Azure Virtual Desktop Client Setup and Configuration Guide

To set up Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll need to download and install the Azure Virtual Desktop client on your device. This client is available for Windows and macOS, and can be downloaded from the Microsoft website.

The Azure Virtual Desktop client is a user-friendly interface that allows you to access and manage your virtual desktops from a single location. You can use it to connect to your virtual desktops, access files and applications, and manage your desktop settings.

To get started with the Azure Virtual Desktop client, you'll need to sign in with your Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) credentials. This will authenticate your identity and grant you access to your virtual desktops.

Once you've signed in, you can use the Azure Virtual Desktop client to connect to your virtual desktops, which can be either Windows or Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session.

To get started with Azure Virtual Desktop Client, you'll need to meet a few basic requirements.

First and foremost, you'll need an active Azure subscription to create and manage Azure Virtual Desktop resources. This will give you access to the necessary tools and features to set up and use the client.

Next, you'll need to have a deployed and configured Azure Virtual Desktop environment with assigned users. This will be the foundation for your Azure Virtual Desktop Client experience.

You'll also need the latest version of the Remote Desktop client installed on your Windows device. This will ensure that you can connect to your Azure Virtual Desktop environment without any issues.

Here's a quick rundown of the prerequisites:

To configure Azure Virtual Desktop, you can use various tools and methods. You can create and configure host pools, application groups, workspaces, assign users, and publish resources using the Azure portal, Azure CLI, PowerShell, and REST API.

For more flexibility, you can publish a full desktop or individual applications from a single host pool, create individual application groups for different sets of users, or even assign users to multiple application groups to reduce the number of images.

You can also use built-in delegated access to assign roles and collect diagnostics to understand various configuration or user errors. This makes it easier to manage your environment and troubleshoot issues.

To configure the Remote Desktop client for Azure Virtual Desktop, you need to install it first. Once installed, you can configure it to connect to your Azure Virtual Desktop environment.

You can connect to your Azure Virtual Desktop after subscribing to your workspace. This will give you access to your virtual desktop environment.

To configure the display settings, go to the profile configurator and navigate to Apps > AVD > AVD Sessions > [session name] > Display. Here, you can edit the settings according to your needs.

The window size setting allows you to specify the width and height of the window, with options including full-screen, work area, and numeric details. You can also choose the monitor on which the session is displayed, either by selecting a specific monitor or allowing the system to automatically select one.

When configuring the display, you may also want to consider the multimonitor full-screen mode setting. This setting is relevant if you have multiple monitors connected to your terminal, and you can choose from options such as global setting, single monitor, multiple monitors, and expand to all monitors.

You can also configure the desktop scaling in percent, with options including automatic scale and numeric details.

Azure Virtual Desktop offers a range of key capabilities, including the ability to create a full desktop virtualization environment without running any gateway servers, flexible configurations to accommodate diverse workloads, and the option to bring your own image for production workloads or test from the Azure Gallery.

Here are some of the key benefits of using Azure Virtual Desktop:

To configure the logon settings, go to the profile configurator and navigate to Apps > AVD > AVD Sessions > [session name] > Logon. Here, you can edit the settings according to your needs, including the username and password for automatic connection to the AVD session.

To configure the Destination Location for Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll need to specify the network locations. This involves creating a CSV file with the necessary information.

For Azure Virtual Desktop network locations, you should configure the Destination Location in the steering configuration. This ensures the proper functioning of the virtual desktop.

You'll need to gather the CSV file to proceed with the configuration. Once you have it, you can configure the Network Location Object through Policies > Network Location.

Here are the specific settings you'll need to configure:

To create a Network Location object, follow the steps outlined in the article.

Configuring printing in Azure Virtual Desktop is a straightforward process. To get started, you'll need to access the profile configurator and navigate to Apps > AVD > AVD Sessions > [session name] > Printing.

In the printing settings, you'll want to configure CUPS printer redirection. This involves mapping your local CUPS printers into the AVD session. To do this, go to CUPS Printing > Printer and map the printer in AVD sessions.

You'll also need to set the printer driver name. This can be done under System > Registry > app > cups_printing > print > cups > printer% > avd_printer_driver. The default Windows driver name is "Microsoft PS Class Driver", which is usually installed by default and works generically.

If you're using a custom printer driver, make sure it's installed on the AVD server side and enter the exact name of the driver. This ensures that your custom printer is properly configured in the AVD session.

Here's a quick rundown of the default Windows driver name and the process for custom drivers: