Setting Up New Windows RDP/RDS Licenses for Windows Server 2025
Setting up new CALs (Client Access Licenses) for our Windows Server solutions requires a few steps. This Help Center article guides you through setting up, requesting, and subsequently installing the RDS licenses. Under the “Managed” support level, our support team will perform these steps upon request.
Procedure
- Add roles and features
- Activate the license server
- Determine the license server ID
- Request licenses
- Add new licenses in RDSM
Add Roles and Features
The Remote Desktop Service (RDMS) is required to configure the licenses. You can install this on the server using Add Roles and Features.
Here, select Role-based or feature-based installation and continue with the installation until you reach the Select server roles step.
Here, select Remote Desktop Services to install them on the server. You can then continue with the installation until you reach the Select Role Services step.
There, select all Remote Desktop Services and continue with the installation until it is complete.
Once you’ve reached this screen, you can start the installation by clicking Install. The installation of Remote Desktop Services will then begin; after successful installation, you’ll need to restart the server.
Determine the License Server ID
Open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager via Server Manager.
Next, you must activate the license server.
After the welcome dialog, set the Connection Method to “Phone” and then select Germany.
Copy the Product ID displayed in the following window and provide it to our support team, as it is required to initially activate the license server.
Once you have received the corresponding license server ID from our support team and entered it in the window, you can continue.
You can find your license server ID by right-clicking → Properties on the active license server in the overview below. Our support team will need this ID, for example, if you require additional Microsoft licenses.
Please ensure that Full Product Purchase is selected as the licensing program and Phone is selected as the connection method.
Requesting Licenses
User CAL licenses can be purchased directly through our support team. To do so, please contact us and provide us with the license server ID as well as the number of User CALs you require.
You can find an overview of available Microsoft licenses at:
We will then send you the activation code so you can proceed to the next step.
Adding New Licenses in RDSM
After the initial installation of Remote Desktop Services, open Remote Desktop Services via Server Manager.
Here you can view the current server license and view and edit additional licenses for the server. Right-click the server in the server overview to launch the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
Right-click the active license to install and add new RDP & CAL licenses.
Follow the instructions in the License Installation Wizard, and in the next step, enter your license number and add it. Select Phone as the authentication method.
After that, you must complete the License Installation Wizard until the end, and you will have successfully added the additional Microsoft licenses.
Configuring Remote Desktop Licensing Mode
To ensure that licenses are correctly assigned to users when a connection is established, you must also configure the correct Remote Desktop licensing mode for the Remote Desktop Session Host.
To do this, open the Group Policy Editor:
Then navigate as follows:
Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Remote Desktop Session Host → Licensing
Enable the Remote Desktop Licensing Mode policy and set the licensing mode to Per User. Save the settings by clicking the Apply button:
Additionally, specify the previously activated license server to be used via the Use Specified Remote Desktop License Servers policy.
Enter the name of the license server here, e.g., XXXXX-CREOLINE (server name), and enable the policy. Confirm the changes again by clicking the Apply button.
Next, use the Remote Desktop Licensing Diagnostics to verify that all information has been applied correctly.
The correct number of licenses for your license server should now be displayed here.\n\n
If warnings continue to appear here, please refresh the view in the right-hand pane of the window. The information will then be retrieved again from the license server and displayed correctly.
Known Issues
The following error occurs during license installation:
Customer information is missing or corrupted. Enter all required information in the Properties dialog box.
This error occurs when the information required to activate new licenses is missing or corrupted. You can add or edit this information via the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager properties.
Here, navigate to Required Information and fill it out accurately; this information will only be used by a Microsoft support specialist should you need assistance.