🚧 ⛐ Windows App preview Crashes in Android

Windows App Preview installs fine in Android OS for older models like Vivo S1.

After opening, you can add your account and login with your credentials. After that you will be able to see your cloud pc. 

When you open the cloud pc,  you will now be prompted with the redirection options similar to that shown during browser session.  You can enable or disable them. 

When clicking on Connect, the cloud pc tries to connect and crashes immediately with below.

The cloud pc doesn’t seem to connect and always the Windows App preview crashes in my older vivo s1 model. 

How about your experience with Windows App preview for Android in older models?

📥⬇️ Windows App available for download as MSIX

Now you can simply download the MSIX version of the Windows App and install if you have the Microsoft Store App disabled in your environment.

• Windows 64-bit
• Windows 32-bit
• Windows Arm64

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-app/whats-new?tabs=windows#latest-release

Note:

If you have blocked the MS store app, then the manually installed MSIX version will not auto update. You need to download the latest version again and update.

Tip: 

Install the MSIX version manually first and later push out the update from Intune as Microsoft store App (New). This will check the installed method in the end user device and take over the management and auto update even though Microsoft Store is disabled for the end user.

W365: OS Optimizations Images will be removed

If you have the OS Optimisation images in your provisioning policy, then it’s time to transition to other new images for provisioning windows 365 cloud pc’s going forward.

Rudy Ooms had mentioned about this and what is the issue and why Microsoft is removing these Optimisation Images from the gallery in his blog earlier.

If you check in Intune in the windows 365 blade and in the provisioning policy now, then you can see a warning symbol ⚠️ in the Image status next to them. 

But when clicking on the warning ⚠️ symbol, it says another information which doesn’t seem to be relevant to the message that Microsoft had said in the message center earlier as shown in the first two pictures.

MC800490 - New Windows 365 gallery images now available! | cloudscout.one

Anyways, it’s time to transition to other images if you are using the optimised image for provisioning your cloud pc’s.

W365: Enable Dark mode in the new Windows App

 You can change between light mode and dark mode by following the below steps.

1 Open the new Windows App.

2 Click your user account picture to open the settings pane.

3 Tap General, then tap Appearance.

4 Tap Light, Dark, or System. The change takes effect immediately.

If you choose System, then the Windows App Appearance will match that of the iOS device appearance.

Demo:

 Note:

Only Light mode is supported in the Windows App preview for Android.

For more details check the below article.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-app/compare-platforms-features?pivots=windows-365#experience

W365: Last connected not shown in the new Windows App for iOS

Are you wondering why the Last connected state is not showing in your new Windows App for iOS like shown below?

Solution:

Simple, You can now make it visible by going to settings by clicking on your user account and selecting General > View Options > Choose Cloud pc’s > Last time connected

Now you should be able to see the last connected time displayed in your cloud pc in the Windows App for iOS.

Demo:

W365: Display Settings available in the Windows App for iOS

Below options are available when you select the display settings in the windows app for iOS.

You can choose the resolution that best fits your iOS mobile from the below options.

When you enable the “Use Home Indicator Area” option, when you click on the home option in the windows app, the remote session is shown at the bottom right side in a small minimised size.

When you click on the orientation option, it shows three options.

• Auto Adjust
• Lock to Landscape 
• Lock to portrait

Auto Adjust:

You can change the orientation to auto adjust when you turn the mobile/tilt if you have the portrait orientation lock off. The display will turn to portrait mode if the mobile device is in portrait position. The display will turn to Landscape mode if the mobile is tilted to landscape position.

Also you can set to lock in either Landscape or Portrait mode even if the default portrait orientation lock is set to off. The screen will be as it is without changing.

Landscape Mode: This is ideal for most tasks, as it mimics the typical desktop monitor layout.

Portrait Mode: This may be useful if you're working with documents or vertical layouts.

Light mode and dark mode:

You can change between light mode and dark mode by following the below steps.

1 Open Windows App.

2 Click your user account picture to open the settings pane.

3 Tap General, then tap Appearance.

4 Tap Light, Dark, or System. The change takes effect immediately.

Demo:

Windows App: Comparison between the WindowsApp for iOS and Windows App Preview for Android

Below is a table of what’s missing and what’s available between the iOS and Android WindowsApp. 

