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Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid extends cloud-native desktop virtualization to existing on-premises infrastructure. The Azure Virtual Desktop service remains in Azure while applications and desktops are hosted on-premises. Session hosts must be Azure Arc-enabled. The Azure Arc extension installs the AVD components and registers the device with a host pool.
How it works
Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid uses Azure Arc to deploy AVD components and register your on-premises machines with Azure Virtual Desktop in Azure.
At a high level:
You deploy a Windows virtual machine or headless physical device on your on-premises infrastructure.
You install the Azure Arc connected machine agent on the machine, which registers it with Azure as an Arc-enabled server.
You run the Azure Virtual Desktop Arc extension on the Arc-enabled machine. The extension installs the AVD software and registers the machine with Azure Virtual Desktop.
Users connect to the session host using Windows App, the same way they connect to any Azure Virtual Desktop session host.
Microsoft manages the Azure Virtual Desktop service in Azure. You manage the on-premises machines, networking, and hosting infrastructure.
Key capabilities
Cloud-managed service: Microsoft hosts and manages the Azure Virtual Desktop service in Azure. You control and maintain the on-premises session hosts.
Use your existing infrastructure: Use your current datacenter resources to host virtual desktops and remote apps. You can run Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts on your preferred on-premises hypervisor that supports Windows virtual machines.
Consistent user experience: Windows App provides a consistent user experience across Azure Virtual Desktop, Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid, and Windows 365.
Supported operating systems and licensing
Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid supports the following operating systems. Licensing consists of user entitlement and Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid service user license.
Operating system support and user entitlement
Users must be licensed for a supported operating system to access Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid.
| Operating System | Licensing method | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2025 Windows Server 2022 Windows Server 2019 Windows Server 2016 |
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) Client Access License (CAL) with Software Assurance (per-user or per-device) RDS User Subscription Licenses. |
Supported on virtual machines and headless physical servers. |
| Windows 11 Enterprise Windows 10 Enterprise |
Microsoft 365 E3, E5, A3, A5, F3, Business Premium, Student Use Benefit Windows Enterprise E3, E5 Windows Education A3, A5 Windows VDA per user Per-user access pricing by enrolling an Azure subscription. (External commercial purposes only) |
Supported on virtual machines. Physical devices are only supported when used as dedicated, headless session hosts (rack-mounted or similar). Laptops and personal PCs aren't supported. |
| Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session |
Not supported on Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid. | Not Supported |
Session host deployment and power management
Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid doesn't provision or manage virtual machine state, so the following capabilities aren't supported:
- Power management
- Autoscale
- Start VM on Connect
- Session Host Configuration
Organizations are responsible for deploying and managing their on-premises session hosts using hypervisor tools, scripts, partner solutions, or other tools.