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Allowing more than 2 users to connect to Windows Enterprise Multi Session through AVD

Jon Schendt 20 Reputation points
2025-12-01T16:32:45.17+00:00

I have AVD configured with a host pool and a single instance of Windows 11 Enterprise, but I'd like to have 4-5 users on it at once. I know this is possible through RDS, but I also saw that AVD and Windows Enterprise Multi Session images should be able to handle the request.

When more than 2 users attempt to log into the host, they get "resource limit reached", or something to that effect.

Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure Virtual Desktop
A Microsoft desktop and app virtualization service that runs on Azure. Previously known as Windows Virtual Desktop.
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-01T16:32:59.4733333+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    To allow more than 2 users to connect to a Windows Enterprise multi-session instance through Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), you need to ensure that your virtual machine (VM) is appropriately sized and configured to handle multiple concurrent sessions. The number of users that can connect simultaneously depends on the hardware resources of your VM, such as vCPU, memory, and workload.

    Here are some steps you can take:

    1. Check VM Sizing: Ensure that your VM has enough resources. For example, for a medium workload, you might need at least 4 vCPUs and 16 GB of RAM. You can refer to the sizing guidelines for multi-session scenarios to determine the appropriate configuration based on your expected workload.
    2. Validate Performance: It's recommended to validate your system's performance to understand how many users can be supported on your specific configuration. You may need to scale up your VM if you are reaching resource limits.
    3. Session Limits: Make sure that the session limits are configured correctly in your host pool settings. You can adjust the maximum session limit to allow more users to connect.

    If you continue to receive "resource limit reached" messages, it may indicate that your current VM configuration is insufficient for the number of concurrent users you wish to support. You may need to upgrade to a larger VM or optimize the workloads running on it.

    References:

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  1. Manish Deshpande 1,330 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-12-01T16:52:53.6133333+00:00

    Hello @Jon Schendt

    1. Windows 11 Enterprise (single-session) only supports one interactive user session at a time, plus one admin session for remote management. That’s why you hit a limit after 2 users.
    2. To allow multiple concurrent users, you need Windows 11 Enterprise Multi-Session, which is designed for Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) pooled host pools. It does not work like RDS on regular Windows Enterprise editions.

    Verify the OS Image

    • Ensure your session host is using Windows 11 Enterprise Multi-Session from the Azure Marketplace.
    • If you deployed a standard Enterprise image, you’ll need to redeploy with the correct multi-session image.

    Check Host Pool Settings

    • In the Azure portal, go to Azure Virtual Desktop > Host Pools > Properties.
    • Confirm Max Session Limit is set appropriately (e.g., 5 or more). If it’s set to 2, increase it.

    Validate Licensing

    • Multi-session requires Microsoft 365 E3/E5/A3/A5 or equivalent licenses for each user. Confirm your users have these licenses assigned.

    Scale Resources

    • The number of concurrent sessions depends on VM size (vCPU, RAM). For 4–5 users with Office apps, consider at least 4 vCPUs and 16 GB RAM.

    Update AVD Agent

    • Ensure the AVD agent and OS updates are current. Outdated agents can cause session issues.

    Thanks,
    Manish Deshpande.

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