Microsoft has made Windows Virtual Desktop generally available worldwide.

Windows Virtual Desktop is a service that delivers simplified management, a multi-session Windows 10 experience, optimizations for Office 365 ProPlus, and support for Windows Server Remote Desktop Services (RDS) desktops and apps. With Windows Virtual Desktop, you can quickly deploy and scale your Windows desktops and apps on Azure.

Microsoft announced Windows Virtual Desktop last September, and through the public preview announced in March, the service has been piloted. In addition, the Windows Virtual Desktop client is available across Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and HTML 5.

With the end of extended support for Windows 7 coming in January 2020, some may need to continue to support Windows 7 legacy applications as they migrate to Windows 10. To support this need, you can use Windows Virtual Desktop to virtualize Windows 7 desktops with free Extended Security Updates (ESU) until January 2023.

In July, Microsoft made the FSLogix technology available to Microsoft 365, Windows 10 Enterprise, and RDS customers. Today, all FSLogix tools are fully integrated into Windows Virtual Desktop, enabling you to have smooth Office virtualization experience.

In addition to architectural improvements for deployment and management, Microsoft is also simplifying app delivery by supporting MSIX packaged apps to be dynamically “attached” to a virtual machine instead of installing it permanently. This decreases storage and makes it easier for the admin to manage and update the apps, while creating a seamless experience for the user.

Microsoft also worked closely with partners such as Citrix and VmMware. Starting today, Citrix can extend Windows Virtual Desktop worldwide, including support for Windows 10 multi-session, Windows 7 with free Extended Security Updates for up to three years, and support for Windows Server 2008 R2 with free Extended Security Updates on Azure.

Later this year, VMware Horizon Cloud on Microsoft Azure will extend Windows Virtual Desktop and its benefits, such as Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session and support for Windows 7 with free Extended Security Updates for up to three years. Preview will be available by the end of the calendar year.