W365: Display Settings in Windows App preview for Android

Below are the settings available when you click on your account and choose the display options. 

You get two options to use the default resolution or match your device resolution. 

When you click on the orientation option, it shows three options.

• Auto Adjust
• Lock to Landscape 
• Lock to portrait

Auto Adjust:

You can change the orientation to auto adjust when you turn the mobile if you have the auto rotation off.

The display will turn to portrait mode if the mobile device is tilted to portrait position. The display will turn to Landscape mode if the mobile is tilted to landscape position.

Also you can set to lock in either Landscape or Portrait mode even if the default auto rotation is set to off.

Landscape Mode: This is ideal for most tasks, as it mimics the typical desktop monitor layout.

Portrait Mode: This may be useful if you're working with documents or vertical layouts.

Recommendation: Stick with landscape mode for most tasks or using an external monitor for casting the screen but switch to portrait mode if you're working with text-heavy applications like Word or Excel.

Also you can set a custom resolution of your choice by selecting the custom option and click save.

You can choose this option if you are using the device to cast the screen in an external monitor that best suits the resolution.

Troubleshooting Common Display Issues

While accessing your Windows 365 Cloud PC on an Android device is usually smooth, you may encounter display issues. Here are some common problems and how to resolve them:

1. Blurry Text or Icons:

   - Adjust the resolution or scaling settings to ensure they are optimised for your device.

   - Switch between different resolutions to find the best balance between clarity and performance.

2. Laggy or Unresponsive Display:

   - Lower the resolution and display  quality settings.

   - Ensure you have a stable internet connection.

3. Parts of the Screen are Cut Off:

   - Enable the match this device option in the display settings.

4. Frequent Disconnections:

   - Try lowering the display settings to reduce the bandwidth load.

   - Use a more stable Wi-Fi connection or connect via Ethernet (if possible )

📲 W365: How to Access Cloud PC in the new Windows app preview for Android

Yesterday, Microsoft had announced the general availability of the new windows app that is supported in Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and web browsers—and in public preview for Android. 

This unified new windows app serves as your secure gateway to connect to Windows across Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft Dev Box, and more.

Download the Windows App preview for Android in Google play here 

Demo:

After opening,  you can add your account and login with your credentials. After that you will be able to see your cloud pc. 

When you open the cloud pc,  you will now be prompted with the redirection options similar to that shown during browser session.  You can enable or disable them. 

After clicking connect,  you will be able to access your cloud pc.

Troubleshooting Common Display Issues:

While accessing your Windows 365 Cloud PC on an Android device is usually smooth, you may encounter display issues. Here are some common problems and how to resolve them:

1. Blurry Text or Icons:

   - Adjust the resolution or scaling settings to ensure they are optimised for your device.

   - Switch between different resolutions to find the best balance between clarity and performance.

2. Laggy or Unresponsive Display:

   - Lower the resolution and display  quality settings.

   - Ensure you have a stable internet connection.

3. Parts of the Screen are Cut Off:

   - Enable the match this device option in the display settings.

4. Frequent Disconnections:

   - Try lowering the display settings to reduce the bandwidth load.

   - Use a more stable Wi-Fi connection or connect via Ethernet (if possible )

So why wait,  go and explore the windows app preview in your Android device📱 🔜

🏅 Award - Microsoft Windows Cloud Champion

 🥁I am very much delighted to share that I have been awarded as #Microsoft Windows Cloud Champion on 20th September 2024🏅

“The Microsoft Windows Cloud Champion badge is awarded to members who have demonstrated their skills and provided in-depth technical knowledge and feedback on Windows Cloud product features.”

#Community #MCCP #Windows365 #W365

View my award 🥇 MCCP Windows Cloud Champion on Credly.

W365 - Remote App will have a new name: Windows app in iOS 📲 and macOS 🖥️

Yesterday, Microsoft had announced the general availability of the new windows app that is supported in Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and web browsers—and in public preview for Android. 

This unified new windows app serves as your secure gateway to connect to Windows across Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft Dev Box, and more.

For iOS 📲 and macOS 💻 new users, you can download the app directly from the AppStore.

For existing users who were accessing Windows 365 cloud pc through the Remote app, they will have the new windows app transition through the in place automatic update. If you open the remote app now to access the cloud pc, you will be notified with the same message like below.

