Windows Virtual Desktop generally available, including support for virtual Windows 7 desktops

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Windows desktops and apps on Azure can now be deployed anywhere with Windows Virtual Desktop.

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Dell XPS 15 (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Windows Virtual Desktop is now generally available worldwide.
  • The service supports a multi-session Windows 10 experience.
  • The service was announced last year and has been in preview since March 2019.

In addition to providing a multi-session Windows 10 exprerience, Windows Virtual Desktop can also be used for Windows 7 applications. Extended support for Windows 7 ends in January, but users can legacy applications using Windows Virtual Desktop to virtualize Windows 7 desktops. Free Extended Sercurity Updates will be available through this method until January 2023 according to Microsoft.

Microsoft has focused on virtual technologies for years, and took that further through its acquisition of FSLogix. FSLogix improves Office when running in virtual environments. Microsoft shared that "all FSLogix tools are now fully integrated into Windows Virtual Desktops."

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Microsoft also announced several other expansions of Windows Virtual Desktop, including Citrix being able to extend Windows Virtual Desktop worldwide and VMware Horizon Cloud on Microsoft Azure extending Windows Virtual Desktops later this year.

Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.