Device CAL For Windows Server 2016 RDS (Remote Desktop Services)

Buy a genuine Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS license and cover shared devices for Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2016. The license key is delivered instantly by email and installed on your RD Licensing server, with no subscription to renew.

A Remote Desktop Services Device CAL (Client Access License) lets one physical device connect to session-based desktops and RemoteApp programs, however many people use it. It suits call centers, clinics, classrooms, factories and any workplace where staff share computers on shifts. It is the matching license for remote desktop servers that still run Windows Server 2016. This page explains how the Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS works, what else you need and how to install it.

Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS: Quick Answer

Here is what you get with this license:

• Product: Windows Server 2016 Remote Desktop Services Device CAL
• Quantity: the CAL quantity shown on your order
• Coverage: each licensed device can be used by any number of people
• Installation: RD Licensing Manager on a Windows Server 2016 or later license server
• Compatibility: works with Windows Server 2016 and 2012 R2 RD Session Hosts
• License type: one-time purchase, no subscription
• Delivery: license key sent by email, typically instantly

If your session hosts run Windows Server 2016 and staff share computers, this is the matching license.

Why Buy a Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS?

Remote Desktop Services accepts connections without CALs only during a grace period of up to 120 days. After that, the RD Session Host refuses unlicensed devices, usually at the least convenient moment.

Common reasons to buy this license include:

• Licensing shared PCs on an existing Windows Server 2016 RDS server
• Covering thin clients that connect to a legacy farm
• Rebuilding a failed 2016 RD Licensing server
• Adding devices while a migration is being planned
• Ending a grace period before connections are refused

If each person uses several devices, a User CAL is the better fit.

Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS at a Glance

Item	Details
Product	Windows Server 2016 RDS Device CAL
Licensing mode	Per Device
Quantity	As shown on your order
License server	Windows Server 2016 or later
Session hosts covered	Windows Server 2016 and 2012 R2
Activation	Online through RD Licensing Manager
Commercial use	Yes
Delivery	Digital license key by email

RDS Device CAL vs User CAL

Remote Desktop Services is licensed either per user or per device. Pick the model that matches how people actually work:

Question	Device CAL	User CAL
What is licensed	One physical device	One named person
Devices covered	One	Unlimited for that user
Users covered	Unlimited on that device	One
Best fit	Shared PCs, shifts and thin clients	Remote, hybrid and mobile staff
Tracking	Issued and tracked by the license server	Reported through Active Directory

Count the people and count the devices, then license whichever number is smaller. If the other model fits better, see the User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS.

What Else Does Remote Desktop Services Need?

The Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS covers remote desktop access only. A properly licensed deployment also includes:

• A licensed Windows Server, such as Windows Server 2016 Standard
• A Windows Server CAL for each user or device that accesses the server
• An RDS CAL for each user or device that uses remote desktop sessions
• An RD Licensing server running Windows Server 2016 or later

Windows Server CALs and RDS CALs are separate licenses. Microsoft’s RDS client access license documentation explains the rules in detail.

Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS Compatibility

RDS CALs cover their own Windows Server version and earlier ones. The Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS therefore works with devices on Windows Server 2016 and 2012 R2 RD Session Hosts.

The license server must run the same version as the CALs or a newer one, so these CALs install on Windows Server 2016 or later. Devices connecting to newer session hosts need CALs of that version, such as the Device CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS or the Device CAL for Windows Server 2025.

Moving an RDS 2016 Deployment to a Newer Version

The Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS keeps an existing farm licensed, but it cannot be reused on newer session hosts. Plan the migration so licensing never becomes the bottleneck:

• Upgrade the RD Licensing server to the target version first
• Buy CALs for the new version before moving any devices
• Move session hosts and thin clients in small groups
• Keep the 2016 CALs active until the last 2016 host is retired

For business-critical farms, you may want an experienced administrator involved.

How Many Device CALs Do You Need?

Count every physical device that opens a remote desktop or RemoteApp session, including thin clients, shared PCs and kiosks. The number of people using each device does not matter.

Some quick examples:

• A front office with 5 shared PCs
• A factory floor with 15 thin clients
• A training room with 25 shared computers

The license server issues a Device CAL the first time each device connects, so replacing hardware often can use CALs faster than expected.

Who Should Buy the Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS?

This license is the right choice when you:

• Run RD Session Hosts on Windows Server 2016 or 2012 R2
• Have more people than devices using remote desktops
• Need to keep a legacy RDS server licensed
• Want licenses that the server tracks automatically
• Have a migration to a newer version planned

How to Install the Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS

RDS CALs are installed on the RD Licensing server, not on each client device:

1. Install the Remote Desktop Licensing role on a server running Windows Server 2016 or later.
2. Open RD Licensing Manager, right-click the server and select Activate Server.
3. Right-click the server again and select Install Licenses.
4. Choose the license program shown in your Bcdkey delivery email.
5. Enter the license key, select Windows Server 2016 and the Per Device CAL type, and enter the quantity.
6. Finish the wizard and confirm the licenses appear in RD Licensing Manager.

Next, set the licensing mode to Per Device. In Server Manager, open Remote Desktop Services > Overview > Tasks > Edit Deployment Properties > RD Licensing. Servers outside a deployment use this Group Policy path:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Licensing

A licensing mode that does not match the installed CALs is the most common cause of lingering grace period warnings.

Delivery, Order Tracking and Support

Your license key is sent by email, typically instantly after payment, and is also saved in My Account. You can follow any order with Track Order.

If installation does not complete, open a support ticket with a screenshot of the RD Licensing Manager message. More licenses are listed in our RDS CALs and Windows Server 2016 categories. Need a larger quantity? The Bcdkey B2B wholesale program handles volume orders.

FAQ About Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS

Is this a genuine Device CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS?

Yes. It is a genuine Microsoft license for Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2016.

How many devices does one purchase cover?

The CAL quantity is shown on your order. Contact our support team before buying if you need a specific pack size.

Can several people share one licensed device?

Yes. A Device CAL covers any number of users on that device.

Is Windows Server 2016 still supported?

Only for security updates, and that extended support is ending soon.

Do 2016 RDS CALs work with newer session hosts?

No. Newer RD Session Hosts need CALs of the same or a newer version.

Do I also need Windows Server CALs?

Yes. Each device also needs a Windows Server CAL to access the server.

Is this a subscription?

No. It is a one-time purchase.

How fast is delivery?

License keys are delivered by email, typically instantly after your order is confirmed.