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Azure Virtual Desktop

Desktop virtualization service

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
1 min read
Source updated June 24, 2026

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), formerly known as Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), is a Microsoft Azure-based system for virtualizing Windows operating systems, providing virtualized desktops and applications securely in the cloud (over the Internet) using the Remote Desktop Protocol. It is aimed at enterprise customers rather than at individual users.

01Overview

Azure Virtual Desktop with Windows 10/11 Enterprise Multi-Session is a cloud-based alternative to an on-premise Remote Desktop Server (RDS). AVD is deployed in Azure Cloud as a virtual machine. License costs are already included in several Microsoft 365 subscriptions, including Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Microsoft 365 E3.

02History

Azure Virtual Desktop was first announced by Microsoft in September 2018, available as a public preview in March 2019, and generally available at the end of September 2019.

03Client software

Azure Virtual Desktops can be accessed with the Remote Desktop client for Windows, also called Azure Virtual Desktop, on Windows and with Microsoft Remote Desktop on other platforms, including the web. Other non-Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol clients can also be used to connect to Azure Virtual Desktops.

04Compatibility

Azure Virtual Desktop supports Windows 10/11 multi-session, Windows 10/11 single-session, Windows Server 2012 R2 and newer operating systems.

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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Azure Virtual Desktop”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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