So why wait, go ahead and explore the new Windows App.

W365:Accessing Windows 365 Cloud PC in a Web Browser to Render High Resolution

Imagine you’re working remotely on a high-resolution display, like a 4K or UHD monitor, and need to access your Windows 365 Cloud PC through your web browser. By default, the web client might not fully utilize the native resolution of your physical device, making your Cloud PC appear slightly blurry or less sharp. This is where the High DPI setting comes in handy.

Let’s walk through a scenario where you enable this setting for optimal clarity.

Scenario:

You’ve just connected to your Windows 365 Cloud PC through your web browser to work on a graphic design project. You're using a 4K monitor, and you notice that the display doesn’t seem as sharp as it should be. Text appears slightly fuzzy, and the fine details in your design are not as clear as you'd like them to be.

Instead of struggling with the display, you can easily improve the experience by turning on the High DPI setting. Here’s how:

1.Log in to Windows 365 Cloud PC

Open your preferred web browser and log in to your Windows 365 Cloud PC account.

2. Access the Settings Menu

Once you're connected to your Cloud PC, locate the gear icon (settings menu) at the top-right corner of your screen. Click on it to access the display settings.

3. Enable High DPI 

In the settings menu, look for the High DPI toggle. Simply turn it on. This setting will adjust the display resolution to match your device's native resolution, making use of the higher pixel density available on your monitor.

4. Experience Crisp Display

After enabling High DPI, your Windows 365 Cloud PC will render at the native resolution of your 4K or UHD monitor. You’ll immediately notice the difference: text becomes sharper, images clearer, and your overall experience more precise.

Why Use High DPI?

The High DPI feature is particularly useful for users with high-resolution screens. Without it, the web client might downscale the display resolution, resulting in a less crisp interface. When turned on, this feature optimizes your viewing experience by taking full advantage of your monitor’s capabilities.

This simple adjustment is especially beneficial for tasks that demand visual precision, such as graphic design, video editing, or even reading large amounts of text.

With this feature, you can enjoy a crisp, clear, and efficient experience in web browser when accessing your windows 365 cloud pc, just like you would on a physical PC.

AVD: Can’t connect due to low virtual memory - Solution

Multiple Users started getting the below error while accessing AVD from the Remote Desktop client.

Microsoft has confirmed that it is a known issue and also confirmed that Microsoft's Product Group Team is working on this.

Solution:

1. End all Remote Desktop client Related Tasks from Task Bar and try re-opening again.

2. Install the new Remote Desktop Client App version 1.2.5699(Insider).

W365: Wrong error message when screen capture protection is enabled in Browser is Fixed now

When Screen capture protection is enabled for the windows 365 cloud pc’s and accessed through browsers, it was showing a wrong error message as "you need to enable the screen capture protection", where as it should actually say to disable the screen protection to access cloud pc in the browser session. 

I earlier had raised a Windows 365 cloud pc Feedback request about this bug and also reported in Twitter in their Intune Support Team handle. Thanks to the Microsoft Intune Support Team who have took up this issue and fixed it recently.

Microsoft has fixed the error message with the screen capture protection enabled and accessed through  browsers.

Now, when you access the cloud pc through browsers, it should show you the below error message properly when screen capture  protection is enabled for them.

Thanks once again Microsoft Intune Team 🙏

W365: Fix Latency issue when accessing cloud pc through browsers

 If you are facing any latency issue when accessing the windows 365 cloud pc through browser URL - https://windows365.microsoft.com, the check the below settings to fix the issue.

Option 1:

When you open the cloud pc in bowser, you will be prompted with the below initial screen. click on the show Advanced Settings and turn on the "Use hardware acceleration" option if it has been turned off. By default this will be set to ON only.

Option 2:

After opening the cloud pc through browser, in the top right side check for the gear icon. click the gear icon and select the "Use Hardware acceleration" option. This will improve by decreasing the network latency.

W365: Enable winget inside windows sandbox from windows 365 cloud pc

To enable winget feature inside a windows sandox from the host windows 365 cloud pc, follow the below steps. 

Note: Make sure windows sandbox feature is enabed in add or remove features. If not enable it in add or remove features option or by running the below command in powershell. 

