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Unable to use 2025 RDS CALS on Server running on 2022 OS

Irfan Khan 160 Reputation points
2026-03-06T17:50:06.3366667+00:00

The Remote Desktop Services (RDS) roles are installed on a server running Windows Server 2022. Since Microsoft no longer provides RDS licenses specifically for Windows Server 2022, we procured Windows Server 2025 RDS User CALs.

However, when attempting to install the license through "RD Licensing Manager → Install Licenses Wizard", we receive the following error:

"The license code is not recognized. Ensure that you have entered the correct license code."

Windows for business | Windows Server | Devices and deployment | Licensing and activation
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  1. VPHAN 25,000 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-03-07T01:13:59.8166667+00:00

    Irfan Khan

    you have installed both the Remote Desktop Session Host and the Remote Desktop Licensing roles on the exact same Windows Server 2022 machine. The article you referenced highlights a common point of confusion regarding two distinct types of compatibility within Remote Desktop Services.

    The compatibility rules for a Session Host differ completely from the rules for a Licensing server. A Windows Server 2022 Session Host is indeed perfectly capable of accepting Windows Server 2025 CALs. However, the server actively hosting the Remote Desktop Licensing role must run an operating system version that is equal to or newer than the CALs it manages. Because your Licensing role is installed on your Windows Server 2022 machine, it lacks the underlying framework to install, recognize, or distribute the newer 2025 licenses.

    Since your goal is for this single Windows Server 2022 machine to act as both the destination for user connections and the distributor of the licenses, you cannot use the 2025 CALs in their current format. To resolve this error while maintaining your current single-server architecture, your best path forward is to utilize your official downgrade rights. You can contact the Microsoft Clearinghouse support team to convert your 2025 CALs into 2022 CALs, which your current Licensing role will flawlessly recognize and issue to your users.

    Hope this helps :)

    VP

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  1. VPHAN 25,000 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-03-06T18:29:11.64+00:00

    Hi,

    The error you are encountering occurs because a Remote Desktop Services licensing server can only host and manage Client Access Licenses for its own operating system version or older. Your Windows Server 2022 licensing server lacks the architectural framework to validate the newly issued Windows Server 2025 RDS CALs, resulting in the system rejecting your license code as unrecognized within the RD Licensing Manager tool, executable as licmgr.exe.

    To utilize your new licenses, you must host the RD Licensing role on a server running Windows Server 2025. You can accomplish this by performing an in-place upgrade on your current licensing server or by deploying a dedicated Windows Server 2025 virtual machine strictly for license management. A newer licensing server is fully backward-compatible and will reliably allocate your new CALs to users connecting to your existing Windows Server 2022 Session Hosts without needing to modify the licensing server configurations stored in your registry under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TermServLicensing.

    If deploying a Windows Server 2025 operating system is not feasible for your environment right now, you can exercise your downgrade rights to convert the 2025 CALs into a 2022 format. You must contact the Microsoft Clearinghouse support team by phone so a representative can verify your purchase, revoke the newer key, and generate a compatible license block that your current Windows Server 2022 machine will natively accept.

    Hope this answer brought you some useful information. If it did, please hit "accept answer". Should you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

    VP

  2. Q&A Assist
    2026-03-06T17:50:15.3366667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    Windows Server 2025 RDS CALs cannot be installed on a Windows Server 2022 Remote Desktop license server. The error in the Install Licenses Wizard occurs because this CAL version is not compatible with the 2022 license server.

    RDS CAL version compatibility is strict between CALs and the RD License Server. The compatibility matrix shows:

    • A Windows Server 2022 license server supports RDS 2016, 2019, and 2022 CALs, but not 2025 CALs.
    • RDS 2025 CALs require a Windows Server 2025 license server.

    From the table in the documentation:

    License server version vs. RDS 2025 CAL

    • Windows Server 2016 license server: No
    • Windows Server 2019 license server: No
    • Windows Server 2022 license server: No
    • Windows Server 2025 license server: Yes

    To use the 2025 RDS User CALs, deploy a Remote Desktop license server running Windows Server 2025, activate it, and then install the 2025 CALs there. The existing Windows Server 2022 Session Hosts can then be configured to use that 2025 license server, as 2022 Session Hosts are compatible with 2025 CALs.

    If remaining on a 2022 license server, only up to RDS 2022 CALs can be installed and used.

    References:

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