Replacing Remote Desktop With Windows App for Windows 365

If your business uses Windows 365 Cloud PCs, there has been an important change to the way you should connect to their remote Windows environment. 

As of 27 March 2026, Microsoft no longer supports the Remote Desktop client for Windows (MSI) for public cloud customers, and businesses using Windows 365 are being directed towards Windows App instead.

If your organisation relies on Cloud PCs for remote or hybrid working, this makes moving to Windows App more than a simple software update. Businesses need to make sure users can connect successfully, existing configurations continue to work and their wider Microsoft environment is correctly managed.

At Silver Cloud Technologies, we provide Windows 365 support in London, helping businesses configure, manage and troubleshoot Cloud PCs alongside their wider Microsoft 365 and IT infrastructure.

Why Has Microsoft Replaced the Remote Desktop?

Microsoft is consolidating access to its cloud-based Windows services through Windows App. Rather than maintaining separate applications for different remote desktop services, Windows App provides a central place from which users can access Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Microsoft Dev Box and other supported Windows resources.

The older Remote Desktop client may be familiar to many businesses, but Microsoft ended support for the Windows MSI client on 27 March 2026 in public cloud environments. Continuing to build a Windows 365 setup around unsupported software can create unnecessary compatibility and support problems.

If your business still uses the previous system, now is the time to review how employees access their Windows 365 Cloud PCs and move them onto a supported connection method.

Behind that simple experience, however, there can be considerably more to manage.

Do Businesses Need Help Moving to Windows App?

For a small number of straightforward users, installing Windows App and signing in may be relatively simple. For larger organisations, the migration should be considered as part of their overall Windows 365 management.

Before deployment, businesses should consider questions such as:

• Are all employees currently connecting through supported devices?

• Have Windows App permissions and device redirection requirements been reviewed?

• Are employees using single sign-on correctly?

• Are Conditional Access policies affecting Cloud PC access?

• Are applications and user profiles working as expected?

• Do existing security and endpoint management policies apply to the Cloud PCs?

There are also known differences and limitations between Windows App platforms, so businesses should check their specific environment rather than assuming every previous Remote Desktop workflow will behave identically.

At Silver Cloud Technologies, we can help businesses assess these requirements, deploy Windows App and resolve Windows 365 connection problems that could otherwise disrupt employees.

Windows 365, Intune and Entra ID

A successful Cloud PC environment involves more than simply giving employees remote access.

With Windows 365 Enterprise, Microsoft Intune can be used to manage Cloud PCs, while Microsoft Entra ID provides identity and access controls. Microsoft also supports Conditional Access policies and single sign-on as part of the authentication process.

This allows organisations to apply consistent device and security policies across their workforce, whether an employee is working from the office, from home or elsewhere.

As part of our Windows 365 support services, we can help with Cloud PC provisioning, Intune management, access policies, application deployment and troubleshooting. We can also consider how Windows 365 fits alongside Microsoft 365 services such as Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange and your wider cybersecurity requirements.

What Happens If a Windows 365 Cloud PC Will Not Connect?

Changing client software can expose existing configuration problems.

Someone might install the Windows App only to discover that their Cloud PC is missing, they cannot authenticate or the connection fails. Other problems may relate to application settings, identity configuration, endpoint policies or the local device being used.

Microsoft's own Windows 365 troubleshooting guidance covers issues such as Cloud PCs not appearing and people receiving a “Can't connect to Cloud PC” error.

Rather than treating every problem as an isolated user issue, we look at the wider environment. That might involve checking Microsoft licensing, user accounts, device configuration, Intune policies, Microsoft Entra authentication or network connectivity.

This is where professional Cloud PC support can be particularly valuable for organisations with multiple users.

Supporting Remote and Hybrid Working With Cloud PCs

Windows 365 provides each user with a cloud-hosted Windows environment that can be accessed from different devices, making it particularly useful for remote teams, hybrid workers, contractors and organisations that want greater control over business data.

Moving from Remote Desktop to Windows App is therefore also a useful opportunity to review whether your existing Cloud PC setup is still meeting your business requirements.

At Silver Cloud Technologies, we provide Windows 365 support in London alongside Microsoft 365 support, managed IT services, cloud solutions and cybersecurity expertise. We can help with everything from initial Windows 365 deployment and Cloud PC provisioning to migration, troubleshooting and ongoing management.

If your organisation still relies on the previous Microsoft Remote Desktop client, we can help you move to Windows App and ensure your staff continue to have secure, reliable access to their Windows 365 environment.