Microsoft has introduced a new feature in May 2025, that enhances the usability and efficiency of Azure Virtual Desktop (short AVD) and Windows 365 (short W365). Users can now connect directly to their virtual desktops and applications using an Azure Virtual Desktop direct launch URL. This innovative feature aims to simplify the access process, making it more streamlined and user-friendly. Moreover, organizations can now publish these direct links via Intune, allowing seamless access without the need to sign in to the Windows App via a browser. In this blog post, we’ll explore what this change means and how you can leverage it to improve your virtual desktop experience. Windows 365 won’t be covered in this blog post, though.
What is a Direct Launch URL?
An Azure Virtual Desktop direct launch URL is a specific link that allows you to open a virtual desktop or a RemoteApp in a web browser and connect directly to it without needing to select it from the Windows App. This means you can bypass the usual user interface interactions in a web browser, making the process quicker and more efficient.
Example: https://windows365.microsoft.com/webclient/avd/<workspaceID>/<resourceID>
Why This Update Matters
The introduction of direct launch URLs presents a few key advantages:
- Streamlined Access: Users can directly access their assigned desktops or RemoteApps via a specific URL, reducing the time and steps involved in navigating to their resources.
- Improved Efficiency: This feature is particularly useful for organizations and IT administrators who wish to provide employees with quick access to frequently used applications or desktops.
- Enhanced User Experience: By removing the need to interact with the Windows App UI, users can enjoy a more seamless and less cluttered experience.
How to Get Started with Direct Launch URLs
To make the most of this new feature, there are several prerequisites and steps involved. Here’s a breakdown:
- Ensure you have a supported web browser to use with Windows App.
- The desktop or RemoteApp you define in the URL must be assigned to the user.
- You can use Azure PowerShell to retrieve the necessary values for creating the URL.
- If you want to use Azure PowerShell locally, ensure you have the Az.DesktopVirtualization PowerShell module installed. Alternatively, you can use the Azure Cloud Shell.
Steps to Create and Use a Direct Launch URL
- Retrieve workspace and resource IDs:
- Open Azure Cloud Shell in the Azure portal with the PowerShell terminal type, or run PowerShell on your local device.
- Set your Azure context to the appropriate subscription, in which your virtual desktop environment runs.
- Commands for obtaining object IDs:
- Workspace Object ID:
- Desktop Object ID:
- RemoteApp Object ID:
- Workspace Object ID:
- Constructing the URL:
- Once you have both the workspace and resource IDs, compose the URL as follows:
https://windows365.microsoft.com/webclient/avd/<workspaceID>/<resourceID>
- Replace
<workspaceID>and<resourceID>with the values obtained from the above PowerShell commands.
- Once you have both the workspace and resource IDs, compose the URL as follows:
- Connecting to the Resource:
- Open the constructed URL in a supported web browser to launch the desktop or RemoteApp directly.
- Open the constructed URL in a supported web browser to launch the desktop or RemoteApp directly.
Conclusion
The ability to connect to Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 resources using direct launch URLs marks a significant step forward in simplifying remote access. By reducing the steps involved and improving the overall user experience, Microsoft has delivered a powerful tool for enhancing productivity and efficiency. Whether you’re an IT administrator or an end-user, this new feature is set to make your virtual desktop experience more intuitive and streamlined.
Additional Resources
Learn more about the new feature or the direct launch URLs for W365 in the Microsoft Learn docs – Access desktops and apps using direct launch URLs for Windows App in a web browser