: Once the 120 days expire, remote connections are blocked with licensing errors until a valid license server is configured. Free Remote Administration (The Built-In Alternative)
When you install the full RDS role, Microsoft provides a temporary "free" window to facilitate testing and deployment.
Misconfigurations frequently lead to the error "The remote session was disconnected because there are no Remote Desktop License Servers available to provide a license". Common fixes for these situations include:
To reset the 120-day timer back to zero, you must delete the registry key regulating the grace period: Open the Registry Editor ( regedit ) as an Administrator. windows server 2019 remote desktop services license free
Find the best place to if your trial is ending. Which of these would be most helpful for your setup?
: Several third-party products offer remote desktop functionality without requiring RDS CALs. While these solutions have their own licensing costs, they may be more affordable or better suited to specific use cases than Microsoft's RDS licensing model.
Once the RDSH role is installed, Windows Server 2019 requires that every user or device connecting to the server has a valid Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL). There are two types of RDS CALs: : Once the 120 days expire, remote connections
Once the grace period ends, you must install and activate a license server to continue using RDS. Reset 120 day RDS Grace period on 2016 and 2019
: This workaround should only be used in isolated testing environments. Step 1: Open Registry Editor Press Win + R , type regedit , and hit Enter. Step 2: Navigate to the GracePeriod Key
If you're reading this because you genuinely need a "free" solution for a production environment, it's important to recognize that Microsoft does not offer a permanent free multi-user RDS licensing option for Windows Server 2019. The grace periods and evaluation methods are temporary by design—they exist to facilitate testing, not to provide ongoing production access without cost. Common fixes for these situations include: To reset
Use the Add Roles and Features Wizard in Server Manager and select Remote Desktop Licensing .
: Monitored and enforced by the Active Directory domain controller. Per Device CALs
Go to the following directory path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod Step 3: Modify Permissions Right-click the folder and select Permissions . Click Advanced . Change the Owner to your local Administrator account.
However, it is crucial to understand the precise limitations of this period. The grace period is designed to give you time to properly configure a license server and install purchased CALs. It is not an indefinite free license or a recurring trial. Once the 120 days expire, any user attempting to establish a new RDP session to the RDSH server will be blocked, receiving errors indicating that the Remote Desktop Services will stop working because the computer is past its licensing grace period. At this point, a valid RDS CAL issued by a license server is required for every user or device that connects to the RD Session Host server.
You cannot use these free admin sessions to host a multi-user environment, provide remote desktops to employees, or publish shared applications. 3. How RDS Licensing Actually Works