Windows 365 Switch is now available, enabling you to easily move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and your local desktop using the same familiar keyboard commands, as well as a mouse-click or a swipe gesture. Windows 365 Switch enables a seamless experience from within Windows 11 via the Task view feature. A Windows 365 Cloud PC is required on the device, and from there, Windows 365 Switch will show up automatically inside the Task view feature.
This new feature is especially helpful to use in conjunction with bring-your-own-PC (BYOPC) scenarios when you connect from your own Windows device to a secure company owned Cloud PC. Especially in times when business wants to do more with less, this is a great experience.
How to deploy Windows 365 Switch
Before we look at how to push Windows 365 Switch feature components to your Windows 11 endpoints, let's look at the requirements:
- Windows 11-based endpoints (Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise)
- Update to the latest Windows OS Build on yourCloud PC Windows 11 Enterprise or Professional, version 22621.2361 or later
- Update to the latest Windows OS Build on your physical device Windows 11 Enterprise or Professional, version 22621.2361 or later
- Windows 365 Cloud PC license (see Create provisioning policies guidance on how to create Cloud PCs.)
Steps to get Windows 365 Switch
Step 1: Ensure that your Cloud PC is updated to the latest Windows OS build on your Cloud PC
- Navigate to the Windows Update page in Settings. Turn on the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available toggle to get the latest Windows OS updates.
- Get the updates and restart your Cloud PC.
Step 2: Ensure that your physical device is updated to the latest Windows OS build
- Follow step 1 above for the physical PC.
Step 3: Install the Windows 365 app
The Windows 365 app is available via the Microsoft Store on Windows, make sure you have version 1.3.185.0 or newer. The Microsoft Store will ensure that the Windows 365 app remains up to date, eliminating the need for the IT admin to maintain the application. IT Admins can download the app for their end users using Microsoft Intune, or each user can follow the steps below:
To get the Windows 365 app:
- Go to Microsoft Store for Windows.
- Search for Windows 365.
- Select Get to install Windows 365.
- Select Open.
You can also download the Windows 365 app directly from windows365.microsoft.com.
Wait a few hours before Switch is fully enabled on your device.
Now, we are ready to start the Windows 365 app and use the new Windows 365 Switch experience!
Windows 365 Switch first run experience
For new Windows 365 customers, the first run experience will walk through the new way to connect to Windows 365:
After you run through the first-run experience for Windows 365 Switch, you will be notified about the Switch feature as tool tip on top of the Task view icon in the Windows 11 taskbar.
For existing Windows 365 customers the first run experience teaches the customers how to connect using Windows 365 Switch:
Tool tips explain where to find all the right features inside the Windows 365 app and how to access Windows 365 Switch via the Windows Task view feature.
Switch login experience
To start the Windows 365 Switch experience – hover over the Windows Task view icon in the taskbar.
Hovering over the Task view and clicking connect will launch the Windows 365 Cloud PC through the Windows 11 experience.
Once you arrive on the Cloud PC. We will be showing the user an indicator that you arrived on the Cloud PC.
Once you are inside the Cloud PC session, you can open the Task view feature from the Windows 11 taskbar (next to Search) once more.
On the left side, you will find the local desktops option. Once you click on this, you will switch back to the local PC.
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Note: Once you have established the connection to the Cloud PC. Switching to and from the Cloud PC will happen within less than a second! |
Provide feedback
Let us know what you think about the feature by going to Feedback Hub and filing issues or suggestions under the category "Desktop Environment" and the subcategory "Switch to Cloud PC (from Task view)."
Learn more
To learn more about the latest Windows 11 innovations, check out these recent announcements:
- Announcing Microsoft Copilot, your everyday AI companion
- Announcing Microsoft 365 Copilot general availability and Microsoft 365 Chat
- Copilot in Windows and new Cloud PC experiences coming to Windows 11
- Windows 365 Boot is now generally available!
- Windows 365 Switch technical documentation
- View the September 26th episode of Windows in the Cloud
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