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RDP to Kali Linux from Mac with US/RU keyboard layout

Posted Updated
By Sergei Fedorov
views 10 min read
RDP to Kali Linux from Mac with US/RU keyboard layout

Stack

SideSoftware
Kalixrdp + XFCE
MacWindows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop)

RDP gives a separate desktop session, not a mirror of the laptop screen. Port 3389.

Kali — xrdp + XFCE

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sudo apt-get update
sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y \
  xrdp xorgxrdp dbus-x11 xfce4-session

echo "xfce4-session" > ~/.xsession
chmod +x ~/.xsession
sudo adduser "$USER" ssl-cert
sudo systemctl enable --now xrdp xrdp-sesman
ss -tlnp | grep 3389

Black screen after login is a common xrdp + XFCE issue. Fix /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh (final version with shared D-Bus, audio, keyboard):

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sudo tee /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh > /dev/null << 'EOF'
#!/bin/sh
if test -r /etc/profile; then . /etc/profile; fi
if test -r ~/.profile; then . ~/.profile; fi
export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
export PIPEWIRE_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
export PULSE_RUNTIME_PATH=/run/user/1000/pulse
export PULSE_SERVER=unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native
$HOME/bin/apply-kbd >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
if test -r ~/.xprofile; then . ~/.xprofile; fi
systemctl --user start pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
systemctl --user start kbd-watchdog.service >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
( sleep 4; /usr/libexec/pipewire-module-xrdp/load_pw_modules.sh; sleep 2; $HOME/bin/apply-kbd ) >/tmp/xrdp-audio.log 2>&1 &
exec startxfce4
EOF
sudo chmod 755 /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh
sudo systemctl restart xrdp xrdp-sesman

One-shot: ~/Documents/projects/kali/scripts/setup-kali-rdp-audio.sh (installs packages + writes this file).

Do not paste startwm.sh over SSH with nested heredocs — the file can get corrupted. Write locally, scp to Kali, then sudo cp.

Replace 1000 with your UID (id -u) if different.

Mac — Windows App

  1. Add PC → Kali IP (e.g. 192.168.0.208)
  2. User / password
  3. PC → Connections → Keyboard Mode → Scancode (not Unicode)

Keep Mac input source = English (U.S./ABC). Switch US/RU inside Kali, not on Mac.

Unicode keyboard mode breaks Cyrillic over RDP — keys stop working when Mac layout is Russian.

Kali — US/RU layouts

xrdp resets keyboard to us on connect/reconnect. Three layers fix this:

1. xrdp keyboard map

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sudo sed -i 's/^rdp_layout_us=us$/rdp_layout_us=us,ru/' /etc/xrdp/xrdp_keyboard.ini

2. Reconnect hook — /etc/xrdp/reconnectwm.sh

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sudo tee /etc/xrdp/reconnectwm.sh > /dev/null << 'EOF'
#!/bin/sh
export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
export PIPEWIRE_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
export PULSE_RUNTIME_PATH=/run/user/1000/pulse
export PULSE_SERVER=unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native
$HOME/bin/apply-kbd >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
( for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; do $HOME/bin/apply-kbd >/dev/null 2>&1; sleep 1; done ) &
systemctl --user start kbd-watchdog.service >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
( sleep 5; /usr/libexec/pipewire-module-xrdp/load_pw_modules.sh; sleep 2; $HOME/bin/apply-kbd ) >/tmp/xrdp-audio.log 2>&1 &
EOF
sudo chmod 755 /etc/xrdp/reconnectwm.sh

3. Scripts in ~/bin

apply-kbd — re-applies us,ru, keeps Shift working, Caps→F20 remap:

