RDP to Azure VM fails with "No Remote Desktop License Servers available"

You can use mstsc /admin to work around the following licensing error when attempting to connect with RDP to an Azure VM:

The remote session was disconnected because there are no Remote Desktop License Servers available to provide a license.

Please contact the server administrator.  

Using mstsc /admin disables licensing for that connection only, so you could only ever have a maximum of two connections made with /admin at the same time. But it is helpful in this scenario where the 120-day Remote Desktop licensing grace period has expired and you need to access the VM to install RDS licenses. Note that if you encounter this error and you don’t need more than two RDP connections to the VM at the same time, you can use Server Manager to remove the RDS role so licensing is not enforced and you go back to having a maximum of two administrative connections.

Note that you can also edit the RDP file in a text editor and add /admin to achieve the same thing as running mstsc /admin.

full address:s:MYVM.cloudapp.net:57362 /admin

See also:

Use command line parameters with Remote Desktop Connection
https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/command-line-parameters-remote-desktop-connection/

Comments

• Anonymous
  April 13, 2014
  Thanks.. It's working for me..:) :)

• Anonymous
  May 13, 2014
  Thanks a lot! It helped out :))

• Anonymous
  June 10, 2014
  Thanks a Lot..!!

• Anonymous
  July 02, 2014
  Do we need license for remote access for more then 2 admin account. If so does anyone know the part number for it. How much for 5user licenses. Please don't  forward to any other site for the details.

• Anonymous
  October 15, 2014
  Cool!.. I manage to connect finally!.. Thank you!

• Anonymous
  October 22, 2014
  Hi, it is remote desktop server role has been installed and it is looking for terminal license server

• Anonymous
  October 27, 2014
  Thanks a lot. Facing this issue for long time,. Finally able to connect with your help.

• Anonymous
  December 11, 2014
  Nice! Worked great!

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2015
  Great information. I have been fighting with this for 3 months. Removing the RDS role did the trick for me. Thank you.

• Anonymous
  January 17, 2015
  Thanks, that is it!

• Anonymous
  January 26, 2015
  Thanks a lot. Its working fine.

• Anonymous
  March 17, 2015
  Thank you so much .......you are a genius!!!!!

• Anonymous
  April 15, 2015
  Thanks mate. :)

• Anonymous
  May 18, 2015
  Great post!  Thank you very much.

• Anonymous
  July 01, 2015
  Great post. Exact the information i am looking for weeks.

• Anonymous
  September 08, 2015
  simple.. just remove remote desktop services from role and features wizard, delete both 1.remote dekstop licensing 2.remote desktop senssion host.. or easy say.. remove all.. :) hope its will help

• Anonymous
  September 10, 2015
  Thank you

• Anonymous
  September 13, 2015
  ms.darrenongpt.com/.../rds-windows-server-2012-rds-remote.html

• Anonymous
  September 28, 2015
  Great..!! mstsc /admin working for me... Thanks

• Anonymous
  December 27, 2015
  I had the following message: "The remote session was disconnected because there are no Remote Desktop License Servers available to provide a license. Please contact the server administrator." I have lost 2 unproductive days trying to configure this stupid License Server. I only occassionally need to access the server for admin purposes. ...And here found the ultimate solution... so simple and so quick - brilliantly. And even didn't need to go down to ugly and cold server room in the basement of my building: mstsc /admin  -- allowed to connect! Thank you!

• Anonymous
  April 15, 2016
  Thank You Craig! Your post helped me save from escalation.! Bravo...really appreciate it!!!