Introduction

Azure Virtual Desktop delivers cloud-hosted desktops and remote applications with a consistent management plane in Azure. This page collects the docs, tools, and community resources I use when planning, deploying, and operating Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 environments. It mirrors my public GitHub list so you can search it directly on this site and keep track of updates.

GitHub source: https://github.com/schmittnieto/awesome-azure-virtual-desktop

Who is this for

  • Cloud architects and endpoint engineers designing virtual desktop platforms
  • AVD and Windows 365 administrators running pooled and personal desktops
  • Operations teams that want proven references for day to day work

What you will find

  • Official documentation and learning paths
  • FSLogix, Azure Files, and App Attach references
  • Windows App, Windows 365, and Microsoft Intune resources
  • Third party management, testing, and thin client vendors
  • Tools, scripts, and community write ups

How to use it

  • Use the table of contents to jump to a topic
  • Press Ctrl F to search within the page
  • Open links in a new tab to keep your place

If you spot a gap or a broken link, open an issue or pull request in the GitHub repo link.

Official

Only official links published or maintained by Microsoft or Azure.

What’s new in Azure Virtual Desktop

What’s new in Azure Virtual Desktop?

Azure Virtual Desktop receives continuous monthly service updates. Below is a summary of key updates from May 2025 onward.

Autoscale and Host Pool Management

  • Session host creation using a session host configuration (June 2025) - extending session host creation, auto-retry behavior and diagnostics for host pools that use session host configuration.
  • Managed identity support for session host configuration (validation host pools: August 2025; all host pools: September 2025) - removing the need to assign permissions to the Azure Virtual Desktop service principal when creating and updating session hosts.
  • Ephemeral OS disk support (Public preview: October 2025) - enabling stateless session hosts to use local VM storage for faster provisioning, reimaging and performance.
  • RDP Multipath (GA: July 2025; fully rolled out: November 2025; redundant TCP GA rollout: May 2026) - improving connection reliability by using multiple network paths between the client and session host or Cloud PC.
  • Azure Virtual Desktop for hybrid environments with Arc-enabled servers (Public preview: May 2026) - allowing session hosts to run on any hypervisor or bare-metal Windows Server through the Azure Arc extension, without VM provisioning or power management in this preview.

App Delivery and Profile Management

  • App Attach (MSIX App Attach deprecated: June 2025; Windows Server 2025 and 2022 support: April 2026) - supports MSIX, Appx and App-V package formats and simplifies the staging and assignment workflow through the Azure portal.
  • FSLogix support for cloud-only and external identities (Preview: November 2025) - enabling FSLogix profile containers for both cloud-only and external identities in pooled host pools.
  • Enhanced RemoteApps (Preview: November 2025) - improving RemoteApp behavior with better Windows Snap support, full-screen mode, DPI handling and visual integration with Windows.

Security and Compliance

  • Select redirections disabled for new host pools (July 2025) - disabling clipboard, drive, opaque low-level USB and printer redirections by default for newly created host pools.
  • Token protection support in Windows App on Windows devices (GA: August 2025) - allowing Conditional Access policies to require sign-in tokens that can only be used from the intended device.
  • External identity support (Preview without FSLogix: September 2025; GA: November 2025; additional client support: April 2026) - allowing external identities to access Azure Virtual Desktop resources with expanded client support.
  • Centralized RDP Shortpath management (GA: January 2026) - enabling administrators to configure RDP Shortpath transport modes through Microsoft Intune or Group Policy.
  • RDP Shortpath over Private Link (GA: February 2026) - enabling UDP-based RDP Shortpath connections over Azure Private Link with explicit opt-in.
  • Windows Cloud Keyboard Input Protection (Preview: November 2025) - encrypting keystrokes at the kernel level to help protect sessions from keylogger malware and endpoint threats.

Client Experience

  • Direct launch URLs for Windows App (May 2025) - allowing users to connect directly to a specific desktop or application resource from a browser link.
  • Multiple personal desktops for a single user (GA: May 2025) - assigning more than one personal desktop to a user in a single host pool.
  • HEVC/H.265 hardware acceleration (GA: June 2025) - improving GPU-accelerated frame encoding for graphical workloads in Azure Virtual Desktop sessions.
  • Microsoft Teams media optimization (iOS and iPadOS preview: June 2025; WebRTC-based Teams GA and macOS preview: March 2026) - reducing latency and improving call quality for meetings running inside AVD sessions through newer optimization architectures.

Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid and Azure Local

  • Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid Overview (Microsoft Docs)
    Overview of Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid, which keeps the AVD service in Azure while running session hosts on any on-premises hypervisor or bare-metal Windows Server. It is in public preview with validation host pools only and does not support Windows 10 or Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session.
  • Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Local (Microsoft Docs)
    Running Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts on Azure Local for data residency, latency and on-premises scenarios. In contrast to generic AVD Hybrid, Azure Local also supports Windows 11 and Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session alongside single-session desktops and Windows Server images.
  • Awesome Azure Local - Azure Virtual Desktop (GitHub)
    Companion curated list for Azure Local with a dedicated Azure Virtual Desktop section covering deployment, management tooling and community resources for running AVD on Azure Local.

FSLogix

Azure Files

App Attach

Windows App

Windows 365

Microsoft Intune

Monitoring and Insights

Network

Architecture and Best Practices

GitHub Repositories

  • AVD Accelerator (GitHub)
    Official Microsoft repository with Bicep and Terraform reference implementations for deploying AVD following the enterprise-scale landing zone pattern.
  • RDS-Templates (GitHub)
    Official Microsoft repository containing ARM templates and PowerShell scripts for host pool creation, session host provisioning and application group management.

Third Party

Independent vendors offering management, testing, assessment and access solutions for Azure Virtual Desktop environments.

Management Platforms

Software commonly used to manage, automate and optimize Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure.

Nerdio

ControlUp

  • ControlUp - Azure Virtual Desktop
    ControlUp landing page for AVD, covering real-time session analytics, automated remediation and user experience monitoring.
  • ControlUp - Platform Overview
    Overview of ControlUp’s agent-based telemetry, script-based automation and multi-tenant management capabilities for AVD and hybrid EUC environments.

Hydra by Login VSI

Citrix

Testing and Assessment

Tools used to test application compatibility, simulate user load and measure session host performance.

Login VSI

Lakeside SysTrack

Rimo3

Thin Clients

Hardware and software vendors offering purpose-built thin client endpoints for accessing Azure Virtual Desktop.

IGEL

  • IGEL - Azure Virtual Desktop
    IGEL landing page for AVD, covering how IGEL OS provides a secure and managed thin client endpoint for accessing AVD sessions with minimal local attack surface.
  • IGEL Community
    Community hub for IGEL users and administrators with AVD-specific discussions, how-to guides and troubleshooting resources.
  • IGEL Ready Program
    Partner ecosystem listing hardware and peripherals certified to work with IGEL OS in AVD environments.

10ZiG

  • 10ZiG - Azure Virtual Desktop
    10ZiG landing page for AVD, covering thin client hardware and 10ZiG NOS purpose-built for accessing Azure Virtual Desktop environments.
  • 10ZiG Manager - Central Management
    Overview of 10ZiG’s endpoint management platform for deploying and maintaining 10ZiG thin clients at scale in AVD deployments.

Community

Resources that do not come from Microsoft or the vendors listed in the Third Party section.

Blog

To avoid an excessive list, only entire blogs are referenced, not individual posts.

