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Windows Server 2008: Allow multiple Remote Desktop sessions per user

Thomas Maurer
Updated
1–2 minutes
38 comments on Windows Server 2008: Allow multiple Remote Desktop sessions per user

In Windows Server 2003 you could have multiple Remote Desktop session with the same user. In Windows Server 2008 this is not possible by default. If you login with the same user account the first session will be taken over by second session.

But you can allow multiple Remote Desktop sessions per user by changing a registry key.

  1. Start regedit
  2. Check out the follwoing registry key
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer
  3. If the fSingleSessionPerUser value doesn’t exist, create a new DWORD value named fSingleSessionPerUser
  4. Open the fSingleSessionPerUser value. The possible values for this setting are as follows:
    0x0 Allow multiple sessions per user
    0x1 Force each user to a single session
  5. save this

Found this on remotedesktoprdp.com

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Thomas Maurer
Thomas is the EMEA Global Black Belt (GBB) for Sovereign Cloud at Microsoft, helping organizations across the region harness Microsoft’s sovereign, hybrid, multicloud, and edge solutions. He works directly with C-level leaders and technical teams to remove roadblocks, accelerate digital transformation, and shape long-term cloud strategies that meet business and regulatory needs. With over 15 years of experience in cloud and datacenter, including his previous role as Principal Program Manager and Chief Evangelist for Azure Hybrid, he combines deep technical expertise with a passion for customer success. He specializes in creating scalable architectures, solution accelerators, and thought leadership that drive adoption and innovation on Azure. Thomas is a passionate community advocate and frequently speaks at industry events such as Microsoft Ignite and Microsoft TechDays. He shares his expertise through his Cloud and Datacenter Blog at www.thomasmaurer.ch and on LinkedIn and X.com www.twitter.com/thomasmaurer.

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38 responses

  1. Tolga Avatar
    Tolga

    Hi Thomas,

    Works like a charm on 2008 R2. Thank you very much!

    Tolga

    Reply
  2. shmuel Avatar
    shmuel

    hi, ive been trying to connect 3 computer( 2 on mstsc)(1 on /admin)
    can only connect 2, the 3rd getting the message of “there are too many users logged on”
    user is “administrator”
    tried already ‘regedit’ and “asministrative tools”–> –>”restrict user to single session”=no
    also tried to handle local GPO.

    still can connect 3rd computer

    plz help

    Reply
    1. Thomas Maurer Avatar
      Thomas Maurer

      I think you can not have more than two terminal connections with a standard windows server.

      In my blog post i described only how you can connect two session with the same administrator account.

      I think if you need more connection you need to use Windows Remote Desktop Services or another Terminal Server Vendor.

      Reply
  3. PeteLong Avatar
    PeteLong

    Here’s some more information that might be helpful,

    Windows Server 2008 R2 Enable Multiple RDP sessions

    Pete
    PeteNetLive

    Reply
  4. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    I tried this on Server 2008 R2 and tried to open 2 sessions from different clients using the same logon ID and each time, when the second machine logged on, the first was disconnected.

    Is there a way around this?

    Reply
  5. swapnil Avatar
    swapnil

    Same here dude.

    Plase help me to connect at least 5 machines to server

    Reply
    1. Thomas Maurer Avatar
      Thomas Maurer

      If you need more than 2 RDP connections to your server you need to install Microsoft Remotedesktop Services (former name Terminal Server) http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/remote-desktop-services.aspx

      Reply
  6. Vinod Kumar Avatar
    Vinod Kumar

    Thanks, works great…

    Reply
  7. EJJ Avatar
    EJJ

    Thank you very much!! Worked like a charm!!

    Reply
  8. Pursh Avatar
    Pursh

    Thanks Bro

    Reply
  9. Jairo Tabares Avatar
    Jairo Tabares

    Thanks for the info Thomas, works perfectly for Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation

    Reply
  10. rezk.girgies@wadidegla.com Avatar
    [email protected]

    thanks it’s work

    Reply
  11. Hairgami_Master Avatar
    Hairgami_Master

    Hi Thomas- Thanks for this article. I’ve got a similar issue, where I’m trying to launch an .exe file remotely, but it’s opening in the wrong session. Do you know of a way to launch file and specifiy which session it opens in?

    Reply
    1. Thomas Maurer Avatar
      Thomas Maurer

      Normally it should open int the same session you are connected with.

      Reply
  12. Jamie Avatar
    Jamie

    Hi. I have a friend who runs small business home server network. Server 2008 enterprise. He runs crm software on it. He and 1 other user need to log onto server remotely. But he’s telling me that whatever the other user gets on his desktop he gets. For example emails on other users crm show up in his logon. How does he stop this?

    Reply
  13. Manish Avatar
    Manish

    Thanks Thomas,

    It is working.

    Reply
  14. Umais Avatar
    Umais

    You rocks babe…. flying like a star

    Reply
  15. Rob Lindsay Avatar
    Rob Lindsay

    Works like a charm on 2008 SP 2 … Thanks!!!