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mkdir -p ~/bin ~/.config/systemd/user ~/.config/autostart

cat > ~/bin/apply-kbd << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
# grp:alt_shift_toggle remaps Shift -> ISO_Next_Group and breaks Shift over RDP
export DISPLAY="${DISPLAY:-:10.0}"
[ -f "$HOME/.Xauthority" ] && export XAUTHORITY="$HOME/.Xauthority"
[ -S /tmp/.X11-unix/X10 ] && export DISPLAY=:10.0

command -v setxkbmap >/dev/null || exit 0
setxkbmap -option 2>/dev/null || true
setxkbmap -layout us,ru -variant , -option grp_led:scroll

xmodmap -e 'keycode 50 = Shift_L Shift_L Shift_L Shift_L' 2>/dev/null || true
xmodmap -e 'keycode 62 = Shift_R Shift_R Shift_R Shift_R' 2>/dev/null || true
[ -f "$HOME/.Xmodmap" ] && xmodmap "$HOME/.Xmodmap" || xmodmap -e 'keycode 66 = F20 F20 F20 F20'

if command -v xfconf-query >/dev/null; then
  xfconf-query -c keyboard-layout -p /Default/XkbLayout -n -t string -s "us,ru"
  xfconf-query -c keyboard-layout -p /Default/XkbOptions/Group -n -t string -s "grp_led:scroll"
  xfconf-query -c xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts -p /commands/custom/override -n -t bool -s true
  xfconf-query -c xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts -n -t string -p /commands/custom/F20 -s "$HOME/bin/toggle-kbd-layout"
  xfconf-query -c xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts -n -t string -p "/commands/custom/<Super>space" -s "$HOME/bin/toggle-kbd-layout"
  xfconf-query -c xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts -n -t string -p "/commands/custom/<Alt>Shift_L" -s "$HOME/bin/toggle-kbd-layout"
  xfconf-query -c xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts -n -t string -p "/commands/custom/<Alt>Shift_R" -s "$HOME/bin/toggle-kbd-layout"
fi
EOF
chmod +x ~/bin/apply-kbd

toggle-kbd-layout — toggles layout group via XKB (reliable over RDP):

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cat > ~/bin/toggle-kbd-layout << 'EOF'
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import ctypes, ctypes.util, os, sys, subprocess
subprocess.run([os.path.expanduser("~/bin/apply-kbd")], check=False)
os.environ.setdefault("DISPLAY", ":10.0")
os.environ.setdefault("XAUTHORITY", os.path.expanduser("~/.Xauthority"))
x11 = ctypes.CDLL(ctypes.util.find_library("X11"))
x11.XOpenDisplay.restype = ctypes.c_void_p
dpy = x11.XOpenDisplay(None)
if not dpy: sys.exit(1)
class S(ctypes.Structure):
    _fields_ = [("group", ctypes.c_ubyte)] + [("x", ctypes.c_ubyte)] * 13 + [("y", ctypes.c_ushort)]
st = S()
x11.XkbGetState(dpy, 0x0100, ctypes.byref(st))
x11.XkbLockGroup(dpy, 0x0100, 0 if st.group else 1)
x11.XFlush(dpy)
EOF
chmod +x ~/bin/toggle-kbd-layout

~/.Xmodmap — Caps Lock → F20:

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cat > ~/.Xmodmap << 'EOF'
keycode 66 = F20 F20 F20 F20
EOF

Watchdog — keeps layout alive and fixes broken Shift after xrdp resets:

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cat > ~/bin/kbd-watchdog << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
for i in $(seq 1 60); do [ -S /tmp/.X11-unix/X10 ] || [ -S /tmp/.X11-unix/X0 ] && break; sleep 1; done
for i in $(seq 1 60); do ~/bin/apply-kbd; sleep 2; done
while true; do
  export DISPLAY=:10.0; [ -S /tmp/.X11-unix/X10 ] || export DISPLAY=:0
  export XAUTHORITY=$HOME/.Xauthority
  cur=$(setxkbmap -query 2>/dev/null | awk '/^layout:/ {print $2}')
  shift50=$(xmodmap -pke 2>/dev/null | awk '/keycode  50 / {print $0}')
  caps=$(xmodmap -pke 2>/dev/null | awk '/keycode  66 / {print $3}')
  need=0
  case "$cur" in *ru*) ;; *) need=1 ;; esac
  echo "$shift50" | grep -q ISO_Next_Group && need=1
  [ "$caps" = "F20" ] || need=1
  [ "$need" = 1 ] && ~/bin/apply-kbd
  sleep 5
done
EOF
chmod +x ~/bin/kbd-watchdog

cat > ~/.config/systemd/user/kbd-watchdog.service << 'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=Keep US/RU keyboard layouts alive under XRDP
After=graphical-session.target

