Microsoft's Remote Desktop is on its way to retirement, even for commercial clients. But you don't need to worry about losing the ability to access a desktop remotely. Instead, you'll just have to use the Windows App.
That app has grown significantly over the last year. For example, it now supports launching remote resources from the Start menu and Spotlight search and split-screen layouts when using Windows App through the web.
Microsoft highlights the biggest changes in a recent blog post. Here's a quick rundown:
- Connectivity & Reliability
- RDP Multipath
- In-App Health Diagnostics
- Enhanced Connection Failover
- Productivity & UX
- Web-Based Split-Screen Support
- Direct Clipboard File Transfer
- Start Menu and Spotlight Integration
- Native macOS Dock and App Switching
- Surface Mouse Support for iOS
- Automatic External Monitor Resolution
- URI-Based Session Launching
- Security & Admin
- Intune Mobile Application Management (MAM) for iOS and Android
- Client-Side Keyboard Input Protection
- Remote PC connections (preview)
- Shared Device Auto Logoff
The Windows App is a single app that allows you to access Windows remotely in a variety of ways. You can use the app to connect to a cloud PC through Windows 365, connect to a physical PC remotely, or use an Azure Virtual Desktop.
While the name "Windows App" can be a bit confusing, the app itself is a streamlined and unified experience for remote connections.
Before the release of the Windows App, accessing PCs remotely was a fragmented experience. Depending on whether you were connecting to a local PC, a Cloud PC, or an Azure Virtual Desktop, you often had to juggle different versions of the 'Remote Desktop' client just to get the job done.
Microsoft outlines these in a support document that includes the following chart.
Connect to | Windows | macOS | iOS/ iPadOS | Android/ Chrome OS | Web browser | Meta Quest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Azure Virtual Desktop | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Windows 365 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Microsoft Dev Box | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Remote Desktop Services | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Remote PC | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Migrating to Windows App
We just passed the end of support for the Remote Desktop client for Windows and the web-based Remote Desktop client (support ended March 27, 2026).
Azure Government and Azure 21Vianet Clouds users have a bit longer. Support for those ends on September 28, 2026.
Microsoft encourages users to start planning the migration to Windows App now to have ample time to switch. The tech giant plans to have Windows App reach feature parity with Remote Desktop client for Windows in the future.
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