  • schmitt-nieto.com
    Blog with hands-on content about AVD implementation and management.
  • gettothe.cloud
    Blog by Alex ter Neuzen focused mainly on AVD, Windows Cloud and IaC.
  • AVD Community Newsletter Community-run newsletter curated mainly by Aresh Sarkari, with recurring AVD links, Microsoft announcements and contributions from authors such as Johan Vanneuville, Marcel Meurer and Travis Roberts.
  • Windows365, AVD Weekly News LinkedIn newsletter by Michel Roth collecting weekly Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop and endpoint management news from Microsoft and community authors.
  • AskAresh Blog by Aresh Sarkari with hands-on AVD, Terraform, automation and end-user computing content frequently referenced by the AVD Community Newsletter.
  • johanvanneuville.com Blog by MVP Johan Vanneuville covering Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Nerdio and cloud endpoint security.
  • christiaanbrinkhoff.com Blog by Christiaan Brinkhoff, Senior Director of Product R&D at Nerdio and former Microsoft Windows Cloud product leader, featuring cloud endpoint strategy, AVD, Windows 365 and community content.
  • blog.itprocloud.de
    Blog by Marcel Meurer featuring AVD automation tools, Hydra technical deep dives and host pool management patterns.
  • ciraltos.com Blog by Microsoft MVP Travis Roberts with practical AVD networking, regional host pool, Windows 365 and Azure infrastructure walkthroughs.
  • avdpunks.com
    Community blog by a group of AVD specialists covering a wide range of topics from initial deployment to advanced optimization and security.
  • rozemuller.com
    Blog by MVP Sander Rozemuller focused on Azure Virtual Desktop automation using the REST API, PowerShell and infrastructure-as-code.
  • imab.dk Blog by Martin Bengtsson with practical Intune, Microsoft 365 and PowerShell content focused on implementation and scripted automation.
  • andrewstaylor.com Blog by Andrew Taylor covering Intune, FSLogix configuration without Group Policy, application packaging, AVD automation and EUC tooling.
  • All about Endpoint Management Blog by Eswar Koneti covering Intune, Configuration Manager, Conditional Access, Windows Update for Business and AVD or Windows 365 operational scenarios.
  • All about Microsoft Intune Blog by Peter van der Woude covering Intune, Windows 365, Cloud PCs, Conditional Access and endpoint configuration.
  • Benoit Hamet Blog by Benoit Hamet covering Microsoft Intune, Azure Virtual Desktop clipboard redirection and Microsoft 365 administration.
  • Call4Cloud Blog by Rudy Ooms focused on Intune internals, Windows Autopilot, Endpoint Privilege Management and endpoint troubleshooting.
  • mikemdm.de
    Blog by MVP Michael Meier covering AVD and Azure Local labs and real-world implementations.
  • joeyverlinden.com
    Blog by Joey Verlinden featuring AVD implementation guides, FSLogix tips and automation scripts.
  • msendpointmgr.com
    Multi-author blog covering endpoint management including AVD image management, Intune integration and application packaging for virtual environments.
  • michaelsendpoint.com
    Blog by Michael Frank with step-by-step Microsoft guides covering Intune, Microsoft Entra ID, Windows 365, security and PowerShell automation relevant to endpoint and AVD management.

LinkedIn

Most day-to-day news on Azure Virtual Desktop arrives first on LinkedIn. Here are relevant community profiles.

  • Christiaan Brinkhoff
    Senior Director of Product R&D at Nerdio and former Microsoft Windows Cloud product leader who publishes cloud endpoint strategy, AVD, Windows 365 and community content.
  • Ryan Mangan
    UK-based MVP who publishes detailed AVD content covering new features, optimization techniques and real-world troubleshooting cases.
  • Marcel Meurer
    Creator of WVD Admin and Hydra who shares AVD tooling updates, automation patterns and community resources.
  • Sander Rozemuller
    Dutch MVP publishing AVD automation content focused on REST API usage, Bicep and infrastructure-as-code approaches.
  • Stefan Dingemanse
    Netherlands-based MVP and AVD specialist who publishes practical content covering networking, identity and deployment automation.
  • Tom Hickling
    Microsoft Senior Product Manager for Azure Virtual Desktop Engineering covering enterprise deployments, service resilience and best practices.
  • Johan Vanneuville Windows and Devices MVP, Nerdio NVP and co-author of Securing Cloud PCs and Azure Virtual Desktop who publishes practical AVD and Windows 365 security guidance.
  • Thomas Marcussen Microsoft MVP and early AVD Community contributor involved in newsletter publishing and broader Microsoft endpoint community work.
  • Shabaz Darr Microsoft MVP and I Am IT Geek creator publishing Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Nerdio and Microsoft cloud architecture content.
  • Andrew Taylor Microsoft MVP publishing Intune automation, AVD deployment, FSLogix configuration and endpoint management tooling.
  • Peter van der Woude Microsoft MVP focused on Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, Conditional Access and modern endpoint management.
  • Benoit Hamet Microsoft cloud specialist publishing Intune, Azure Virtual Desktop, Microsoft 365 and security configuration content.
  • Rudy Ooms Microsoft MVP focused on Intune internals, Windows Autopilot, Endpoint Privilege Management and endpoint troubleshooting.
  • Bas van Kaam
    End-user computing specialist and author who regularly shares community updates, book insights and technical deep dives.

