Dieter Kempeneers

With Windows 365 Switch, Microsoft adds a Windows 365 connection to the Windows Task View. Although it seems like a small feature, it provides a solution to a real-world problem.

In the past, when using Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), users would access their environment in a layered manner, essentially running a Windows system within another Windows system. This vertical setup often caused confusion, as users would lose track of their working environment. For instance, if they were using Word on the VDI, they often didn’t know where the file would be saved when prompted to choose a location. If they saved the file to the VDI desktop, they were often surprised to find that the file was not available on their local desktop.

Windows 365 Switch addresses this issue by positioning the Cloud PC horizontally alongside the physical PC, fully immersing the user in their virtual desktop. This ensures that a user is much more aware of which environment they are working on. It effectively separates the Cloud environment from the local endpoint, maintaining a clear distinction between the two.

Requirements

To make use of Windows 365 Switch make sure you meet the following requirements:

• The local PC needs to run an updated version of Windows 11 (Pro/Enterprise).
  • Windows 10 is not supported
• The Windows App needs to be installed on the local computer.
  • The app can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store.
• An up-to-date Cloud PC

The Windows App

Now that we’re talking about the elephant in the room, Microsoft offers multiple VDI apps (besides the web-client). Remote Desktop, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop MSI installer, and now also the Windows App.

In the description of the Windows App, we find the following statement: “The Windows App replaces the apps for Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, simplifying the way to get to the Windows experience you know and love.”

This implies that the Windows App will be the future app to access all your AVD and Windows 365 resources. Besides AVD and Windows 365, the Windows App also offers support for Dev Box and RPA Box.

Let’s get back to Windows 365 Switch.

Setting up

If you meet the requirements that I described above, Windows 365 Switch is super easy to set up. Once a user has access to a Cloud PC, from the Windows App, they can just click on the ellipses next to their Cloud PC and select “Add to Task View“. That’s all.

You can now access your Cloud PC as you would access your second or third virtual desktop from the Task View. Select the Cloud PC to connect to your Windows 365 machine.

If you no longer have an active connection to your Cloud PC, Windows will build the session. In the event of a bad network connection, Windows will try to establish a connection while allowing you to keep working on your local desktop. Once the connection is active, you’ll be transferred to your Cloud PC.

You can follow the same process to return to your local endpoint. Open Task View within the Cloud PC and select your local desktop to switch back and forth. If you have gestures configured on your PC for switching between local virtual desktops, you can use these same gestures to switch between the Cloud PC and the local desktop once the connection to the Cloud PC is active.

Good to know

• The Windows App will replace all the other Apps.
• Windows 365 Switch only works on Windows 11.
• You can only have one Cloud PC available through Switch.
• If you want a windowed mode instead of full screen, use the Windows App.

Conclusion

With Windows 365 Switch, Microsoft allows Windows 365 to have a dedicated spot within the Windows taskbar. It provides an intuitive way to access a Cloud PC without causing confusion to the end user.