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Azure Virtual Desktop Blog
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Announcing public preview for watermarking on Azure Virtual Desktop

Serena_Zheng's avatar
Serena_Zheng
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Feb 01, 2023

We're pleased to announce Watermarking for Azure Virtual Desktop is now in public preview. This feature helps prevent sensitive information from being captured on client endpoints by enabling watermarks to appear as part of remote desktops. 

 

AVD watermarking public preview

 

What can I do with AVD watermarking?

  • Enable QR code watermarks on Azure Virtual Desktops
  • Scan the QR code watermarks to discover the session's connectionID
  • Use the session's connectionID to find the session information via Azure Virtual Desktop Insights or Azure Monitor Log Analytics

 

Why is this important?

Alongside Screen capture protection in Azure Virtual Desktop, watermarking protects content on Azure Virtual Desktop from being stolen, used, or altered without the owner's permission. QR code watermarks allow you to trace the session's information.

 

How can I use it?

Watermarking is currently available for full desktops and Windows Desktop clients. Learn how to enable watermarking on Azure Virtual Desktop here.

 

Updated Mar 22, 2023
Version 2.0
updates
  • MohnJadden's avatar
    MohnJadden
    Copper Contributor
    May 15, 2023

    Watermarking requires the use of an Administrative Template via Group Policy.  Not really great for organizations that have followed a lot of MS' guidance and migrated off of Group Policy to Intune.  

     

    Any word on when it'll be available for Intune use?

  • Lhuss535's avatar
    Lhuss535
    Copper Contributor
    Apr 17, 2023

    That's very limited Screen Watermarking feature with only QR codes. Screen watermark should be very flexible to control what is rendered as a watermark on the screen and the transparency, spacing, shape, color, ...etc so this watermark is effective and not annoying in the same time as KrisDeb suggested. 

     

    There are now independent companies providing this as part of their packages such as DataPatrol Screen Watermark solution. 

  • KrisDeb's avatar
    KrisDeb
    Steel Contributor
    Feb 02, 2023

    Interesting idea and a step further to truly protect the content and prove it's yours if it's leaked, shared or stolen. Could be challenging for the users' eyes health, though, what do you think? Anyone tried working in Word or PPT with that thing applied?