Build a future-ready IT strategy with secure, scalable cloud solutions
In the face of today’s complex and interconnected work ecosystems, resilience isn’t just a safeguard; it’s a strategic imperative for IT leaders driving sustainable transformation. True resilience means building an environment that proactively minimizes disruptions through robust systems, secured architectures and operational foresight. Resilience means an organization can anticipate, respond and recover swiftly, maintaining continuity without compromise. Security plays a foundational role in this approach.
That’s why cloud-powered solutions such as Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop are essential; they empower organizations to build resilience from the ground up. By enabling secure and scalable Windows experiences, these services help minimize disruptions, support flexible work and protect business continuity. Whether it’s seamless access to apps and data or built-in security and compliance, customers rely on these solutions to stay productive and protected, no matter where or how they work.
Building on that foundation, we’re introducing new experiences across Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, each designed to strengthen organizational resilience through simplified, secured and flexible Windows solutions.
And to make it easier for organizations to take the first step, new customers can take advantage of a limited-time 20% discount on all Windows 365 plans. Visit Windows 365 today to take advantage of the 20% promotional offer.
Introducing Windows 365 Reserve: uninterrupted access, secured and ready when users need it
Unexpected disruptions such as a lost, stolen, delayed or malfunctioning device can bring productivity to a halt and lead to considerable financial and operational losses. A recent study, which surveyed 1,000 ITDMs across a range of industries, highlighted the impact on business operations caused by device thefts and resulting data breaches. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed reported having been impacted by incidents of device theft in the last two years, with 33% reporting they were subjected to legal or regulatory consequences due to compromised data and 32% citing disruption to employee productivity. 1
With Windows 365 Reserve, a new offering from Microsoft, employees can have instant access to a temporary, pre-configured Cloud PC when their primary device is unavailable. Windows 365 Reserve provides a secure, cloud-hosted Windows desktop that looks and feels like a physical PC, and is accessible from any device, anywhere, so employees can continue being productive.
Device disruptions are more than an inconvenience — they’re a business risk that can lead to lost revenue, delayed service and reduced employee productivity.
Windows 365 Reserve helps mitigate these risks by enabling:
- Business continuity during device loss, theft, delivery delays or outages
- Temporary access for onboarding, remote work delays or testing new OS/app configurations
- Faster recovery from disruptions, reducing downtime and IT burden
Windows 365 Reserve isn’t your traditional virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution — it’s a modern, secured and scalable offering designed for any type of worker across the entire organization to stay uninterrupted and productive, without the hassle or cost of managing cumbersome loaner PCs, temporary backup PC solutions or legacy VDI access. Each Reserve Cloud PC is preloaded with Microsoft 365 apps,2 corporate settings and security policies — ensuring data protection and compliance. IT teams can manage both physical and Cloud PCs — including these new Reserve Cloud PCs — through Microsoft Intune, streamlining endpoint oversight and reducing complexity. And because users can connect to their Reserve Cloud PC within minutes from any device using the Windows App or a browser to access the Windows 11 experience, there is minimal disruption to their workflow and business continuity.
Windows 365 Reserve will soon be available for preview. Complete this form or contact your Microsoft account team to express interest in participating in the preview.
Windows 365 Cloud Apps: app streaming without the full desktop
Now in private preview, Windows 365 Cloud Apps let organizations deliver secure access to individual apps hosted on Cloud PCs, without requiring a dedicated Cloud PC for every user. Windows 365 Cloud Apps are a great fit for enterprise customers whether they’re experienced with VDI or just starting their cloud journey. They also give IT teams more flexibility to support a range of user needs and scenarios, while maintaining centralized control. Organizations can use Windows 365 Cloud Apps to:
- Streamline app delivery for frontline, seasonal or remote workers
- Provide information workers with the line of business apps they require
- Simplify management with Windows 365 and Microsoft Intune integration
- Accelerate migration from on-premises VDI to the cloud
Windows 365 Cloud Apps will soon be available for preview. Complete this form or contact your Microsoft account team to express interest in participating in the preview.
