In older versions (Server 2008 R2 and earlier), this worked temporarily. In modern Windows Server (2016+), the RDS Licensing service is hardened. Deleting this key without disabling the Licensing Service first results in an immediate licensing violation error ( 0x8030F067 ). You cannot simply delete it while the server is running.
Within this key, you will find several critical values:
Before making any registry modifications, open regedit , right-click on the RCM or GracePeriod folder, select , and save a .reg file to your desktop. This allows you to restore original configurations if an error occurs. Step 2: Take Ownership and Delete the "Time Bomb"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod Take Ownership: Right-click GracePeriod
After a reboot, the grace period restarts — but this is , and Microsoft does not support it for production. rds cal license registry key free
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Once the 120-day period expires, the server strictly enforces licensing. Users will be blocked from establishing remote sessions, resulting in errors such as "The remote session was disconnected because there are no Remote Desktop License Servers available." The Anatomy of the "Registry Reset" Workaround
Instead of relying on unstable registry modifications, administrators should implement compliant, official methods to handle Remote Desktop deployment and license management.
At the top, look for (which usually says SYSTEM ) and click Change . In older versions (Server 2008 R2 and earlier),
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Right-click it and select (or perform a standard system reboot). Compliance, Auditing, and Corporate Licensing Realities
While you cannot get a "free" license via the registry, you can view and manage your current licensing configuration. These keys are useful for troubleshooting legitimate licenses.
: This is intended for lab/testing environments. Continual resets in a production environment violate Microsoft Licensing Terms 2. Disabling Workgroup Auth Enforcement You cannot simply delete it while the server is running
: Back in the Permissions window, select your user/group and check the Full Control box.
In legitimate test and development environments, administrators often need to reset this timer. The configuration for this grace period is stored securely within the Windows Registry. The Grace Period Registry Path:
For testing, you can reset the "timebomb" registry key to renew the 120-day period. ( regedit ) as Administrator.
The short answer is —not legally or permanently. However, the registry does hold critical information regarding your RDS licensing status. This article will explain why people search for this, where the real registry keys are located, and how licensing actually works.
: Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod . Take Ownership : Right-click the GracePeriod folder and select Permissions .
When you install the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role, Microsoft grants a temporary grace period (typically 120 days) during which users can connect without a permanent license. The configuration for this grace period is stored in the following path: