How to Configure Group Policy Loopback Processing for RDS Servers
Applies to: Windows Server 2019, 2022 and 2025 domain environments.
Loopback processing makes user settings depend on the computer being used, which is valuable for shared RDS Session Hosts and kiosks.
Test Group Policy in a controlled OU before production rollout. For managed Windows Server hosting, visit networkmanager.info.
Prerequisites
- Create a dedicated OU for RDS hosts.
- Understand Merge versus Replace mode.
- Test with representative users.
- Separate computer and user policy ownership.
Procedure
Step 1: Create a dedicated GPO
Name it for RDS loopback behaviour.
New-GPO -Name 'RDS - User Environment Loopback'Step 2: Link to the computer OU
Target the OU containing Session Hosts, not user accounts.
New-GPLink -Name 'RDS - User Environment Loopback' -Target 'OU=RDS Servers,DC=corp,DC=example'Step 3: Enable loopback
In GPMC navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, System, Group Policy, Configure user Group Policy loopback processing mode.
Step 4: Choose Merge or Replace
Merge appends computer-scoped user settings; Replace ignores the normal user GPO list.
Step 5: Test sessions
Sign in with standard and administrative test identities.
Verification
Run resultant-set reporting inside the RDS session.
gpupdate /force
gpresult /h C:\Temp\rds-loopback.htmlRollback
Disable the loopback setting or unlink the dedicated GPO, then sign out and retest a new session.
Official references
See Netcloud24 Canada for managed Windows VPS and RDS CAL services.
