This guide shows you how to keep your Windows Server session active indefinitely, even after you disconnect from Remote Desktop, by configuring session time-limit policies in the Local Group Policy Editor.
Step-by-Step: Configure Session Time Limits via Group Policy
Step 1: Open the Start Menu
Click the Start Menu or press the Windows key.
In the search bar, type group, then click Edit group policy.
Start menu search results showing Edit group policy
Step 2: Open the Local Group Policy Editor
The Local Group Policy Editor window will open, showing several folders in the left pane.
Local Group Policy Editor window with folder tree on the left
Step 3: Expand Administrative Templates
In the left panel:
Click Computer Configuration to reveal more folders below it.
Expand Administrative Templates
Local Group Policy Editor with Administrative Templates expanded
Step 4: Open Windows Components
Inside the expanded Administrative Templates, scroll down and click:
Windows Components
Administrative Templates with Windows Components selected
Step 5: Navigate to Remote Desktop Services
Scroll down until you find Remote Desktop Services, expand it, and click Remote Desktop Session Host.
Remote Desktop Services and Remote Desktop Session Host expanded in the policy tree
Step 6: Open Session Time Limits
Click Session Time Limits. You'll see several policy settings related to session timeouts.
Session Time Limits policy settings list
Step 7: Edit the Disconnected Session Setting
Right-click Set time limit for disconnected sessions and click Edit (or select it and click the policy setting link on the left).
Set time limit for disconnected sessions policy opened for editing
Step 8: Enable the Policy
On the left, select Enabled. Once set, the End a disconnected session option at the bottom becomes editable.
Make sure that option is left on Never.
Click Apply.
Click OK.
Policy window showing the setting as Not Configured
Policy window set to Enabled with End a disconnected session set to Never
Repeat this for all three of the following settings:
Set time limit for disconnected sessions
Set time limit for active but idle Remote Desktop Services sessions
Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
Step 9: Open Command Prompt
After enabling the policy, open the Start Menu again and search for Command Prompt (or press Windows key + R, type cmd, and press Enter).
Start menu search results showing Command Prompt
Step 10: Update the Group Policy
Run this command and press Enter:
gpupdate /force
You should see:
Computer Policy update has completed successfully.
User Policy update has completed successfully.
Command Prompt showing policy update completed successfully
Result
Your Windows Server session will now remain active indefinitely, even if you disconnect from Remote Desktop.
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