Microsoft Remote Desktop is about to be retired, even for commercial customers. 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 the Windows app over the web.
Article continues below.
- Connectivity and reliability
- RDP multipath
- In-app health diagnosis
- Enhanced connection failover
- Productivity and user experience
- Web-based split screen support
- Direct Clipboard File Transfer
- Home Menu and Spotlight Integration
- macOS native dock and app switching
- Surface mouse support for iOS
- External monitor automatic resolution
- URI based login
- Security and administration
- Intune Mobile Application Management (MAM) for iOS and Android
- Client-side keyboard input protection
- Remote PC Connections (Preview)
- Shared device automatic logout
The Windows app is a unique application 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” may be a little confusing, the app itself is an optimized and unified experience for remote connections.
Before the launch of the Windows app, accessing PCs remotely required several apps, such as Remote Desktop. The Windows app supports more types of Windows connections and more devices.
Microsoft describes them in a supporting document which includes the following table.
|
Connect to |
windows |
macos |
iOS/iPadOS |
Android/Chrome operating system |
web browser |
Metasearch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Azure Virtual Desktop |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
window 365 |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Microsoft Development Box |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Remote Desktop Services |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
|
remote PC |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
Migrate to Windows app
We just ended 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 little more time. Support for those ends on September 28, 2026.
Microsoft encourages users to start planning to migrate to the Windows app now to give themselves enough time to switch. The technology giant plans make Windows application reach feature parity with Remote Desktop client for Windows in the future.
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