Test a new RDS session after disabling automatic reconnection

Source facts

RDS can preserve connection information and reconnect a locked session without asking the user to authenticate again; Microsoft says the remote lock screen is not a security boundary. Disabling automatic reconnection at the server prevents clients from using it regardless of their client setting. A changed reconnection setting applies to newly created sessions, while existing sessions retain their original setting. Microsoft Learn.

Applicability

Decide which session population and connection paths require the change. Review client, session-host, collection, and Group Policy configuration as applicable. Include user continuity expectations and security requirements in the same decision, with an owner for each.

DSE recommendation

Record the current setting and the exact configuration surface to be changed. Tell pilot users how their next connection should behave during a brief network interruption. Require a newly established session for acceptance rather than relying on a session that predates the change. Keep an approved reconnect procedure available so users can regain access during the exercise.

Verification

Create a new session, lock it, and perform a controlled interruption. Record reconnection behavior and any authentication interaction. Compare with a pre-existing session only as a separate observation. Verify the intended setting on each relevant host and investigate inconsistent behavior before extending the policy.

Official references

Microsoft Learn: Disable Automatic Reconnection in Remote Desktop Service for Windows Server. Source reviewed September 8, 2026.