We need 10 AVD multi-session VMs set up and are trying to allow 25 users to access them via the web client. Users are getting login failures (not unlicensed errors).I want to know Whether individual user licenses are mandatory.

Question

We need 10 AVD multi-session VMs set up and are trying to allow 25 users to access them via the web client. Users are getting login failures (not unlicensed errors). We want to know:

• Whether individual user licenses are mandatory even for web-based multi-user VDI access.
• Is there any supported configuration where login can occur without per-user licensing?
• How to diagnose whether login failure is due to licensing or assignment.

Answer 1

Hello Nirmal,

Yes, individual user licenses are absolutely mandatory for accessing Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), even when users connect through the web client and even if you are using multi-session virtual machines. This requirement is not waived based on the connection method or session configuration. As per the official Microsoft documentation, “Each user must be licensed with a qualifying license to access Azure Virtual Desktop.” You can refer to this directly in the Microsoft Learn article here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/overview#licensing.

Valid licenses include Microsoft 365 E3/E5/A3/A5, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise E3/E5 (with Microsoft Entra ID), and RDS CAL with active Software Assurance (for hybrid use rights). There is no supported configuration in native AVD that allows access without assigning a valid per-user license. This applies to both pooled (multi-session) and personal (single-session) virtual desktops.

In addition to licensing, users must also be assigned to an appropriate Application Group in Azure Virtual Desktop. Simply assigning a license does not enable login access. Users must be added to either a Desktop Application Group or a RemoteApp Application Group that is associated with the host pool. This is confirmed in the official Microsoft documentation, which states: “Users are assigned to application groups. When a user is assigned to an application group, they can access all the applications in that group.” You can refer to this here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/publish-applications-stream-remoteapp?tabs=portal#assign-applications-to-users.

To diagnose the login failures you're encountering, I recommend the following:

First, verify that all 25 users have been assigned one of the eligible AVD licenses. You can check and assign licenses in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center by navigating to Users > Active Users > select a user > Licenses and Apps tab. The complete licensing assignment guide is available here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/assign-licenses-to-users?view=o365-worldwide.

Next, go to the Azure portal and check the Application Group assignment. Navigate to Azure Virtual Desktop > Application Groups > select the appropriate group (such as the Desktop Application Group) > Assignments, and ensure that the users are listed there. If they are not assigned, they will not be able to log in, even if they have a valid license.

You may also review Entra ID sign-in logs (Microsoft Entra ID > Monitoring > Sign-in logs) to check for specific error codes that can provide further insight. While the previous AVD troubleshooting link is no longer available, for connection-related diagnostics you can now refer to: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/analyze-connection-quality.

In summary, each user requires a valid AVD license and must be explicitly assigned to an AVD Application Group associated with the correct host pool. Without both the license and the assignment, login will fail. There is no supported native configuration in AVD that bypasses these requirements.

Hope I was able to clear your query here. Thanks