Windows Server 2022 RDS 50 User CAL

What you get with the Windows Server 2022 RDS 50 User CAL

You get one license code that adds 50 Windows Server 2022 RDS user CALs to your Remote Desktop license server. With it, fifty named employees may sign in to session-based desktops and RemoteApp programs on Windows Server 2022, and on older 2019 or 2016 session hosts too. Each CAL covers a person, not a machine, so their laptop, office PC and tablet are all included. The code is sent by e-mail, and nothing renews.

Fifty named users across your session hosts

The 50 CALs sit in a pool on the license server. Every session host in the deployment asks that server for licenses, so the same pool serves one host or several. A person draws one CAL, whichever host they land on.

• Licensing is per named user. A shared reception PC used by many people is better covered by per-device CALs.
• Per-user CALs only work with domain-joined servers; in a workgroup Microsoft requires per-device licensing.
• The license server keeps issuing per-user CALs beyond 50 and leaves compliance to you. Use the per-user report in Remote Desktop Licensing Manager to compare the count with this pack.
• When someone leaves, their CAL can usually go to a new colleague after 90 days.

What the 2022 pack does not include

Remote Desktop CALs are an additive license. The server needs its own license, such as Windows Server 2022 Standard, and each user needs a Windows Server CAL in addition to the RDS CAL. Neither is part of this pack.

Version limits: 2022 RDS CALs license 2022, 2019 and 2016 session hosts, not Windows Server 2025 hosts, and they install on a license server running 2022 or 2025. For a team of ten or fewer, the Windows Server 2022 RDS 10 User CAL is the smaller pack.

How to activate the Windows Server 2022 RDS 50 User CAL

1. Pick the license server: a Windows Server 2022 or 2025 machine with the Remote Desktop Licensing role service added in Server Manager.
2. Open RD Licensing Manager (Server Manager, Tools, Remote Desktop Services) and activate the server through Action, Activate Server.
3. Right-click the activated server and choose Install Licenses. Select the license program, type the code from the e-mail, and set Windows Server 2022, Per User and 50.
4. Wait for the Microsoft Clearinghouse to confirm, then click Finish. The 50 CALs now appear under the server.
5. Connect the session hosts: on the Connection Broker, Edit Deployment Properties, RD Licensing, Per User, add the server; without a broker, use the two Remote Desktop licensing policies in Group Policy.

The installation of Windows Server 2022 itself is covered in our Windows Server guide.

System requirements

Questions about the Windows Server 2022 RDS 50 User CAL

Is this a user pack or a device pack?

A user pack: all 50 CALs are per-user RDS CALs. Shared computers used by many people are licensed with per-device CALs, which are a different product.

Does it license Remote Desktop on a Windows Server 2025 host?

No. Session hosts on Windows Server 2025 accept only 2025 RDS CALs.

Do I get an invoice for the company?

Yes, a PDF invoice comes with the order-completed e-mail.