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All -Online

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/windows-sandbox-overview

Open Powershell as normal user and run the below command

"winget configure https://aka.ms/sandbox.dsc.yaml"

This should enable the winget inside the sandbox.

You can verify this by running "winget -v" in powershell inside windows sandbox.

Demo:

W365: New windows App features refresh button & SSO Lock Screen experience

 The latest Windows App version 1.3.278.0 has been released recently which has two important features like the refresh button and the new SSO Lock Screen experience among other features.

What’s new in Windows App:

Refresh Button:

The Refresh button is used to clear the local cache and refresh to pull the new device assignments from the Intune.User can click on the refresh button that can be found next to the device name in the Windows App to manually trigger the refresh and clear the cache.

SSO Lock Screen Experience:

The Latest version now provides an Improved experience for the single sign-on SSO Lock Screen dialogs.

Microsoft have released a new feature that shows the Lock Screen when the session is timed out due to inactivity or screen saver lock when SSO is enabled. Earlier windows 365 used to show the disconnect screen and prompt user for reconnect or cancel. 

More information can be checked about the latest SSO Lock Screen in my previous blog  here

W365 - Configure the session lock behaviour for the cloud Pc when SSO is enabled in Intune

Configure the session lock behaviour for the cloud Pc when SSO is enabled in Intune:

When single sign-on is enabled for the windows 365 provisioning policy and a remote session gets locked due to session inactivity for 15mins or screensaver settings enabled for 15mins then the session will get disconnected, and a notification will appear informing the user of the disconnection and show Reconnect or Ok to disconnect options like below.

Users can then select the Reconnect option from the dialog whenever they are ready to re-establish the session. It will not ask to re-enter the credentials again and will open the session immediately.

This was a known issue and many users were complaining about this - W365 Known Issue

However Microsoft has released a new feature that enables the remote lock screen experience even when SSO is enabled and when the session gets locked due to inactivity or screen saver settings - What's New in W365

PreReq for Win 11:

• Windows 11 single or multi-session with the 2024-05 Cumulative Updates for Windows 11 (KB5037770) or later installed.

Steps to configure the session lock behaviour on session hosts using Intune:

1. Open Microsoft Intune admin center.

2. Select Devices > Manage devices > Configuration > Create > New policy.

3. Select Platform as Windows 10 and later and Profile type as Settings catalog.

4. In Basics, enter the Name and valid Description.

5. In Configuration settings, select Add settings. Then:

   1. In the settings picker, expand Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Security.

   2. Select the Disconnect remote session on lock for Microsoft identity platform authentication setting.

   3. Close the settings picker.

       6. Configure the setting to "Disabled" to show the remote lock screen when the session locks.

      7. Select Next.

      8. Add the Scope tags and Assignments and select Create.

      9. Once the policy configuration is created, the setting will take effect after the session hosts sync              with Intune and users initiate a new session or restart the cloud pc.

Alternatively this can be done using the below registry keys.

Value Data	Description
0	Show the remote lock screen.
1	Disconnect the session.

Enable Screen Lock:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"fdisconnectonlockmicrosoftidentity"=dword:00000000

Disconnect the session:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"fdisconnectonlockmicrosoftidentity"=dword:00000001

PowerShell Scripts:

You can find the automated scripts in my GitHub Repo - Windows365-Scripts/SSO-RemoteLockScreen at main · app2pack/Windows365-Scripts · GitHub

Microsoft recommendation:

Microsoft recommends to use the default disconnect when using the SSO due to its security benefits, which are highly recommended and expected by many customers:

• Consistent sign-in experience through Microsoft Entra ID when needed.
• Single sign-on experience and reconnection without authentication prompt when allowed by conditional access policies.
• Supports passwordless authentication like passkeys and FIDO2 devices, contrary to the remote lock screen.

• The Conditional access policies, including multifactor authentication and sign-in frequency, are re-evaluated when the user reconnects to their session.

• Can require multi-factor authentication to return to the session and prevent users from unlocking with a simple username and password.

Especially, When using the new Remote lock screen it won't re-evaluate Conditional access policies.

So for e.g. if the sign-in frequency has already timed out, it won't be checked again until the user is disconnected but this won't happen when using the default disconnect on lock feature.