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App attach for Azure Virtual Desktop now generally available

JimMoyle's avatar
JimMoyle
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Jun 13, 2024

App attach for Azure Virtual Desktop allows IT admins to dynamically attach applications from an application package to a user session in Azure Virtual Desktop.

In December 2023, we announced a public preview for some exciting new app attach features. App attach is now generally available and here is a summary of the new capabilities:

  • Applications can now be assigned to any host pool or session host. You can assign application packages to multiple host pools in your environment.
  • Applications can now be assigned per user, both within a desktop session and remote app sessions. This means that in any host pool in any session, users can be assigned different application combinations. This should reduce the number of host pools and images you require.
  • Application groups are no longer required to assign users to app attach apps, significantly simplifying assignment and reducing the number of application groups needed.
  • Application assignment, removal, and upgrades can be performed without needing a maintenance window and without interrupting a user’s workflow.
  • Microsoft Entra ID support for app attach has been introduced. Microsoft Entra hybrid join will work as it did before.
  • Dependency support has improved, including modification packages for remote apps.
  • A migration script is available to move existing MSIX app attach application packages to the new architecture.

We’re excited about these new features and recommend that any new app attach object be created using the new flow.

Now let’s look at these new capabilities:

Screenshot of the new Azure Portal UI for app attach.

Screenshot of the new Azure Portal UI for assigning users for an app attach package.

Learn more and share your thoughts

You can learn more about the new app attach features and Azure Virtual Desktop by visiting our Azure Virtual Desktop documentation pages. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below!

Continue the conversation. Find best practices. Bookmark the Azure Virtual Desktop Tech Community, then follow us @MSWindowsITPro on X/Twitter. Looking for support? Visit Windows on Microsoft Q&A.

Published Jun 13, 2024
Version 1.0
updates
  • mikmik569's avatar
    mikmik569
    Copper Contributor
    Jun 28, 2024

    Any idea if this will ever be supported with Entra Domain Services?

  • JeffPitsch's avatar
    JeffPitsch
    Copper Contributor
    Jun 24, 2024

    JimMoyle Yea, realized that was a dumb question because MSIX and thats the way it works lol 

     

    Thanks for answering 🙂

  • JeffPitsch's avatar
    JeffPitsch
    Copper Contributor
    Jun 23, 2024

    Hey Jim,

     

    A lot of great additions.

     

    One question, when assigning a package per user and that user logs into a session host, does only that user (or users assigned the package) then see the package? I would guess 'yes' based on the bullet point: 

    • Applications can now be assigned per user, both within a desktop session and remote app sessions. This means that in any host pool in any session, users can be assigned different application combinations. This should reduce the number of host pools and images you require.

    Or, in other words, other sessions that do not have access to the package, will not know it's there. Registry entries and file entries are hidden as well?