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RenamedCompute, Security & InfraAzure

Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) Azure Virtual Desktop

Legacy names Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), Azure RemoteApp

Cloud virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and remote application streaming platform delivering multi-session Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server desktops on Azure and Azure Local.

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Naming timeline

  1. Azure RemoteApp

    · First-Generation Remote App Service

    Reached general availability in December 2014 for streaming Remote Desktop Session Host applications from Azure and was retired on August 31, 2017.

  2. Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD)

    · Worldwide General Availability

    Launched in worldwide general availability on September 30, 2019 as a managed desktop and app virtualization service supporting multi-session Windows 10.

  3. Azure Virtual DesktopCurrent name

    · Service Rebrand

    Rebranded from Windows Virtual Desktop to Azure Virtual Desktop on June 7, 2021 alongside new Microsoft Endpoint Manager integration and remote app streaming pricing.

What is Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) called now?

Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) is now called Azure Virtual Desktop, with the latest change on 7 June 2021 (Service Rebrand). Earlier names covered by this entry also include Azure RemoteApp. Cloud virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and remote application streaming platform delivering multi-session Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server desktops on Azure and Azure Local. Only the customer-facing name changed; the underlying technical identifiers remain backward compatible.

Also known as

  • Windows Virtual Desktop
  • WVD

Technical identifiers

Technical identifiers unchanged. Only the customer-facing product name changed; the APIs, CLI commands, IAM roles and Terraform resources below keep their legacy identifiers for backward compatibility.

ARM Resource Providers (Microsoft.*)Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization/hostPools Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization/applicationGroups Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization/workspaces Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization/scalingPlans
Azure CLI (az) / PowerShellaz desktopvirtualization
Entra ID / Azure RBAC RolesDesktop Virtualization Contributor Desktop Virtualization Host Pool Contributor Desktop Virtualization Workspace Contributor Desktop Virtualization User
Terraform Resources (azurerm_*)azurerm_virtual_desktop_host_pool azurerm_virtual_desktop_application_group azurerm_virtual_desktop_workspace azurerm_virtual_desktop_scaling_plan

The ARM Resource Provider (Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization), CLI (az desktopvirtualization), RBAC roles (Desktop Virtualization *), and Terraform resources (azurerm_virtual_desktop_*) remain unchanged.

Notes & disambiguation

  • Following the retirement of first-generation Azure RemoteApp on August 31, 2017, Microsoft launched Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) in public preview in March 2019 and general availability on September 30, 2019 with exclusive Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session capabilities.
  • On June 7, 2021, Microsoft rebranded Windows Virtual Desktop to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) to reflect an expanded vision as an enterprise cloud VDI and remote app streaming platform integrated with Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Intune, and Azure Local.
  • The Spring 2020 ARM architecture (`Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization/hostPools`, `applicationGroups`, `workspaces`), Azure CLI extension (`az desktopvirtualization`), Azure RBAC roles (`Desktop Virtualization Contributor`, `Desktop Virtualization User`), and Terraform resources (`azurerm_virtual_desktop_*`) remained completely unchanged across the rebrand.

Sources & official documentation

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