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

Buy a genuine User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS license and cover named users 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 User CAL (Client Access License) lets one named person connect to session-based desktops and RemoteApp programs from any number of devices. It suits office staff, remote workers and anyone who switches between a desktop, a laptop and a phone. It is the matching license for remote desktop servers that still run Windows Server 2016. This page explains how the User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS works, what else you need and how to install it.

User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS: Quick Answer

Here is what you get with this license:

• Product: Windows Server 2016 Remote Desktop Services User CAL
• Quantity: the CAL quantity shown on your order
• Coverage: each licensed user can connect from any number of devices
• 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 use several devices, this is the matching license.

Why Buy a User 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 users, usually at the least convenient moment.

Common reasons to buy this license include:

• Licensing users on an existing Windows Server 2016 RDS server
• Keeping legacy RemoteApp software available to staff
• Rebuilding a failed 2016 RD Licensing server
• Adding users while a migration is being planned
• Ending a grace period before connections are refused

If several people share each computer, a Device CAL may cost less.

User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS at a Glance

Item	Details
Product	Windows Server 2016 RDS User CAL
Licensing mode	Per User
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 User CAL vs Device CAL

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

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

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

What Else Does Remote Desktop Services Need?

The User 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.

User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS Compatibility

RDS CALs cover their own Windows Server version and earlier ones. The User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS therefore works with users 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. Users connecting to newer session hosts need CALs of that version, such as the User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS or the Windows Server 2025 RDS User CAL.

Running RDS on Windows Server 2016 Safely

Windows Server 2016 is in the final stage of extended support, and remote desktop servers are a common target for attackers. If you rely on the User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS, protect the farm while you plan the next step:

• Publish sessions through RD Gateway instead of exposing port 3389
• Require multi-factor authentication for remote users
• Install every remaining security update on hosts and the gateway
• Plan a move to a supported Windows Server version

How Many User CALs Do You Need?

Count every person who opens a remote desktop or RemoteApp session, including part-time staff and contractors. Administrators who connect only to manage the server use the two built-in administrative sessions and do not need an RDS CAL.

Some quick examples:

• An office of 6 staff working from home
• A team of 18 on laptops and tablets
• A department of 35 using RemoteApp

Per User CALs are not technically enforced by the license server, so keeping an accurate count is your responsibility during an audit.

Who Should Buy the User 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 devices than people using remote desktops
• Need to keep a legacy RDS server licensed
• Run the license server in an Active Directory domain
• Have a migration to a newer version planned

How to Install the User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS

RDS CALs are installed on the RD Licensing server, not on each user’s PC:

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 User 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 User. 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 User CAL for Windows Server 2016 RDS

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

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

How many users 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 one user connect from several devices?

Yes. A User CAL covers one person on any number of devices.

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 user 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.