Last Update: Sep 24, 2024 | Published: Jun 18, 2013
Although it might seem counterintuitive to install desktop features on a server, there may be certain scenarios where it is desirable. One case is where users have access to a remote server desktop via Remote Desktop Services. The Desktop Experience installs features on Windows Server 2012 that are present in Windows 8 but are not part of the standard install of Windows Server.
The Desktop Experience feature installs the following components on Windows Server 2012:
Desktop Experience is an all-or-nothing feature, so you can’t choose which components to install. Before adding the Desktop Experience feature on Windows Server, I recommend that you test in a preproduction lab environment to ensure that Desktop Experience doesn’t conflict with any important server functions.
In Windows Server 2012, Desktop Experience is no longer listed as a separate feature; instead, it’s under User Interfaces and Infrastructure.
Once the server has rebooted, you will have access to the desktop features from the Start screen.