[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=%h/bin/kbd-watchdog
Restart=always
RestartSec=2

[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
EOF

sudo loginctl enable-linger "$USER"
systemctl --user enable --now kbd-watchdog.service
~/bin/apply-kbd

Fallback toggles on Kali: Caps Lock · Cmd+Space (Super+Space) · Alt+Shift · click US/RU on panel.

Do not use grp:alt_shift_toggle in setxkbmap — it remaps Shift to ISO_Next_Group and breaks uppercase letters and shortcuts. Use Alt+Shift via XFCE shortcut → toggle-kbd-layout instead.

After reconnect wait 1–2 seconds for watchdog, then toggle.

Keep only one xkb plugin in XFCE panel (Unique=TRUE). Duplicate plugins make the language indicator disappear on click.

Mac — Globe key (🌐)

Globe is consumed by macOS before RDP sees it. Virtual F20 does not traverse RDP either.

Working approach: Hammerspoon intercepts Globe only when Windows App is focused and runs ssh kali toggle-kbd-layout. Everywhere else Globe switches Mac input as usual.

ContextGlobe key
Safari, Terminal, Cursor, etc.Switches Mac input source
Windows App (RDP to Kali)Toggles Kali US/RU via SSH

Mac settings: Keyboard → Press 🌐 key to → Change Input Source

Passwordless SSH to Kali:

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ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_kali -N ""
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_kali.pub srzhka@192.168.0.208

~/.ssh/config:

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Host kali
    HostName 192.168.0.208
    User srzhka
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_kali

Test:

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ssh kali ~/bin/toggle-kbd-layout

Install Hammerspoon + config:

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~/Documents/projects/kali/scripts/setup-mac-globe-rdp.sh

Grant Accessibility to Hammerspoon in System Settings.

Core logic:

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-- When Windows App focused: ssh kali toggle-kbd-layout
-- Elsewhere: Globe passes through → normal Mac input switch
local RDP_BUNDLE = "com.microsoft.rdc.macos"

if not hs.accessibilityState(true) then return end

globeRdpTap = hs.eventtap.new({ hs.eventtap.event.types.keyDown }, function(event)
  if not GLOBE_CODES[event:getKeyCode()] then return false end
  if not rdpFocused() then return false end
  hs.task.new("/usr/bin/ssh", nil, {
    "-F", os.getenv("HOME").."/.ssh/config",
    "-o", "BatchMode=yes", "-o", "ConnectTimeout=3",
    "kali", "/home/srzhka/bin/toggle-kbd-layout",
  }):start()
  return true
end)
globeRdpTap:start()
hs.autoLaunch(true)

Store globeRdpTap in a global variable — otherwise Lua GC stops the eventtap. Use hs.accessibilityState(true), not the removed checkAccessibility().

Kali — Touchegg (Mac-like gestures)

For the laptop trackpad on Kali:

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sudo apt-get install -y touchegg wmctrl
mkdir -p ~/.config/touchegg

~/.config/touchegg/touchegg.conf — main gestures:

GestureAction
3 fingers ←/→Switch workspace (Spaces)
3 fingers ↑Maximize / restore window
3 fingers ↓Show desktop
4 fingers ←/→Switch workspace
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systemctl --user enable --now touchegg

Kali — GitHub Desktop in RDP

RDP spawns an isolated D-Bus/keyring by default. GitHub Desktop then can’t read tokens → fetch/push fails with auth errors.

Fix: point RDP session to the shared system keyring.

