RemoteApp enhancements (preview)

Upcoming enhancements to Azure Virtual Desktop RemoteApps and Windows 365 Cloud Apps include improved support for Windows Snap and full-screen mode, better multi-monitor handling, and refined visuals like borders, shadows, and theme integration. This article shows you how to enable these upcoming enhancements for testing during public preview.

During public preview, these enhancements will be rolled out in the validation environment and no longer need to be manually enabled in the validation environment. Once these enhancements become generally available (GA), they'll be enabled by default on supported systems.

Prerequisites

In order to enable these enhancements during public preview, you need the following things:

Enable RemoteApp enhancements (preview)

Enhancements are enabled by default for host pools deployed in the validation environment as part of a staged rollout at 75% chance. Host pools deployed in the production environment continue to use the existing experience by default. Administrators can manually opt in by setting the registry value to 1, or opt out in the validation environment by setting the registry value to 0.

  1. Set the following registry value on the session hosts or Cloud PCs:

    • Key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
    • Type: REG_DWORD
    • Value name: EnableRemoteAppV2
    • Value data: 1

    If you're enabling these enhancements for Windows 365 Cloud Apps, you can deploy this registry value to Cloud PCs using Remediations in Intune.

  2. Ensure that you haven't disabled either of these Group Policies on the session hosts or Cloud PCs:

    • Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Remote Session Environment > Use advanced RemoteFX graphics for RemoteApp

    • Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Remote Session Environment > Enable enhanced shell experience for RemoteApp

  3. Reboot the session hosts or Cloud PCs.

Verify RemoteApp enhancements are working

Once you enable these enhancements, connect to a RemoteApp or Cloud App from a local device, and check that the enhancements are working. You can verify that the remote session type is correct using the Connection Information dialog from Windows App or the Remote Desktop app.

  1. Using a supported client (see Prerequisites), connect to a published RemoteApp or Cloud App.

  2. Open the Connection Information dialog box:

    • Using Windows App: Press Ctrl-Alt-End to bring up the Windows Security dialog box, then right-click its title bar and select Connection information.
    • Using the Remote Desktop client: Right-click the Remote Desktop icon in the system tray, hover over the menu entry for your active connection, and select Connection information.

  3. In the Connection Information dialog box, select See details.

  4. Check the "Remote session type" value:

    • If "Remote session type" has a value of RemoteAppV2, then the RemoteApp enhancements are working.
    • If "Remote session type" has any other value, then the RemoteApp enhancements aren't working. Check that your client and host meet all the prerequisites, and check that you've correctly set the enablement registry value on the host.

Known issues and limitations

  • Certain RemoteApp enhancements aren't applied to Microsoft Edge and Chrome.
  • Attempting to narrow a RemoteApp window that is already at minimum width sometimes moves the window instead.
  • Closing a RemoteApp window sometimes changes the foreground window.
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