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AVD - Display Issues

Cleon Russell 45 Reputation points
2026-04-10T09:47:46.82+00:00

Hello Microsoft Support,

We are currently investigating an issue affecting several users when connecting to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) via the Windows App. The symptoms include:

Blank or partially rendered desktop

Frozen or unresponsive session window

Display distortion or unstable rendering

Screen elements not drawing correctly until reconnect

Before we proceed further, could you please confirm whether Microsoft currently has any known or open issues related to:

Display, rendering, or refresh‑rate behaviour when using the Windows App for AVD

Login or session‑initialisation problems where the Windows App launches but the desktop does not draw correctly

Any recent Windows Updates or KB releases (e.g., from January 2026 onward) that may impact AVD display performance or the Windows App rendering pipeline

Additionally, if there are any workarounds, mitigations, or known issue rollbacks (KIR) available, we would appreciate guidance so we can implement the correct remediation steps.

Thank you,

Cleon

Windows for business | Windows Client for IT Pros | User experience | Remote desktop services and terminal services
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  1. Quinnie Quoc 10,560 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-10T10:31:36.9066667+00:00

    Dear Cleon Russell,

    Microsoft confirmed that KB5074109 (January 13, 2026) introduced regressions in the Remote Desktop credential handling pipeline. This has led to AVD sessions failing to render correctly, including blank or partially drawn desktops, frozen windows, and display distortions. These issues are reproducible on Windows 10 and Windows 11 enterprise clients using the Windows App for AVD.

    Impacted Areas

    • Display rendering and refresh rate: Users report unstable drawing and distortion until reconnect.
    • Session initialization: The Windows App launches but fails to properly authenticate or render the desktop.
    • Recent updates: KB5074109 is the primary trigger, with reports of black screens and freezes tied to GPU drivers as well.

    Workarounds and Mitigations

    • Known Issue Rollback (KIR) has been pushed to managed fleets to automatically mitigate the regression.
    • Uninstalling KB5074109 is a last‑resort option if KIR does not apply in your environment.
    • Alternative clients: The classic Remote Desktop client or the AVD web client can be used temporarily to bypass the rendering failures.

    This is my recommendation, If your environment is affected, confirm whether KB5074109 is installed on client machines. If so, ensure that the KIR policy has applied, or temporarily roll back the update until Microsoft’s permanent fix is released. For production workloads, pilot testing with the web client or classic Remote Desktop client is advisable to maintain availability while monitoring for the official patch.

    In summary, the issue is already recognized by Microsoft, tied to KB5074109, and mitigations are available through KIR or by using alternative connection methods until the out‑of‑band fix is published.

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  1. Q&A Assist
    2026-04-10T09:48:11.4466667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    There are currently documented known issues that can affect Azure Virtual Desktop sessions and the Windows App experience, but the context only covers issues up to late 2024 and does not list any KBs from January 2026 onward.

    From the available information, the following known issues are relevant:

    1. Black screen / desktop not drawing correctly on AVD (multi‑session hosts)
      For Windows 10, version 22H2 multi‑session hosts, a subset of AVD customers who installed Windows Updates released between July 23, 2024 (KB5040525) and October 8, 2024 (KB5044273) can see:
      • Extended 10–30 minute black screen after logon.
      • Office apps (Outlook, Teams) SSO failures.
      These symptoms are tied to a known issue documented in KB5048864 and Windows release health.
      Mitigation/Resolution (per KB5048864 and related KBs):
      • Install the Windows 10, version 22H2 update released on or after October 22, 2024 (KB5045594) on affected AVD session hosts.
      • Apply one of the resolution options described in KB5048864.
      • For environments that installed KB5040525, KB5041582, or other affected updates, both actions are required:
        • Install KB5045594 (or later cumulative update for that branch).
        • Apply one of the options in KB5048864.
    2. Black screen and inability to log out after installing specific 2024 updates
      After installing certain Windows 10 22H2 preview updates (for example, KB5040525 and KB5041582), AVD users might experience:
      • Black screen when logging into AVD.
      • Inability to log out; black screen persists after disconnect/reconnect.
      • Application event log shows Event ID 1000 for svchost.exe_AppXSvc.
      • Start menu may close unexpectedly due to AppX registration issues.
      Mitigation/Resolution:
      • Install the Windows updates released October 22, 2024 (KB5045594) or later.
      • Then apply one of the options in the Resolution section of KB5048864.
      • Both steps are required to fully resolve the issue.
    3. Windows App / web client limitations affecting AVD connectivity and feed
      The Windows App has documented known issues and limitations:
      • For Windows App on Windows, resetting user data must be done via Windows Settings (Reset/Repair MSIX apps), not via the app UI.
      • Connecting to Azure Germany and Azure Virtual Desktop (Classic) is not supported.
      • For the new web client (windows.cloud.microsoft) specifically, there is a documented limitation where feed discovery or workspace access can fail (HTTP 500) when the Workspace is configured for private access only. This is listed as a product limitation for Windows App/web.
      While this limitation is primarily about feed discovery and workspace access, not rendering, it can present as the client launching but failing to proceed correctly when using certain network configurations.
    4. General AVD client troubleshooting and escalation
      For issues where the Remote Desktop client (including Windows App) malfunctions on start or sessions do not display correctly, the documented guidance is:
      • Use the “Troubleshoot the Remote Desktop client” guidance for Azure Virtual Desktop clients.
      • If that does not resolve the issue, open an Azure support request, selecting:
        • Service: Azure Virtual Desktop
        • Problem type: Remote Desktop clients
      For responsiveness or app‑specific issues inside the session, the guidance is to contact the team responsible for the affected application.
    5. No documented 2026 KBs in the provided context
      The only 2026‑dated KB in the context (KB5085516) relates to Microsoft account sign‑in issues in some apps, not AVD display or Windows App rendering. There is no information in the provided material about January 2026 or later updates impacting AVD display performance or the Windows App rendering pipeline.

    Given the above, for the symptoms described (blank or partially rendered desktop, frozen/unresponsive session window, display distortion, or screen elements not drawing until reconnect), the directly documented AVD‑specific display issue is the black‑screen/desktop‑not‑drawing scenario tied to Windows 10 22H2 multi‑session hosts and the July–October 2024 updates, resolved by KB5045594 plus the KB5048864 options.

    If the environment matches that platform and update window, recommended remediation is:

    1. Verify whether affected AVD session hosts are running Windows 10, version 22H2 multi‑session and have any of the July–October 2024 updates (such as KB5040525 or KB5041582) installed.
    2. Install the Windows 10, version 22H2 update released on or after October 22, 2024 (KB5045594) on those hosts.
    3. Apply one of the resolution options in KB5048864.
    4. If issues persist or the environment does not match the above, follow the Azure Virtual Desktop client troubleshooting guidance and open an Azure support request under the “Remote Desktop clients” problem type for deeper investigation.

    References:

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