Windows 10 Remote Desktop into Admin/Console session

The /console switch was for connecting to the console session. This functionality is no longer considered useful, and has been removed.

For backwards compatibility, the /admin switch behaves like the /console switch when connecting to a Windows 2003 or Windows 2003 R2 server. It does not behave like the /console switch when connecting to a modern version of Windows. (I am not sure whether the /admin switch has any effect when connecting to a Windows XP machine.)

When connecting to a modern server version of Windows with the Remote Desktop Services component installed, the /admin switch affects certain behaviour, most notably whether a CAL (Client Access License) is consumed, as described in the linked article. (Note: prior to Windows 2008 R2, the Remote Desktop Services component was called Terminal Services.)

When connecting to a modern version of Windows Server that does not have Remote Desktop Services installed, or to a modern version of a Windows client edition, you do not need the /admin switch. You can use it, but it has no effect.

In summary: in theory, at least, you should not need to connect to the console session. Whatever documentation you are reading that suggests that you do may be out of date.

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Addendum: Windows does allow components and third-party software to distinguish between Remote Desktop sessions and local sessions. In particular, applications run in Remote Destkop sessions have the REMOTE INTERACTIVE LOGON token whereas applications run in local sessions have the CONSOLE LOGON token.

I am not personally aware of any Windows components or third-party software that only allow access to the console logon except for the "Restrict [CD-ROM/Floppy] access to locally logged-on user only" policies, which are off by default.

The /admin switch does not affect this behaviour. I no longer have access to any Windows Server 2003 machines to see what the /console switch did in this respect.