Windows 365 Link: purpose-built Cloud PC device gets even better
Windows 365 Link — the first Cloud PC device purpose-built by Microsoft for Windows 365 — became generally available in select markets in April 2025 and is expanding to more markets later this year. To make the experience of using Windows 365 Link even better, we are excited to introduce the following updates:
Connection Center: access multiple Cloud PCs with ease
The Connection Center makes accessing multiple Cloud PCs from a Windows 365 Link simple and intuitive. For users with more than one Cloud PC and no default set, the Connection Center prompts them to choose the Cloud PC they want to use right at sign-in. This means less confusion and more control.
The Connection Center also empowers users with self-service tools to reboot, restore and manage their Cloud PCs without needing IT support. If something goes wrong, people can quickly access troubleshooting options — minimizing downtime and boosting productivity.
This experience is now generally available, and starting mid-July, the Connection Center can also be launched from the Ctrl+Alt+Delete screen, making it even more accessible.
Connection Center showing multiple Cloud PCs after sign-in
Enhanced multi-monitor support for a more flexible Windows 365 Link experience
For users who rely on multiple monitors to stay productive, Windows 365 Link now offers expanded display settings — available in preview. Users can easily configure duplicate or extend monitors, giving them the flexibility to mirror their screen or expand their workspace across displays.
We have also added intuitive controls to adjust resolution, scale and orientation — all fully integrated into the Cloud PC settings. That means they can personalize their display setup directly from the familiar Display Settings menu, just like on a local PC.
With these latest updates, Windows 365 Link makes it even easier to work more efficiently, multitask seamlessly and tailor your Cloud PC experience to meet your unique workflows.
Accessing display settings for Windows 365 Link
Making sign-in even easier with NFC reader support
We have heard from customers that using near-field communication (NFC) readers helps streamline the Windows sign-in experience — especially in environments where speed and security are critical. That is why, based on your feedback, we introduced preview support for NFC readers for FIDO2 security keys with the launch of Windows 365 Link in April 2025. Today, we’re excited to announce that NFC reader support is now generally available. Users can simply tap their FIDO2 security key on a USB NFC reader and enter their PIN to sign in. This enhancement helps organizations improve both security posture and user productivity, especially in shared device or frontline scenarios. To learn more, check out the documentation.
To purchase Windows 365 Link for desk-based and frontline users in your organization, contact your Microsoft account team or select resellers in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. We continue to expand availability to new markets, including Denmark, France, India, Netherlands and Sweden, with Switzerland anticipated later this year.
Cross-region Disaster Recovery is available for Windows 365 Frontline
Disaster recovery is a critical consideration for any IT desktop strategy. When it comes to virtualization, most organizations consider disaster recovery a primary objective. Since its introduction, Windows 365 has provided robust business continuity and disaster recovery options. Whether for compliance requirements, natural disasters, technical failure or human error, putting greater distance between your primary and backup environments can add an extra sense of security and peace of mind to any IT desktop strategy.
On July 1, 2024, we introduced Cross-region Disaster Recovery, an add-on feature for Windows 365 Enterprise that creates “snapshots” of Cloud PCs. These snapshots are placed in customer-defined, geographically distant locations, and they can be recovered to Cloud PCs running in the selected location during a disaster recovery event.
Today, we are excited to announce Cross-region Disaster Recovery is available in public preview as an add-on for Windows 365 Frontline. Now, in addition to Windows 365 Enterprise users, any user assigned to a dedicated Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PC will also be shielded against regional outages. If you’re interested in signing up for the public preview, please use this form. To learn more, read Cross-region Disaster Recovery in Windows 365 | Microsoft Learn.
Secure by default: New security settings for Windows 365 Cloud PCs
New default security settings are available for new and newly reprovisioned Cloud PCs. These updates mean Cloud PCs are more secure by default and include:
- Disabling select redirections, such as USB and clipboard, making it easier for organizations to protect their data
- Enabling additional security controls, including virtualization-based security, to better protect against credential theft and kernel-level exploits
These updates are part of Microsoft’s commitment to making our products more secure by default, one of the core principles of our Secure Future Initiative.
Powering high-performance scenarios: GPU support now available in HP Anyware for Windows 365
We’re expanding our collaboration with HP Anyware to support GPU-enabled Windows 365 Enterprise Cloud PCs, now in preview. This integration brings the power of PC-over-IP (PCoIP) — a protocol known for delivering high-definition, low-latency performance — to Windows 365, making it ideal for graphics-intensive workloads such as 3D modeling, video editing and data visualization.
