Apply a Windows client or Windows Server license to a session host

To apply a Windows client or Windows Server license to a session host in Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (formerly known as Windows Virtual Desktop), you can follow these steps. This process involves using the Azure portal and the Azure PowerShell module.

Sign in to the Azure portal

Open your web browser and navigate to the Azure portal (portal.azure.com). Sign in using your Azure account credentials.

Navigate to your Virtual Desktop deployment

In the Azure portal, search for and select “Virtual Desktop” from the resources list. Choose your Virtual Desktop deployment from the list.

Manage session hosts

In the Virtual Desktop deployment overview, click on “Session hosts” from the left-hand menu. This will display a list of session hosts associated with your deployment.

Select the session host

From the session hosts list, find the session host to which you want to apply the license. Click on the session host to open the session host details page.

Manage licenses

On the session host details page, navigate to the “Manage” section. Here, you can view the current license status and apply a new license.

Apply license

To apply a license, click on the “License” button. This will open the “Windows licensing” blade.

Select license type

In the “Windows licensing” blade, choose the appropriate license type for your session host from the list. You can select either “Windows client” or “Windows Server” depending on your requirements. If you choose “Windows client,” you will also need to specify the specific edition (e.g., Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows 10 Pro).

Confirm licensing terms

Read and understand the licensing terms provided. Ensure that you comply with the licensing requirements and agreements.

Apply the license

After reviewing the licensing terms, click on the “Apply” button to apply the selected license to the session host. This might take a few moments to complete.

Verify license status

Once the license is applied, you can verify the license status by navigating back to the session host details page. In the “Manage” section, you should see the updated license information reflecting the applied license.

Using Azure PowerShell

Install Azure PowerShell module

Open PowerShell or PowerShell ISE with administrative privileges. Run the following command to install the Azure PowerShell module if you haven’t installed it already:

Install-Module -Name Az -AllowClobber -Scope CurrentUser

Connect to your Azure account

Run the following command to connect to your Azure account:

Connect-AzAccount

Set the subscription context

If you have multiple subscriptions, set the appropriate subscription context using the following command:

Set-AzContext -SubscriptionId

Replace with the ID of the subscription associated with your Virtual Desktop deployment.

Apply license using PowerShell

Run the following command to apply the license to the session host:

Set-RdsHostPool -TenantName -HostPoolName -VmTemplateName -CustomRdpProperty "license:"

Replace , , , and with the appropriate values. is your Azure AD tenant name, is the name of your host pool, is the name of the session host virtual machine template, and is either “WindowsClient” or “WindowsServer” depending on your requirements.

By following the steps outlined above, you can apply a Windows client or Windows Server license to a session host in Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop. Remember to ensure license compliance and choose the appropriate license type for your needs.