NoMicrosoft to Discontinue Remote Desktop App for Windows in Favor of New Unified Windows App on May 27, 2025

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Microsoft to Discontinue Remote Desktop App for Windows in Favor of New Unified Windows App on May 27, 2025
Microsoft has finally confirmed that it will discontinue its Remote Desktop app for Windows, effective from May 27, 2025. The move is a firm step towards a unified and simplified remote access experience, as customers will have to migrate to the new Windows App in order to keep accessing various Microsoft services.
The Windows App offers several benefits compared to the traditional Remote Desktop application. It provides single-box access to multiple Windows services, including Cloud PCs and virtual desktops, from a single interface. This simplifies the management of different remote connections, hence saving time for users. The application also accommodates dynamic display resolutions, multimonitor setups, and personalized home screens, which can improve user experience and productivity.
Perhaps one of the strongest features of the Windows App is its enhanced remote work capabilities. It includes device redirection for webcams, audio devices, storage, and printers, as well as Microsoft Teams optimization. It helps facilitate better collaboration and communication during remote working. Users are also able to switch between multiple accounts seamlessly, and it’s great for users who have several work or school accounts.
The transition affects Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box customers since they will no longer be able to access through the Remote Desktop app from May 27, 2025. For these users, it is crucial to download and familiarize themselves with the Windows App to enjoy uninterrupted access to these services.
For users accessing remote desktops using the Remote Desktop app, Microsoft recommends using Remote Desktop Connection until support for such connections is integrated into the Windows App. Similar to Remote Desktop Services users, they should use RemoteApp and Desktop Connection until the Windows App supports these connections.
IT administrators are at the center of this migration in that they help their organizations prepare. They should encourage users to start migrating to the Windows App and update internal materials such as user guides and admin documentation accordingly. Microsoft also suggests working through known issues and Windows App limitations because these will be addressed in due course.
The demise of the Remote Desktop application doesn’t affect Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Connection tool, which has been included with Windows for decades. The tool will remain available for remote access to devices over the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
The Windows App today only goes to a work or school Microsoft account holder. But over time, Microsoft wants to move Windows entirely into the cloud and perhaps even make personal accounts usable within the Windows App. That’s part of Microsoft’s master plan to make AI-driven services more available and provide complete roaming of individuals’ digital experiences.
In short, Microsoft’s transition from the Remote Desktop app to Windows App is its strategic move towards enhancing remote access capabilities and merging user experience from its virtual and cloud-based platforms. Despite asking users and IT administrators for some compromise, it has the promise of establishing a more inclusive and feature-centric remote work culture.