YouTube

Channels with recurring Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Windows Cloud and related Azure infrastructure content.

  • Azure Academy Channel by Dean Cefola with Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Azure infrastructure and Microsoft cloud operations walkthroughs.
  • Microsoft Mechanics Official Microsoft channel with demos and product walkthroughs for Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Windows App and Microsoft 365 services.
  • I Am IT Geek Channel by Microsoft MVP Shabaz Darr covering Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Nerdio, Azure security and Microsoft cloud architecture.
  • John Savill’s Technical Training Technical training channel by John Savill covering Azure platform services, identity, networking and selected Azure Virtual Desktop scenarios.
  • Travis Roberts Channel by Microsoft MVP Travis Roberts with Azure, AVD, Windows 365 and infrastructure tutorials often paired with Ciraltos blog posts.
  • Jonathan Edwards Channel covering Microsoft 365, Intune, Windows 365, security and endpoint management topics relevant to AVD operations.
  • Neil McLoughlin Channel by Neil McLoughlin covering Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Nerdio and EUC architecture topics.
  • Susanth Sutheesh Channel covering Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Intune, Microsoft 365 and endpoint administration.
  • Mike in the Cloud Channel covering Microsoft cloud administration, Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 and endpoint management.

GitHub Repos and Tools

  • AVD Accelerator (GitHub)
    Official Microsoft repository with Bicep and Terraform code for deploying AVD following the enterprise-scale landing zone pattern.
  • RDS-Templates (GitHub)
    Official Microsoft repository with ARM templates and PowerShell scripts for host pool creation, session host registration and application group management.
  • GetToThe-Cloud - Website (GitHub)
    Source repository for the GetToThe.Cloud website, including AVD-related Terraform and deployment scripts used across the site.
  • Sander Rozemuller - GitHub
    GitHub profile of Sander Rozemuller (MVP) with scripts and modules for managing Azure Virtual Desktop through the REST API and PowerShell, covering host pools, session hosts and application groups.
  • Marcel Meurer - WVD-Hydra (GitHub)
    Open-source AVD management tool by Marcel Meurer covering host pool automation, image management and session control, predecessor to the commercial Hydra product.
  • Intune Drive Mapping Generator
    Web generator by Nicola Suter for building Intune PowerShell scripts that map network drives on Intune-managed Windows devices. The GitHub repository includes source code, documentation and examples for migrating existing Group Policy drive mappings or creating mappings from scratch.
  • AVD - FSLogix Profile Status (Tool)
    After the deprecation of FXTray, it became difficult to check the status of FSLogix profiles. With this PowerShell script, it is once again possible to verify profile status in a simple and centralized way. The GitHub repository contains the Profile Monitor for FSLogix source and releases.
  • AVD Sizing Guides (GitHub)
    Sizing guides for AVD and related services on Azure Local, maintained by Jonathan Vella (Microsoft Senior CSA).

Chats and Channels

Trainings

Events

Name Description Price Remote Date
AVD Tech Fest 2025 - Berlin (Germany) Community-driven EUC event focused on Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Citrix, Omnissa and digital workspace solutions. 99 EUR No September 10-11, 2025
EUC World Virtual 2026 Vendor-neutral virtual EUC conference with sessions on digital workspaces, Intune, Nerdio Manager and desktop modernization. Not listed Yes April 29, 2026
NerdioCon 2026 - Palm Springs (USA) Nerdio conference focused on Microsoft cloud endpoint management, Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Intune and AI-driven operations. Not listed No May 4-6, 2026
Windows Cloud Workshop series - multiple cities Hands-on Nerdio and Microsoft workshop series for Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, cloud endpoint strategy and guided lab practice. Not listed No May 13 - June 11, 2026
EUC World 2026 - Milwaukee (USA) Community-driven EUC conference covering virtual desktops, DaaS, Windows in the Cloud, app delivery and digital workspace operations. $250-$400, depending on registration date No September 29 - October 1, 2026
Microsoft Ignite 2026 - San Francisco (USA) Microsoft flagship conference for Azure, Windows, Microsoft 365 and security, with expected Windows Cloud, Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 announcements. Not listed To be confirmed November 17-20, 2026

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