Quick answer for advanced users
Delete the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSLicensing registry key, then reboot and reconnect.
Why this error happens
I know this error is infuriating. You try to connect to a terminal server, and bam — blocked by a license error. The exact message is: "Your request to connect to this terminal server has been rejected. The exact error code is: 0XC00A0033." This tripped me up the first time too.
This happens when your Windows client stores a broken or expired license for the terminal server. It's common after a server upgrade, a license expiration, or if you connect to a different server that uses the same name. I've seen it on Windows 10 Pro and Server 2016/2019 clients connecting to Windows Server 2012 R2 and 2016.
The fix is simple: clear the stored license. You don't need to reinstall anything or touch the server. Let's get you back in.
Fix steps
- Close all Remote Desktop sessions. Yes, all of them.
- Open Registry Editor. Press Win + R, type
regedit, hit Enter. - If you are on a corporate PC and don't see the registry editor, ask your IT admin. They might block it.
- Go to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSLicensing - Right-click the MSLicensing folder and choose Delete. Windows will ask if you are sure. Click Yes.
- Close Registry Editor.
- Reboot your computer. Don't skip this — the license cache is re-created on boot.
- After reboot, try connecting to the terminal server again. It should work.
If the main fix doesn't work
Sometimes the registry key is empty, or you can't delete it because of permissions. Try these instead:
Use the command line
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSLicensing" /fRun as administrator. Then reboot.
Check your RDP client version
If you are using an old Remote Desktop client (version 8.0 or earlier), update to the latest. Download from Microsoft's site. Old clients sometimes store licenses differently.
Clear the entire license store
Delete these folders too (if they exist):
C:\Users\<your_user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\CacheC:\Users\<your_user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Cache
Also clear the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client registry key. But be careful — that might reset all your saved RDP connections.
Prevention tip
To avoid this again, always log off from the terminal server properly. Don't just close the window. Use Start > Log off. That sends a clean license release. Also, if your IT team upgrades the server, ask them to reset licensing first. Saves you this headache.
One more thing: if you see this error on a server that runs Terminal Services (not just a client), you need to check the actual license server. But that's a different story.