~/.xprofile — append:

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# shared-system-dbus-for-rdp
export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000

~/bin/github-desktop wrapper:

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cat > ~/bin/github-desktop << 'EOF'
#!/bin/sh
export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
exec /usr/lib/github-desktop/github-desktop "$@"
EOF
chmod +x ~/bin/github-desktop

Override desktop entry ~/.local/share/applications/github-desktop.desktop:

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Exec=/home/srzhka/bin/github-desktop %U

If auth breaks again:

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~/bin/fix-session-dbus   # kills duplicate keyring-daemon
# then restart GitHub Desktop from XFCE menu

Launch GitHub Desktop from the XFCE menu, not from an old RDP terminal. Reconnect RDP after changing startwm.sh.

One-shot setup script (all of the above): ~/Documents/projects/kali/scripts/setup-kali-gh-desktop-rdp.sh

RDP audio

XFCE shows “connecting to PulseAudio” but no sound until pipewire-module-xrdp loads the xrdp-sink.

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~/Documents/projects/kali/scripts/setup-kali-rdp-audio.sh

Or manually: install pulseaudio-utils pipewire-module-xrdp libpipewire-0.3-modules-xrdp, append PipeWire env to ~/.xprofile, update startwm.sh / reconnectwm.sh (see above).

On Mac in Windows App → connection settings → Play sound on this device (sound plays on Mac, not on Kali laptop speakers).

Reconnect RDP after changing audio config.

Mac — SMB projects share (IntelliJ)

Open Kali projects in IntelliJ on Mac without copying files — SMB share //192.168.0.208/projects → /media/shared/projects.

On Kali:

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~/Documents/projects/kali/scripts/setup-kali-smb-projects.sh

On Mac — Finder Cmd+K → smb://192.168.0.208/projects → login srzhka.

Or mount to a fixed path:

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~/Documents/projects/kali/scripts/mount-kali-projects-mac.sh
# projects appear in ~/Volumes/kali-projects

IntelliJ: File → Open → /Volumes/projects/... or ~/Volumes/kali-projects/...

Headless Kali (closed lid)

If Kali is used as an always-on server (bot, RDP, SSH) with closed lid:

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# /etc/systemd/logind.conf.d/lid.conf
[Login]
HandleLidSwitch=ignore
HandleLidSwitchExternalPower=ignore
HandleLidSwitchDocked=ignore
IdleAction=ignore

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# block system sleep
sudo systemctl mask sleep.target suspend.target hibernate.target hybrid-sleep.target

# stable WiFi with closed lid
# /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/wifi-powersave-off.conf
[connection]
wifi.powersave = 2

Without HandleLidSwitch=ignore, closing the lid suspends the machine — SSH/RDP won’t work until you open it.

Network (NetworkManager) and systemd services start before login (~2 min with closed lid after reboot).

If /media/shared is on NTFS: use ntfs-3g in fstab, not ntfs3 (broken in kernel 7.1.5+). Venv symlinks on NTFS break too — ~/bin/fix-trade-bot-venv.sh before bot start.

Trade bot runs as srzhka-trade-bot.service (dashboard http://192.168.0.208:8765). Tray icon needs XFCE login (local or RDP). Setup: ~/Documents/projects/kali/scripts/setup-kali-trade-bot-service.sh

Gotchas

ProblemFix
Cyrillic broken / keys deadKeyboard mode Scancode, Mac layout English
Layout us only after connectxrdp_keyboard.ini, reconnectwm.sh, watchdog
Ctrl+Space eaten by clientUse Caps / Super+Space / Globe
Alt+Shift unreliable over RDPXFCE shortcut → toggle-kbd-layout, not grp:alt_shift_toggle
Shift broken (no capitals)Remove grp:alt_shift_toggle; watchdog restores Shift_L/R
Duplicate xkb panel pluginsKeep one xkb plugin in XFCE panel (Unique=TRUE)
Globe does nothing in RDPHammerspoon + SSH toggle, not F20-over-RDP
No sound in RDPpipewire-module-xrdp, reconnect, Windows App → play on Mac
GitHub Desktop auth in RDPShared D-Bus in startwm.sh + github-desktop wrapper
login/10 keyring errorReset GH Desktop cache, sign in again, use wrapper
RDP/SSH dead with closed lidHandleLidSwitch=ignore in logind
startwm.sh corruptedWrite file locally, scp, sudo cp
Kali
kali mac rdp keyboard smb
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