How online activation works: key by email, enter it, activated

Microsoft RDS Server 2016 — 50 User CAL — Online Key

$17.99

50 Remote Desktop Services (RDS) User CALs for Windows Server 2016. Allows 50 users to connect remotely from any device. Fast delivery.

What happens after you pay

Our team checks your order and emails your key — usually within a few minutes.
Your key and a step-by-step activation guide also stay on your order page.

Genuine Microsoft license Personal support chat 7 days to activate — guaranteed Secure checkout by Stripe

SKU: KL-RDS16-50U Categories: Shop, Windows Server Tags: Online Key, RDS, Server 2016, User CAL Brand: Microsoft

Activation Online — enter the key and it activates

License One-time purchase — permanent

Covers 50 users

Warranty Activate within 7 days — free replacement if it doesn't work

Delivery Checked by our team — usually within a few minutes

Buy RDS 2016 User CAL — 50 User Remote Desktop Licenses

Get the most affordable RDS licensing with this genuine RDS 2016 User CAL pack. Each RDS 2016 User CAL licenses a named user to connect to Windows Server 2016 from any device.

What You Get

50x RDS User CALs for Server 2016
Fast delivery
Named user licensing
Global activation

User vs Device

User CAL: Per-user.
Device CAL: See our RDS 2016 Device CAL.

How to Activate

Open RD Licensing Manager
Install your RDS 2016 User CAL key
CALs are active

See our guide and Microsoft docs.

Is This Key Genuine?

Genuine Microsoft RDS 2016 User CAL key. Covered by our activation guarantee.

A license key that installs a pack of 50 Remote Desktop Services 2016 Per User CALs onto an activated RD Licensing server.
Entitlement for 50 named users to open remote sessions on Windows Server 2016 and earlier session hosts, each from as many devices as they use.
Delivered to your order page, usually instantly and at most a few minutes after payment. We email you a link too.
Written installation steps covering the RD Licensing role, license server activation, the Install Licenses wizard and switching each host to Per User mode.
A perpetual license with no renewal date and no subscription.
Not included: the Windows Server 2016 operating system license, Windows Server 2016 CALs, and Per Device RDS CALs.

Session hosts covered: Windows Server 2016 and earlier only. A 2016 RDS CAL cannot license a session host running Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025.
Licensing server: the Remote Desktop Licensing role on Windows Server 2016 or any later version (2019, 2022 and 2025 license servers all accept 2016 CALs), activated with the Microsoft Clearinghouse.
Licensing mode: each RD Session Host must be set to Per User and pointed at the license server. A host left in Per Device mode will not draw from this pool.
Active Directory required: Per User CALs are stored against the user object in AD DS and cannot be tracked in a workgroup. The license server's computer account must be a member of the Terminal Server License Servers group.
Grace period: a new session host accepts connections for 120 days with no license server present. After that window, clients are refused until valid CALs are reachable.
Separate licenses needed: one Windows Server 2016 CAL per user, plus the Windows Server 2016 operating system license for the machine, are not part of this pack.
Underlying server licensing: Windows Server 2016 is licensed by physical core, minimum 8 core licenses per processor and 16 per server. Standard covers two OS environments per licensed server, Datacenter is unlimited.
Host hardware minimum: 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor, 512 MB RAM (2 GB with the Desktop Experience option) and 32 GB of free disk. Windows Server 2016 scales to 24 TB of RAM and 512 logical processors.
No revocation: Per User CALs cannot be revoked in Licensing Manager, unlike Per Device CALs where up to 20 percent may be reclaimed.
Graphics workloads: RemoteFX vGPU was removed from Windows Server 2016 by the April 2021 security updates. GPU-accelerated sessions must use Discrete Device Assignment instead.
Support window: Windows Server 2016 is in extended support until January 2027.

Purchase — Complete your order securely
Receive Key — Your key appears on your order page right after payment, and we email you a link. Click “Reveal key” to see it
Activate — Enter the key during product setup or in Settings > Activation

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How this key works

The CAL pack is installed on your Remote Desktop license server with RD Licensing Manager.

Reinstalling

If you rebuild the license server, install the pack again with the same key.

New hardware

Replacing a workstation or a user does not need a new pack — the license server reassigns CALs.

Compare all key types — OEM, Retail, phone, Microsoft account →

Frequently Asked Questions

Windows Server 2016 RDS CALs cover session hosts running Windows Server 2016 and earlier releases. They cannot license a 2019, 2022 or 2025 session host, because Microsoft's rule is that the CAL version must be equal to or newer than the operating system on the host. If you plan to move to a newer server build, buy CALs for that version instead.

Usually instantly, and at most a few minutes depending on demand and stock. Your key appears on your order page as soon as your payment is confirmed, and we email you a link to it. The key stays hidden until you click Reveal key.

Yes. A license server may hold CALs of its own version or older, so a Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 or 2025 licensing server can all issue these 2016 CALs. The reverse does not work: a 2016 license server cannot install 2019 or later CALs. Either way, the session host itself must still be Windows Server 2016 or earlier.

Yes. RDS CALs are additive rather than a replacement. Every person reaching the server needs a Windows Server 2016 CAL for the base operating system, plus this Remote Desktop Services User CAL for the remote session itself. The Windows Server license for the machine and its Server CALs are separate purchases from this pack.

No. Per User CALs are recorded against the account in Active Directory, so they cannot be tracked in a workgroup. A standalone Windows Server 2016 host outside a domain should use Per Device CALs instead. For this pack the license server must be domain-joined and added to the Terminal Server License Servers group in AD DS.

It makes sense if your session hosts are staying on Windows Server 2016 until that date, since a 2016 CAL is the lowest version that will license them and it stays valid for the whole remaining support window. If you expect to rebuild on 2019 or later before then, buy CALs for the newer version, because 2016 CALs will not cover it.

Count endpoints, not people. If 50 staff each reach the 2016 session host from a desk PC, a laptop and a phone, that is 150 devices needing Per Device CALs but only 50 User CALs. Per User wins the moment the average person connects from more than one device. Shift workers sharing fixed terminals are the opposite case.

Send our support team your order number and a screenshot of the activation error. Most problems are an edition mismatch or a typo, and we'll help you fix it. If the key really is faulty, we send a free replacement within 24 hours — or a full refund if we can't replace it.