipboard theme={null}
  wlfreerdp /v:rdp.example.com /u:alice /drive:home,/home/alice /clipboard
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Supported features

| Feature                                   | Supported                                       |
| ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Clipboard redirection                     | Yes (via `wlf_cliprdr`)                         |
| Display resize / dynamic resolution       | Yes (via `wlf_disp`)                            |
| Keyboard input                            | Yes (via `wlf_input`, Linux `input.h` keycodes) |
| Pointer / cursor                          | Yes (via `wlf_pointer`)                         |
| Channel redirection (audio, drives, etc.) | Yes (shared library channels)                   |
| Touch input                               | Limited (depends on compositor support)         |
| Graphical credential dialog               | No (terminal prompts only)                      |

## Differences from xfreerdp (X11)

| Aspect                               | xfreerdp            | wlfreerdp                        |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Display server dependency            | X11                 | Wayland only                     |
| Credential prompt                    | Terminal            | Terminal                         |
| Keyboard handling                    | X11 XKB             | Linux input keycodes via Wayland |
| Multi-monitor                        | Yes                 | Yes                              |
| Window embedding (`/parent-window:`) | Yes (X11 window ID) | No                               |
| Floating toolbar (`/floatbar`)       | Yes                 | No                               |

## Exit status

| Code     | Meaning                     |
| -------- | --------------------------- |
| `0`      | Successful disconnect       |
| non-zero | Connection failure or error |

## See also

* `xfreerdp(1)` — full option reference
* `wlog(7)` — FreeRDP logging subsystem