downgrade the license

Hi Naveen Kuriakose,

I just wanted to do a quick follow-up to see if you were able to successfully downgrade your RDS CALs. Did you manage to get the 2022 keypack ID by calling the Microsoft Clearinghouse, or were you able to retrieve the legacy keys directly from the Microsoft 365 Admin Center?

If you ran into any issues activating the downgraded licenses on your server, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. I'm always happy to help!

Tracy Le.

Hi Naveen Kuriakose,

Since this is a public community forum, we do not have backend access to your account or licensing details to process this downgrade for you. However, Windows Server RDS CALs do include downgrade rights by design.

To officially downgrade your 2025 CALs to 2022, you need to contact the Microsoft Clearinghouse directly over the phone. Here is the exact procedure:

1.Open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager on your server.

2.Right-click your licensing server and select Install Licenses.

3.Change the connection method to Telephone and proceed to the next screen.

4.Call the toll-free number displayed for your specific country/region.

5.When connected to a representative, provide your Windows Server 2025 CAL purchase details or license key, and explicitly request them to downgrade it to a Windows Server 2022 CAL pack.

The representative will verify your license and provide you with the correct 2022 keypack ID to enter into the wizard.

Alternative for Volume Licensing: If your licenses were purchased under a Volume Licensing agreement, you do not need to call. You can simply log into your Microsoft 365 Admin Center, navigate to Billing > Your products > Volume licensing, and the legacy 2022 keys should be available there for you to use.

I hope this points you in the exact right direction to get your licenses sorted! If this answers your question, please click "Accept Answer".

Tracy.