Since launching in 2021, Windows 365 has simplified secured, remote access to desktops by introducing the Cloud PC, a persistent Windows experience streamed from the Microsoft Cloud to any device anywhere. Today, we’re taking the next step to modernize shared devices and task-based workflows, making it easier for IT teams to support diverse environments while improving end-user productivity. The introduction of Windows 365 Frontline brought Cloud PCs to employees who only needed part-time or occasional access to Windows desktops, offering cost-effective and scalable cloud computing to new types of users without adding complexity.
Now, we’re excited to announce powerful functionality that extends the reach of Windows 365 Frontline even further — with options to scale the service to an entire workforce. Windows 365 Cloud Apps, now generally available, uses Windows 365 Frontline in shared mode to provide users with access to individual applications, without requiring each user to have their own dedicated Cloud PC.
Alongside Cloud Apps, we are launching key technical enhancements to simplify rollout and adoption, including User Experience Sync, which is now generally available, and Windows Autopilot Device Preparation profile, in public preview. User Experience Sync enables app settings and accessibility preferences to persist across sessions, delivering a personalized experience for users even in shared environments. For IT admins, Windows Autopilot Device Preparation profile simplifies provisioning by pre-installing critical apps as needed, without maintaining complex images.
Together, these capabilities in Windows 365 make it easy for IT to deploy both apps and desktops, giving users the productivity they expect from first launch — whether they need a 24/7 desktop, part-time desktop access, or even occasional access to an individual application.
Let’s take a deeper look at these capabilities and how they transform the Windows 365 experience:
Just the essentials — Windows 365 Cloud Apps for task-based workflows
Windows App launching Windows 365 Cloud Apps
Now your workforce can quickly perform tasks by accessing the business applications they need right from the Windows App. This also delivers simplified management through Microsoft Intune, reduced infrastructure complexity, and faster deployment — all while maintaining enterprise-grade security and compliance.
Windows 365 Cloud Apps are especially useful for organizations wanting to modernize legacy virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments, where existing solutions can be challenging to scale and complex to manage, leading to outages, misconfigurations, or security gaps. Migrating published VDI apps to the Windows 365 service offers the advantages of Cloud PC manageability and experience, with cost-effective pricing.
Visit Window 365 Cloud Apps to learn more.
Apply a consistent experience to shared Cloud PC scenarios
Shared workstations often sacrifice personalization for cost savings. With User Experience Sync, Windows 365 Frontline in shared mode delivers a consistent experience every time, reducing frustration and improving productivity for users in shared environments. It ensures that applications which save user settings or application data persist that info across sessions, and maintains other aspects of the Windows experience, such as accessibility options. We’re also investing in faster sign-in experiences across Windows 365 Frontline modes (dedicated and shared) to help users get productive from the first click, so workflows start seamlessly without delays.
Managing cloud storage with User Experience Sync
As a key component of our service offering, User Experience Sync is included at no additional cost in Windows 365 Frontline. Storage for user settings data is built in and determined by the size of the OS disk in the Cloud PC configuration. For example, Cloud PCs with a 128GB OS disk will have an additional 128GB of storage available, dedicated to User Experience Sync. This space is pooled across users, with larger disks providing greater storage capacity. IT admins can set user storage limits to match differing scenarios, monitor usage through Intune, and configure alerts when storage runs low. This storage is created during a user’s Cloud PC or app first-run experience, offering flexibility without limiting the number of assigned users. To learn more about User Experience Sync, visit User Experience Sync configuration.
Screenshot of a provisioning policy, with a graph showing available and used user storageAutopilot app installs bring productivity from first use
Time-to-productivity is critical for organizations of all types and sizes. Ensuring that workers have access to the applications that they need right away leads to improved employee satisfaction, enhanced security, and increased productivity. With Autopilot Device Preparation profile capabilities, IT admins can use Microsoft-provided images for Windows 365, then target an app or set of apps for automatic deployment, ensuring they are pre-installed before a user ever signs in. This reduces IT overhead and complexity, while delivering a meaningful first run experience. This is a notable improvement compared to traditional VDI, where admins often spend considerable effort maintaining sets of custom or “golden” images — and represents significant time savings for IT admins managing Windows 365.
This public preview feature has now been expanded to include support for Windows 365 Enterprise and all Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PC configurations, including Windows 365 Cloud Apps. This means that IT admins can also easily deploy applications through Intune as Windows 365 Cloud Apps without taking on the complexities associated with custom image management.
Get started with Windows 365 Frontline and Windows 365 Cloud Apps today
With powerful new features such as Windows 365 Cloud Apps, User Experience Sync, and Autopilot Device Preparation profiles at your fingertips, there’s never been a better time to move to Windows 365. These innovations simplify deployment, reduce IT overhead, and empower your workforce with secure, flexible access to the apps and desktops it needs.
To get started:
- Deploy Windows 365 Cloud Apps in a Windows 365 Frontline environment to deliver task-based access to applications without dedicated Cloud PCs.
- Enable User Experience Sync with Windows 365 Frontline in shared mode to give users a consistent experience across sessions.
- Use Autopilot device preparation profiles to pre-install critical apps and accelerate first-use productivity for users.
Start implementing these capabilities today to deliver a modern and scalable desktop or app virtualization environment.
Continue the conversation. Find best practices. Bookmark the Windows Tech Community, then follow us on LinkedIn or @MSWindowsITPro for updates. Looking for support? Visit Windows on Microsoft Q&A.
Microsoft