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Reactivate or deactivate a Remote Desktop Services license server

In this article learn how-to reactivate or deactivate a Remote Desktop Services license server automatically over the internet, using a web browser, or by telephone.

Prerequisites

Consider the following prerequisites before either reactivating or deactivating the license server:

  • You'll need to know which server is the license server.
  • You'll need membership in the Administrators group, or equivalent.

Reactive a license server

You must reactivate a Remote Desktop license server when any of the following occur:

  • The license server certificate expired.
  • The license server certificate was corrupted.
  • The license server was upgraded.
  • The license server was redeployed.
  • The license server private key was compromised.

Reactivate a license server by using one of the following methods:

Reactivate a license server automatically

The automatic reactivation method requires internet connectivity from the computer running the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool. Complete the following steps to reactivate a license server automatically:

  1. In Server Manager, select Tools > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.

  2. In RD Licensing Manager, verify that the connection method for the license server is set to Automatic connection (recommended). To do this, right-click the license server that you want to reactivate, and then select Properties. On the Connection Method tab, change the connection method if necessary.

  3. Right-click the license server that you want to reactivate, point to Advanced, and then select Reactivate Server. The Reactivate Server Wizard starts.

  4. On the Welcome page, select Next.

  5. On the Information Needed page, provide the requested information, and then select Next.

  6. Your request to reactivate the license server is sent to the Microsoft Clearinghouse for processing, and the license server is reactivated.

  7. On the Completing the Reactivate Server Wizard page, select Finish.

Reactivate a license server using a web browser

The web reactivation method can be used when the computer running the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool doesn't have internet connectivity, but you have access to the web from another computer. The URL for the web method is displayed in the Reactivate Server Wizard.

To reactivate a Remote Desktop Licensing Manager server by using a web browser, complete the following steps:

  1. In Server Manager, select Tools > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.

  2. Verify that the connection method for the Remote Desktop license server is set to Web Browser by right-clicking the license server that you want to reactivate, and then select Properties.

  3. Using a computer that has internet connectivity, connect to the Remote Desktop Licensing website.

  4. On the Remote Desktop Licensing website, select the option to Reactivate a license server and then select Next. Follow the steps to reactivate the license server.

Reactivate a license server by telephone

The telephone reactivation method allows you to talk to a Microsoft customer service representative to complete the reactivation process. The appropriate telephone number depends on the country/region that is configured for the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, and that telephone number is displayed in the Reactivate Server Wizard.

To reactivate a Remote Desktop Licensing Manager server by telephone, complete the following steps:

  1. In Server Manager, select Tools > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.

  2. Verify that the connection method for the Remote Desktop license server is set to Telephone by right-clicking the license server that you want to reactivate, and then select  Properties. On the Connection Method tab, change the connection method, if necessary, ensure that the correct country or region is selected in the Select Country or Region list, and then select OK.

  3. Right-click the license server that you want to reactivate, point to Advanced, and then select Reactivate Server. The Reactivate Server Wizard starts.

  4. On the Welcome page, select Next.

  5. Call Microsoft by using the telephone number that is displayed on the License Server Reactivation page, and then provide the Microsoft customer support representative with the product ID and license server ID that is displayed on your screen.

  6. The representative processes your request to reactivate the license server, and provides you with a new license server ID. On the License Server Reactivation page in the Reactivate Server Wizard, type the new license server ID that the representative provides, and then select Next. The license server is reactivated.

  7. On the Completing the Reactivate Server Wizard page, select Finish.

Deactive a license server

You may have to deactivate a license server if the certificate of the server expires, gets damaged, or if you redeploy the server.

The following steps describe how to deactivate a license server:

  1. In Server Manager, select Tools > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.

  2. In the console tree, right-click the license server that you want to deactivate, select Advanced, and then select Deactivate Server.

  3. In the Deactivate Server Wizard, confirm that your name, your phone number (optional), and your e-mail address that are listed under Information Needed are correct. Then select Next. Your request to deactivate the license server is sent to Microsoft Clearinghouse for processing.

    Note

    Your e-mail address is required if you are using the Internet method.

  4. Select Finish.

When you deactivate a license server, you can't license other client computers from this server until the license server is activated again.