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Microsoft Opens Public Preview of Windows 365 Cloud Apps
Microsoft has made Windows 365 Cloud Apps publicly available in preview, delivering on a feature that allows IT administrators to stream individual Windows applications from the cloud rather than assigning full Cloud PCs to every user.
The company said the move aims to help organizations simplify operations and use resources more efficiently. "Windows 365 Cloud Apps allow administrators to give users access to specific apps delivered from the cloud instead of a full Cloud PC," said Microsoft's Serena Zheng. "This is ideal for organizations that want to streamline app delivery, reduce overhead, and modernize their virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments."
With Cloud Apps running on Windows 365 Frontline in shared mode, a single Cloud PC license allows multiple users to access specific apps one at a time, rather than provisioning a full desktop environment for each user. Microsoft said this model is intended to better serve workforces with varied or intermittent access needs, such as those in retail, healthcare or government, while matching licensing and infrastructure to actual usage.
In terms of user experience, improvements since the private preview include the automatic launch of OneDrive and a new filter in the Windows App interface to help users more easily find cloud-delivered apps. On the administrative side, there are still limitations: custom line-of-business apps currently require custom images to be created in order to be delivered as Cloud Apps. Microsoft has said it plans to streamline this through Intune, allowing IT to publish custom apps as Cloud Apps more directly, with tighter integration into Intune and Autopilot workflows. For IT, Management tasks are handled through Microsoft Intune, and identity and access are governed by Microsoft Entra ID.
The Cloud Apps preview introduces a streamlined option for delivering applications without the overhead of full virtual desktop environments. For IT teams, this model could simplify app distribution, lower infrastructure demands, and reduce the operational complexity of managing traditional desktops. That said, the current requirement for custom images when deploying business applications remains a barrier for some, especially in the absence of broader image management support. The shared mode configuration also limits simultaneous usage, which may not align with every organization’s needs.
Orgs interested in trying the public preview will need Windows 365 Frontline licenses, with Cloud Apps configured to run in shared mode. More info on getting started can be found here.