User CAL for Windows Server 2022 Remote Desktop Services (RDS)

Buy a genuine Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL pack and license named users for Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2022. Choose 5, 10, 20 or 50 users; 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) allows one person to connect to session-based desktops and RemoteApp programs from as many devices as they like. It is the natural fit for staff who switch between an office PC, a laptop and a phone. This page explains how 2022 User CALs work, what else your RDS deployment needs, and how to install them.

Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL: Quick Answer

Here is what you get with this license:

• Product: Windows Server 2022 Remote Desktop Services User CAL
• Pack sizes: 5, 10, 20 or 50 users
• Coverage: each licensed user can connect from any number of devices
• Installation: RD Licensing Manager on a Windows Server 2022 or 2025 license server
• Compatibility: works with Windows Server 2022 and earlier 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 2022, the Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL is the matching license.

Why Buy a Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL?

Remote Desktop Services allows connections without CALs only during a grace period of up to 120 days. When it ends, unlicensed users are turned away at the login screen, which is rarely the moment anyone wants to discover it.

Common reasons to buy 2022 User CALs include:

• Licensing an existing RDS farm built on Windows Server 2022
• Adding users to a deployment that is running out of CALs
• Giving hybrid staff secure access to company desktops and apps
• Publishing accounting, ERP or CRM software as RemoteApp programs
• Covering users on Windows Server 2019 or 2016 session hosts

If several people share each computer, the Device CAL for Windows Server 2022 RDS may cost less.

Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL at a Glance

Item	Details
Product	Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL
Licensing mode	Per User
Pack sizes	5, 10, 20 or 50 users
License server	Windows Server 2022 or 2025
Session hosts covered	Windows Server 2022 and earlier versions
Activation	Online through RD Licensing Manager
Commercial use	Yes
Delivery	Digital license key by email

RDS User CAL vs Device CAL

You can license Remote Desktop Services per user or per device. The right choice depends on who uses what:

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	Hybrid, remote and mobile staff	Shift work, thin clients and shared PCs
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.

What Else Does Remote Desktop Services Need?

A Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL covers remote desktop access only. A properly licensed deployment also includes:

• A licensed Windows Server, such as Windows Server 2022 Standard or Datacenter
• 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 2022 or later

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

Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL Compatibility

RDS CALs cover their own version and earlier ones. A Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL therefore works with users on 2022, 2019 and 2016 RD Session Hosts.

The license server must run the same or a newer version than the CALs, so you can install 2022 CALs on a Windows Server 2022 or 2025 license server. Users connecting to Windows Server 2025 session hosts need Windows Server 2025 RDS User CALs instead.

How Many Windows Server 2022 RDS 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: one 10-user pack
• A sales team of 25 on laptops and phones: a 20-user pack plus a 5-user pack
• A finance department of 50 on RemoteApp: one 50-user pack

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 Windows Server 2022 RDS User CALs?

This license is the right choice when you:

• Run RD Session Hosts on Windows Server 2022, 2019 or 2016
• Have more devices than people using remote desktops
• Support remote, hybrid or traveling staff
• Need 5 to 50 users, with the option to add packs later
• Want a one-time purchase instead of a monthly subscription

How to Install Windows Server 2022 RDS User CALs

RDS CALs are installed on the RD Licensing server rather than on each user’s PC:

1. Install the Remote Desktop Licensing role on a Windows Server 2022 or 2025 server.
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 2022 and the Per User CAL type, and enter the quantity.
6. Finish the wizard and confirm the licenses appear in RD Licensing Manager.

Then 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 2022 categories. Need more than 50 users? The Bcdkey B2B wholesale program handles volume orders.

FAQ About Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL

Is this a genuine Windows Server 2022 RDS User CAL?

Yes. It is a genuine Microsoft license for Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2022.

How many users does one pack cover?

The number you select at checkout: 5, 10, 20 or 50 users.

Can one user connect from several devices?

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

Do 2022 RDS CALs work with Windows Server 2019 hosts?

Yes. RDS CALs work with the same and earlier Windows Server versions.

Can I install 2022 CALs on a Windows Server 2025 license server?

Yes. The license server can be the same version or newer.

Do 2022 CALs work with Windows Server 2025 session hosts?

No. Windows Server 2025 session hosts need 2025 RDS CALs.

Do I also need Windows Server CALs?

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

How fast is delivery?

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