How to automatically update the Windows Remote Desktop client?

Question

Hi,

We have laotops running Windows 10.

Those laptops are used to connect to Azure Virtual Desktop.

The Windows Remote Desktop client is used to connect to the AVD (Get started with the Windows Desktop client | Microsoft Learn).

Users have no admin rights in the laptops. So far to update the client, we get the notification on the top left of the client window but only an admin can run the update process.

Is there a way ether to allow users to update the client themselves or to automate the update process?

Thanks for the help.

Dominique

Answer 1

Hi,
I'm working on this with Microsoft support. I'll keep you posted when I have more information (in the next couple of days hopefully).

Regards,
Dom

Answer 2

@Anonymous
@Kristof Kuderko
@C Humphreys

I have got the solution for per user install with working automatic updates without administrator privileges! :)

• Create a folder to store Remote Desktop installasjon files (ex \Remote Desktop)
• Download Remote Desktop Client x64 msi
• Create a bat file inside \Remote Desktop\ catalog with the name RemoteDesktopInstall.bat containing this text (change the msi file name according to what you downloaded):

msiexec.exe /i "RemoteDesktop_1.2.2600.0_x64.msi" /qn ALLUSERS=2 MSIINSTALLPERUSER=1

• Create a bat file called "RemoteDesktopUninstall.bat" containing this:

msiexec.exe /i "RemoteDesktop_1.2.2600.0_x64.msi" /x

• Copy "cmd.exe" from your system folder to the same folder as above (\Remote Desktop)
• Launch IntuneWinAppUtil.exe and compress \Remote Desktop\ catalog.
  Choose cmd.exe as setup file
• Navigate to Endpoint Manager -> App -> Win32 and upload the .intunewin file you've created

Install command: cmd.exe /c RemoteDesktop.bat
Uninstall command: cmd.exe /c RemoteDesktopUninstall.bat
Install behavior: User
Device restart..: No specific action

Detection Rules:
File
Path: %localappdata%\programs\remote desktop\
File or folder: msrdc.exe
Detection method: File or folder exists

Assignments:
Assign to "All Users" or a user group

Answer 3

Hi all,
I forgot to answer myself as I got an answer from MS.

We can use Intune for that.

We need to create a new app (LOB) and upload the *.msi file we want to use.
Then we must set the "Ignore app version" to No

By the way, as the installation context is User, make sure you assign the app to users or a group of users only.

Once a computer is enrolled, the upgrade time will be minutes. For computers already enrolled, the upgrade can take up to two days.

When a new version of the app is released, we must upload it again to Intune so that it gets deployed on all enrolled computers.

This is one solution. The other one is to install the client only for the connected user (instead of installing for all users) In this scenario, the installation doesn't require admin rights, and so for the updates.

I tested both a couple of days ago and it worked like a charm.

Thank you everyone for your support and solutions (which I may apply in other scenarios. :-)

Answer 4

@Anonymous

Firstly, apologies for the delay in responding here.

Please refer this guide related to Windows Desktop client for admins.

Here, you have ways explained to automatically update the client.

Hope this helps.

Please 'Accept as answer' if it helped, so that it can help others in the community looking for help on similar topics.

Answer 5

Are there any updates on this?

This exact issue is affecting all Remote Desktop devices within my estate - they cannot auto update as the UAC is prompted requiring elevated privileges regardless of whether updates are specified as a user or computer GPO.