With HP Anyware for Windows 365, users can securely access their Cloud PCs through a familiar digital workspace, while IT admins benefit from simplified deployment and management with Intune — no additional gateways or network reconfiguration required.
To learn more or join the public preview of HP Anyware for Windows 365 GPU-enabled Enterprise Cloud PCs, contact your Microsoft account team or sign up to be notified.
Bridge legacy and modern app delivery: App-V support now available for App attach in Azure Virtual Desktop
Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) for Windows is now supported by App attach in Azure Virtual Desktop and is generally available, marking a major step forward in application delivery for virtual environments.
Organizations can incorporate existing App-V packages into the App attach framework without repackaging. This capability streamlines the transition to Azure Virtual Desktop by preserving investments in legacy applications while enabling more modern and scalable delivery.
The time for this update is critical, as App-V enters a phase of extended support. By bridging the gap between legacy application virtualization and modern desktop infrastructure, App attach combines continuity with innovation to help teams maintain stability while evolving their cloud strategy. To learn more about App-V support in App attach and to find information about partner solution integration with App attach visit our Azure Virtual Desktop documentation pages.
Windows App updates: better Microsoft Teams, printing and remote access
The Windows App is your gateway to securely connect to Windows on any device across Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote PC, Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft Dev Box and more. Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS,3 web browsers and now Android,4 it brings a unified, modern experience across platforms, making it easier than ever to access your Cloud PCs, virtual machines (VMs) and remote resources anywhere on any device. With the latest updates, we are excited to announce several new capabilities that will enhance your experience and productivity.
Better Microsoft Teams performance on mobile: in public preview for Windows App on Android and iOS/iPadOS
Building on last year’s Teams optimizations for Windows App on Windows, new exclusive optimizations for the Windows App on Android and iOS/iPadOS will soon be available in the newest versions of Windows App. These enhancements improve audio and sound quality in Teams, reducing issues and enhancing the overall user experience. Learn more.
New Remote App launcher in Windows App on web
People connecting to Windows App via the web can access the Remote App launcher directly from the toolbar inside the web client. The Remote App launcher can be used to launch additional apps from the same workspace without switching between tabs, making app discovery and launching apps more seamless.
New printing capabilities in Windows App on web
Windows App on web now supports new printing capabilities for locally attached printers on Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop. Users can easily print documents directly to their locally attached printers, streamlining the printing process and eliminating extra steps between viewing and printing documents.
Native access to remote sessions in Windows App on web
You can now utilize the Windows App on web to access Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop remote sessions natively. By simply selecting the “Connect in desktop app” option from the dropdown menu, you can open the desktop version of the Windows App.
Users can also access their desktops and apps using direct launch URLs in Windows App on web. Learn more.
Resilience starts with the right tools so organizations can stay agile, secured and ready
Organizational resilience isn’t just convenient; it’s an essential approach to remain functional, flexible, prepared and competitive. With the latest enhancements to Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, Microsoft is enabling organizations to safeguard business continuity, navigate disruptions with confidence and maintain control. Now is the time to explore how these innovations can help strengthen your resilience strategy.
Get 20% off Windows 365 today
Microsoft is currently offering a 20% discount on all Windows 365 plans for the first 12 months for new customers, making it an even more compelling option for those looking to transition smoothly. Visit Windows 365 today to take advantage of the 20% promotional offer.*
* Notice: Microsoft reserves the right to discontinue this promotion, and to modify these policies and the promotion’s terms and conditions at any time.
This offer runs from May 1 to Oct. 31, 2025, and is for customers not currently subscribing to Windows 365. Transactions must be processed through Microsoft’s operations center before 11:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Oct. 31, 2025. This offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount on Windows 365. This offer is available only once per customer. The discount price will be in effect for the duration of the purchase commitment. Purchases made prior to the effective date of the offer are not eligible. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the recipient.
- Source: Study Highlights Prevalence of Device Theft and the Impacts on Businesses in U.S. and Europe. April 22, 2025; Methodology: study conducted by market research firm, Vanson Bourne on behalf of Kensington Computer Products Group; Survey size: 1,000 IT decision-makers.
- Microsoft 365 subscription is required.
- macOS and iPadOS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license.
- Android is a trademark of Google LLC.
Author: Stefan Kinnestrand
