Fix: “Your session will be disconnected in 60 minutes”

How to Fix Your session will be disconnected in 60 minutes

Fix: "Your session will be disconnected in 60 minutes"

Resolving the 60-minute time limit error on Windows Server Remote Desktop Services.

⚠️ The Problem: When you log into your Windows Server via RDP, you see a popup message stating: "Remote Desktop licensing mode is not configured... Your session will be disconnected in 60 minutes."

This error occurs because the 120-day Licensing Grace Period has expired, and the server does not know which Licensing Server to contact or which Licensing Mode (User vs. Device) to use.

Method 1: Configure via Group Policy (Recommended)

This is the most reliable fix as it overrides any misconfiguration in the Server Manager GUI.

  1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to:
    Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Licensing
  3. Set the Licensing Mode:
    • Double-click Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode.
    • Select Enabled.
    • Under Options, choose Per User or Per Device (match the CALs you purchased).
    • Click OK.
  4. Set the License Server:
    • Double-click Use the specified Remote Desktop license servers.
    • Select Enabled.
    • Enter the IP address or Hostname of your server (use 127.0.0.1 if the licenses are installed on the same server).
    • Click OK.
  5. Run Command Prompt as Administrator and type: gpupdate /force

Method 2: Using PowerShell

If Group Policy is not an option, you can force the configuration using PowerShell commands. Run PowerShell as Administrator.

1. Set the Licensing Mode:
(Replace 4 with 2 if you are using Per Device CALs)

$obj = Get-WmiObject -Namespace "Root/CIMV2/TerminalServices" Win32_TerminalServiceSetting
$obj.ChangeMode(4)

(Key: 4 = Per User, 2 = Per Device)

2. Set the License Server:
(Replace server-name with your actual server name or IP)

$obj = Get-WmiObject -Namespace "Root/CIMV2/TerminalServices" Win32_TerminalServiceSetting
$obj.SetSpecifiedLicenseServerList("server-name")

Method 3: Reset the Grace Period (Temporary Fix)

If you need immediate access but don't have CALs installed yet, you can reset the 120-day grace period by deleting a registry key. Note: This is a temporary measure.

  1. Open Registry Editor (regedit).
  2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod
  3. Right-click the GracePeriod key and select Permissions.
  4. Grant Administrators Full Control (you may need to take ownership of the key first).
  5. Delete the binary value inside the folder (usually starts with L$RTMTIMEBOMB...).
  6. Restart the server.

Verification

Check the Diagnoser:
Open Server Manager > Tools > Remote Desktop Services > RD Licensing Diagnoser.
You should see 0 Errors and the "Licensing Mode" should be correctly set.

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Author Bio

Mr. Keloth leads technical implementation at RDS CAL Store. He specializes in Remote Desktop Services infrastructure, secure remote architecture, and helping IT teams seamlessly scale their official licensing.

Keloth M.

Microsoft Certified Professional

MCSE MCSA MCTS MCP MCP+I A+ Security+

With over 20 years of experience deploying and managing enterprise Windows Server environments, Keloth leads technical implementation at RDS CAL Store. He specializes in Remote Desktop Services infrastructure, secure remote architecture, and helping IT teams seamlessly scale their official licensing.

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