Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Session Time Limits Description
This policy setting allows you to specify the maximum amount of time that a Remote Desktop Services session can be active before it is automatically disconnected. If you enable this policy setting, you must select the desired time limit in the Active session limit list. Remote Desktop Services will automatically disconnect active sessions after the specified amount of time. The user receives a warning two minutes before the Remote Desktop Services session disconnects, which allows the user to save open files and close programs. If you have a console session, active session time limits do not apply. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, this policy setting is not specified at the Group Policy level. By default, Remote Desktop Services allows sessions to remain active for an unlimited amount of time. If you want Remote Desktop Services to end instead of disconnect a session when the time limit is reached, you can configure the policy setting Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Session Time Limits\End session when time limits are reached. Note: This policy setting appears in both Computer Configuration and User Configuration. If both policy settings are configured, the Computer Configuration policy setting takes precedence.
Registry
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_SESSIONS_Limits_1 Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"MaxConnectionTime"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxConnectionTime' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_SESSIONS_Limits_1
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="TS_SESSIONS_ActiveLimit" value="0"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'MaxConnectionTime' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxConnectionTime' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'MaxConnectionTime' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxConnectionTime' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.