How to install 365 Office Apps on Remote Desktop Server (RDS)

Plan of Attack:

1. Give every 365 user that’ll need to use Office Apps on the RDS a Microsoft 365 Business Premium licensing (replacing their existing license that gives them Office Apps). Can also use Volume Licensing. Standard licensing is not sufficient.
   1. Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/deploy-microsoft-365-apps-remote-desktop-services
2. Download/generate Office Apps installer via Office Deployment Tool and https://config.office.com.
3. Install Office Apps on RDS via Office Deployment Tool.
4. The first time users log into the RDS and open any Office app, they’ll be prompted to sign in with their 365 account to activate.
5. Disable Outlook caching which is enabled by default so that RDS hard drive space doesn’t get eaten up by everyone’s offline cache:
   1. The pertinent registry key is: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Office\\Outlook\OST]
   2. See this guide: https://support.mycomp.ch/957546-How-to-Prevent-or-Force-Outlook-Cached-Exchange-Mode-Per-Machine

Jason

Jason works as a project specialist at an IT MSP in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. He’s an IT/security professional with 20 years experience.