User CAL For Windows Server 2019 RDS (Remote Desktop Services)

Buy a genuine User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS license and cover named users for Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2019. 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 RDS farms that still run on Windows Server 2019. This page explains how the User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS works, what else you need and how to install it.

User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS: Quick Answer

Here is what you get with this license:

• Product: Windows Server 2019 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 2019 or later license server
• Compatibility: works with Windows Server 2019, 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 2019 and staff use several devices, this is the license to buy.

Why Buy a User CAL for Windows Server 2019 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 2019 RDS farm
• Giving hybrid staff access to company desktops from home
• Publishing accounting or ERP software as RemoteApp programs
• Adding users as a team grows
• 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 2019 RDS at a Glance

Item	Details
Product	Windows Server 2019 RDS User CAL
Licensing mode	Per User
Quantity	As shown on your order
License server	Windows Server 2019 or later
Session hosts covered	Windows Server 2019, 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 2019 RDS.

What Else Does Remote Desktop Services Need?

The User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS covers remote desktop access only. A properly licensed deployment also includes:

• A licensed Windows Server, such as Windows Server 2019 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 2019 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 2019 RDS Compatibility

RDS CALs cover their own Windows Server version and earlier ones. The User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS therefore works with users on Windows Server 2019, 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 2019 or later. Users connecting to Windows Server 2022 or 2025 session hosts need CALs of that version, such as the Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL.

Per User CAL Tracking and Audits

Per User licensing relies on Active Directory, so the RD Licensing server must belong to a domain. Per User CALs are not supported for servers in a workgroup.

RD Licensing Manager can create a Per User CAL usage report that lists who has connected. Running it every few months shows whether the User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS quantity still matches your team, which is far easier than reconstructing the numbers during an audit.

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:

• A practice with 7 remote staff
• A sales team of 22 on laptops and phones
• A finance department of 40 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 2019 RDS?

This license is the right choice when you:

• Run RD Session Hosts on Windows Server 2019, 2016 or 2012 R2
• Have more devices than people using remote desktops
• Support remote, hybrid or traveling staff
• Run the license server in an Active Directory domain
• Prefer a one-time purchase instead of a subscription

How to Install the User CAL for Windows Server 2019 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 2019 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 2019 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 2019 categories. Need a larger quantity? The Bcdkey B2B wholesale program handles volume orders.

FAQ About User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS

Is this a genuine User CAL for Windows Server 2019 RDS?

Yes. It is a genuine Microsoft license for Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2019.

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.

Do 2019 User CALs work in a workgroup?

No. Per User CALs require an Active Directory domain; use Device CALs in a workgroup.

Do 2019 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.