    Reply
  16. Ngan Menegay Avatar
    Ngan Menegay

    Thank you so much for this article. You save my day!

    Reply
  17. kais jribi Avatar
    kais jribi

    hi,
    i have 2 windows servers 2008 R2 , i installed on them :
    Active directory , DNS , remote desktop services and network load balancing .
    i have also one Thin client Windows Embedded 7 standard.

    i have an rdp file on the thin client and i want to access using NLB ( just one IP address) to both servers.
    the access to the first server is without problems , the main problem is when the first server is down and i want to access to the second , i am asked to give once again the user and the password , it’s not generated automatically.
    please help me
    Regards,
    Kais

    Reply
  18. Abdelhafid Zahrani Avatar
    Abdelhafid Zahrani

    Bonjour,

    ça marche, merci pour l’information.

    Cordialement.

    Reply
  19. bfwead Avatar
    bfwead

    Thanks Thomas.
    Worked just as you had outlined it and making our work easier now.

    Reply
  20. siva Avatar
    siva

    Thank you so much..You are superb,,

    Reply
  21. Susanta Naskar Avatar
    Susanta Naskar

    Thanks Thomas Maurer its working on local user Like : User1, User2
    But its not working with Administrator. Please share me if you have any solution to disable multi remote desktop session windows server 2003 for Administrator.

    Thanks in Advance
    Susanta Naskar

    Reply
  22. zakir Ali Avatar
    zakir Ali

    i have windows server 2008 R2 i want to login with a multiple administrators login , we can say a common user usually we have administrator with that user only. while i want to restrict my all other users to login as a single user only i made it userserver with terminal’s logging system.. as there anyone who could let me know that..

    Reply
  23. Burhan Avatar
    Burhan

    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/remote-desktop-services.aspx
    i do not have RDp License, can i still use Edit Registry and do multiple user RDP

    Reply
    1. Thomas Maurer Avatar
      Thomas Maurer

      Well it is not the idea to run multiple sessions and do Remote Desktop for users, it is just a work around so administrators can login with the same user more than once.

      Reply
  24. Ashkan Chavilian Avatar
    Ashkan Chavilian

    I really like your site
    Good luck

    Reply
  25. Maxime Avatar
    Maxime

    Thank you for this article, it worked for me !

    Reply
  26. kholoud Avatar
    kholoud

    Thanks for your guide…

    I would like to create VPN on windows server 2008 R2 to connect to linux openswan, is this possible and what should I add..
    I followed your guide but still not get connected.

    Reply
  27. ChrisBruce Avatar
    ChrisBruce

    Thanks great article, but I am having issues with something.
    I did login to my Administrator user, I opened up a browser (chrome) and then I re-login to the same Administrator user from another system but I couldn’t see that opened browser there.
    Is there a way we can see all the running applications/browsers when we login with the same user more than once?

    Reply
  28. Batuhan Avatar
    Batuhan

    Maxime Says :
    MARCH 19, 2015 AT 6:12 PM
    Thank you for this article, it worked for me !

    Operating system and what version you use ?

    I did not work
    windows server 2008 r2 foundation SP1..

    Reply
  29. Saravanan Avatar
    Saravanan

    Very easy document to follow.
    Thanks .

    Reply
  30. shahid shaik Avatar
    shahid shaik

    bro i need a suggestion
    i am having 10 hp thin clients , 30 desktop systems and one Windows 2008 server.
    i want to create a active directory users for this 10 thin clients and 30 desktop system.
    My question is ” is it is possible that all the thin clients and desktop can able to login with active directory users” after joining the domain the 30 desktop can login but how to connect the thin clients to the domain is it is possible. the thin client have the RDP connection type.

    Reply
  31. Alejandro Avatar
    Alejandro

    I want to log 2 ADMIN sessiones at same time,not for other users,only ADMIN but can only enable/disable the feature for all users.
    If ADMIN is logged at console and try to log same ADMIN user from remote desktop at same time the first connection is closed.
    Again,I only want to allow multiple sessions to ADMIN user only
    Thanks in advance

    Reply
  32. Schadrack Rurangwa Avatar
    Schadrack Rurangwa

    Hi all,
    I have a problem related to remote desktop by multiple users (13 users) at same time, I use windows server 2008 standard.
    The first problem I have, the link above of to solve my the problem Thomas Maurer shared is already closed (it shows error) http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/remote-desktop-services.aspx Actually I added my users in remote desktop users group. But only two different users can log on at the same time in windows server 2008 standard. What exactly want to do is to allow 13 users to log on to server at the same time.

    How can I do that?

    Please anyone can help me.

    Reply
  33. Tina Fleming Avatar
    Tina Fleming

    I work at a middle school and we have three labs, 30 L series Thin Clients by NComputing. We are using Windows 2008 Server R2. We are having a nightmare of a time. When all three labs (90 devices) are trying to work at the same time we are getting a lot of freezing of screens, dropped connections or black screens. I am at a loss as to what might be causing this. Do you have any Ideas or advice?

    Reply
  34. John Dow Avatar
    John Dow

    Hello

    Reply

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