If you're running a home lab or testing environment — not a production business server — you can reset the RDS grace period after it expires, effectively getting another 120 days of "free" RDS access.
While you cannot get permanent licenses for free, Microsoft does provide an official, built-in . This allows administrators to install, configure, and test the RDS environment without installing actual licenses immediately. Understanding the 120-Day RDS Grace Period
To summarize the realistic meaning of "free" for Windows Server 2019 Remote Desktop Services:
Requires Windows Server CALs AND RDS CALs (either Per User or Per Device).
As noted by Microsoft engineers, if you only need two connections and have no intention of buying CALs, . Leaving the roles installed won't break the two connections, but you'll see persistent grace period warnings. If the warnings bother you, you can remove the "Remote Desktop Session Host" role via Server Manager.
Once the 120 days expire, the server will block all remote connections. Users will see errors stating that no RDS license servers are available. How to Set Up the RDS Role and Grace Period
: This is a free, browser-based management tool that provides a modern way to manage your server remotely without using RDP. 3. How to "Reset" the Trial (Lab Environments Only) Reset 120 day RDS Grace period on 2016 and 2019
Windows Server 2019, by default, allows without any RDS CALs. This is part of the "Remote Desktop for Administration" feature.
Inside the folder, delete the binary registry entry (usually starting with L$CERTIFICATE ). the server. The 120-day clock will start over. Free and Low-Cost Alternatives to Windows Server RDS
If you only need to manage the server remotely, you do not need to buy RDS CALs.