Categories: Windows Server

SOLVED: How to Create a .PFX Certificate File

I needed to import a certificate into a Server 2016 RDS server but it was requesting a .PFX file I did not have, so I had a problem.  The certificate I wanted the RDS to use was already installed and functional but the RDS CONFIGURE THE DEPLOYMENT did not show the cert.

How to Create a .PFX File From An Already Installed Certificate:

  1. Launch a new MMC
    • Click START and type MMC.EXE then press the ENTER key
  2. Add the CERTIFICATE add-in
    • Click FILE > ADD/REMOVE SNAP IN
    • Double click CERTIFICATES
    • Select COMPUTER ACCOUNT > click NEXT > leave it on LOCAL COMPUTER and click the FINISH button
  3. Expand CERTIFICATES > PERSONAL > CERTIFICATES
  4. Right click on the certificate in question (likely one  issued by a 3rd party like GoDaddy) and select ALL TASKS > EXPORT
  5. Click NEXT button on the CERTIFICATE EXPORT WIZARD > YES, EXPORT THE PRIVATE KEY > NEXT button
  6. Click the PASSWORD checkbox and type the same password into both fields and click NEXT
  7. Click BROWSE and set a location a file name

In my case I then had to import the .PFX certificate into the the RDS system, but you may want to do something different with yours.

How to Import a .PFX Certificate Into Server 2016 RDS:

  1. Launch SERVER MANAGER
  2. Click REMOTE DESKTOP SERVICES
  3. Click OVERVIEW or COLLECTIONS
  4. Click TASKS  (top right corner)
  5. Select EDIT DEPLOYMENT PROPERTIES
  6. Click CERTIFICATES > RD CONNECTION BROKER – SINGLE
  7. Click SELECT EXISTING CERTIFICATE button
  8. Browse to your .PFX file, enter the password you created in step 6 above, and place a check in ALL THE CERTIFICATE TO BE ADDED TO THE TRUSTED ROOT… then click OK
  9. Click the APPLY button
    • You can only make one certificate change at a time
  10. Click RD CONNECTION BROKER – PUBLISHING
  11. Click APPLY THE CERTIFICATE THAT IS STORED ON THE RD CONNECTION BROKER SERVER
  12. Enter the password you created in step 6 above, and place a check in ALL THE CERTIFICATE TO BE ADDED TO THE TRUSTED ROOT… then click OK
  13. Repeat steps 10 to 12 for the RD WEB ACCESS and RD GATEWAY
  14. Have a nice day

View Comments

  • Thanks so much for this and a couple other related articles. Once Google helped me find them I had all my questions answered and certificates set up on our RDS server. I appreciate this!!!

Published by
Ian Matthews

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