Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Remote Desktop CALs

The Windows Server 2016 Remote Desktop CALs listing is for admins who want to check compatibility and licensing rules before adding Remote Desktop Services access to a Windows Server 2016 environment.

Compatibility Checklist

• Works with Windows Server 2016 Standard and Datacenter running the Remote Desktop Services role
• Also covers earlier server versions, such as Windows Server 2012 R2
• Does not cover Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025 hosts, which need newer RDS CALs

Licensing Rules at a Glance

• RDS CALs are needed in addition to Windows Server CALs
• A CAL is assigned per user or per device, not per concurrent session
• CALs are added to your Remote Desktop Licensing server

Good to Know

• A Windows Server 2016 license is required and is not included

How many CALs do I need?

Count the users, or the devices, that will connect to your Remote Desktop server, and buy that many CALs.