Forum Discussion
M365 E3 licenses on RDS
I have a question regarding the use of M365 E3 licenses with (RDS/Terminal Servers). There seems to be contradictory information available online regarding this. We have acquired various M365 E3 licenses through our partner channel, and I'm seeking clarification on whether these licenses can be used for deploying M365 applications on an RDS farm. According to a Microsoft document (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2139145&clcid=0x809&culture=en-gb&country=gb), shared computer activation is permitted for Microsoft 365 apps in RDS environments. However, I have encountered other Microsoft documents stating the opposite. Could you please clarify the correct information regarding the use of M365 E3 licenses on Terminal Servers?!
Regards
Hi marceladam,
You can use your M365 E3 licenses to install Microsoft 365 Apps on an RDS server. The key is to use the Office Deployment Tool and turn on shared computer activation during the installation.
This means you don’t need to purchase a separate license for this installation.However, please be aware that Microsoft 365 Apps is only supported on Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2016 until October 2025, and on Windows Server 2022 (Version 2302 or later) until October 2026.
One more important thing to note is that RDS User CALs are not part of Microsoft 365 E3/E5 Licensing. You might need to buy RDS CALs separately.
Here are some useful links for more information:
Deploy Microsoft 365 Apps by using Remote Desktop Services - Deploy Office | Microsoft Learn
Office 365 E3 on Remote Desktop Services - Microsoft Community
Are RDS User CALS included in Microsoft 365 E3/E5 Licensing? - Microsoft CommunityPlease click Mark as Best Response & Like if my post helped you to solve your issue.
This will help others to find the correct solution easily. It also closes the item.If the post was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Like.
Kindest regards,
Leon Pavesic
(LinkedIn)
2 Replies
Hi marceladam,
You can use your M365 E3 licenses to install Microsoft 365 Apps on an RDS server. The key is to use the Office Deployment Tool and turn on shared computer activation during the installation.
This means you don’t need to purchase a separate license for this installation.However, please be aware that Microsoft 365 Apps is only supported on Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2016 until October 2025, and on Windows Server 2022 (Version 2302 or later) until October 2026.
One more important thing to note is that RDS User CALs are not part of Microsoft 365 E3/E5 Licensing. You might need to buy RDS CALs separately.
Here are some useful links for more information:
Deploy Microsoft 365 Apps by using Remote Desktop Services - Deploy Office | Microsoft Learn
Office 365 E3 on Remote Desktop Services - Microsoft Community
Are RDS User CALS included in Microsoft 365 E3/E5 Licensing? - Microsoft CommunityPlease click Mark as Best Response & Like if my post helped you to solve your issue.
This will help others to find the correct solution easily. It also closes the item.If the post was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Like.
Kindest regards,
Leon Pavesic
(LinkedIn)- Perfect, that's exactly the answer I was looking for.
