Interim head coach Stevie Smith was in the Ibrox dugout for the first time as Thelo Aasgaard’s goal sent Rangers in with the advantage half-time.
The visitors responded with goals from Kristijan Trapanovski and Craig Sibbald to take the lead, but an 87th minute strike from captain James Tavernier saw the match end level.
Rangers lined-up with Jack Butland in goal behind a back four of James Tavernier, John Souttar, Derek Cornelius and Jayden Meghoma.
Joe Rothwell and Nico Raskin were in midfield, alongside Thelo Aasgaard who played in a more advanced role, with Djeidi Gassama and Oliver Antman in the wide areas. Bojan Miovski, who scored in the last league outing at Falkirk, once again led the line.
It was Joe Rothwell who got the action underway and there was a good intensity in the opening stages from Rangers as they searched for a home victory in the league.
Ivan Dolcek had an early chance for the visitors as he broke forward and got a shot away but it was wide of the target, before John Souttar headed over from a James Tavernier corner at the other end.
Tavernier was next to have an effort of his own with 18 minutes played and it wasn’t far away from the captain. He picked the ball up at the half-way line and drove towards goal before sending a looping right-footed shot just high of the target.
Rangers were looking lively, and Thelo Aasgard was next to come close to breaking the deadlock as he turned well in the middle of the pitch to see off a Dundee United player and open up space, but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.
With 25 minutes played Rangers had the breakthrough and it was a fantastic goal from Thelo Aasgaard. The Norway international drove down the right, showing the confidence to beat two Dundee United players before guiding a superb right-footed shot into the top corner for his first Rangers goal.
There was almost a second as Joe Rothwell intercepted a Dundee United pass to launch another attack. He tried to find Miovski but the ball was touched into the path of Aasgaard on the edge of the box and his low strike had to be pushed wide by goalkeeper Yevheni Kucherenko.
Miovski headed just over the bar from a Gassama cross as Rangers looked to add to their tally before half-time, before Kucherenko pulled off another good save in the 43rd minute as he got a strong hand to a deflected Aasgaard shot to turn it behind for a corner.
It was a busy end to the first-half for the goalkeeper and he was called into action again from the set-piece as he blocked an Oliver Antman effort.
Gers were really piling on the pressure before the break and Kucherenko again denied Antman with a good save as he struck a low right-footed shot towards goal from inside the box.
At the start of the second-half, Vicko Sevelj dragged a low shot wide fro the visitors, before Rangers had a chance from a set-piece with the goalkeeper gathering Gassama’s effort.
Dundee United had another chance as Sevelj and Eskesen combined with the latter sending the ball acorss the face of goal in search of Nikolaj Moller, but James Tavernier was alert to the danger.
With 66 minutes played the visitors had a goal back and it was substitute Kristijan Trapanovski who found the target just seconds after being introduced from the bench.
Youssef Chermiti came on to freshen the Rangers attack for the final 20 minutes at Ibrox, as he replaced Djeidi Gassama.
Dundee United got a lift from their goal, and it was Jim Goodwin’s men who took the lead in the 75th minute. Jack Butland blocked an initial shot from Zachary Sapsford, but the rebound fell for Craig Sibbald who sent a strike into the top corner.
There was a triple change from the Rangers bench with less than 10 minutes remaining in the match. Findlay Curtis, Mikey Moore and Connor Barron were all introduced in place of Thelo Aasgard, Oliver Antman and Joe Rothwell.
Chermiti headed wide form a Meghoma cross as Gers pushed for a road back into this game.
Rangers had that goal they needed with an equaliser from the captain with three minutes of the 90 remaining. Mikey Moore laid the ball off to the captain who was running into the box, and he sent a composed, right-footed finish beyond the goalkeeper.
Jack Butland pulled off a big save to deny Kristijan Trapanovski a second of the afternoon as he pushed his shot wide for a corner.
With six minutes added on at Ibrox, it felt like there was time for another chance for Gers, but they were unable to threaten the Dundee United goal and the game finished level.
RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Cornelius, Meghoma, Rothwell (Barron, 83), Raskin, Aasgaard (Curtis, 83), Antman (Moore, 83), Gassama (Chermiti, 71), Miovski.
Subs: Kelly, Aarons, Bajrami, Cameron, Djiga.
Dundee United: Kucherenko, Esselink (Camara, 66), Sevelj (Strain, 86), Sapsford (Naamo, 95), Eskesen, Ferry, Sibbald, Fatah (Trapanovski, 66), Dolcek (Moller, 46), Stephenson, Keresztes.
Subs: Richards, Lovu, Stirton, Cleall-Harding.