For testing, development, or proof-of-concept work, Microsoft's evaluation ISO and the 120-day grace period provide generous temporary access. When more time is needed, the slmgr /rearm command can extend the evaluation to nearly three years for evaluation versions, and the registry reset method offers a path to refresh the grace period in test environments.
You can use PowerShell to see how many days are left in your grace period:
You get the complete RDS experience to test your applications and configurations. windows server 2019 remote desktop services license free
If you're reading this because you genuinely need a "free" solution for a production environment, it's important to recognize that Microsoft does not offer a permanent free multi-user RDS licensing option for Windows Server 2019. The grace periods and evaluation methods are temporary by design—they exist to facilitate testing, not to provide ongoing production access without cost.
If you need multiple users to access a centralized environment without Microsoft licensing friction, consider open-source alternatives operating on Linux servers: If you're reading this because you genuinely need
If you genuinely cannot afford Microsoft RDS CALs, consider switching to open-source or lower-cost alternatives rather than trying to circumvent Microsoft licensing.
Specifically for the Remote Desktop functionality (available as "Per User" or "Per Device"). Reset 120 day RDS Grace period on 2016 and 2019 or AnyDesk offer remote connectivity
Solutions like Parallels RAS, TeamViewer, or AnyDesk offer remote connectivity, though they may have their own licensing structures.
