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Study guide for Exam AZ-140: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop

Purpose of this document

This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.

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Updates to the exam

Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.

We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. While Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.

Note

The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.

Note

Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.

Skills measured as of July 21, 2025

Audience profile

As a candidate for this exam, you should be a server or desktop administrator with subject matter expertise in designing, implementing, managing, and maintaining Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop experiences and remote apps for any device.

To deliver these experiences, you should work closely with:

  • Azure administrators

  • Azure architects

  • Microsoft 365 administrators

  • Azure security engineers

  • Azure Local administrators

You should have experience with Azure technologies, including:

  • Compute

  • Networking

  • Identity

  • Storage

  • Resiliency

You should be able to manage end-user desktop environments, including delivering applications and configuring user settings. You should use the Azure portal, templates, scripting, and command-line tools to manage an Azure Virtual Desktop deployment.

Skills at a glance

  • Plan and implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure (40–45%)

  • Plan and implement identity and security (15–20%)

  • Plan and implement user environments and apps (20–25%)

  • Monitor and maintain an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure (10–15%)

Plan and implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure (40–45%)

Plan, implement, and manage networking for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Assess network capacity and speed requirements for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Design network configuration for session hosts to meet requirements for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Plan and implement Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Shortpath and quality of service (QoS) policies

  • Plan and implement an Azure Private Link solution for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Monitor and troubleshoot network connectivity

Plan and implement storage for Azure Virtual Desktop user data

  • Plan storage for Azure Virtual Desktop user data

  • Implement storage for FSLogix components

  • Implement storage accounts for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Implement file shares for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Implement Azure NetApp Files for Azure Virtual Desktop

Plan host pools and session hosts

  • Recommend resource groups, subscriptions, and management groups for Azure Virtual Desktop resources

  • Recommend an operating system (OS) for Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts

  • Recommend an appropriate licensing model for Azure Virtual Desktop based on requirements

  • Plan a host pool architecture

  • Design an Azure Virtual Desktop configuration for performance requirements

  • Design an Azure Virtual Desktop configuration for Azure Virtual Machines capacity requirements

Implement host pools and session hosts

  • Create host pools and session hosts by using the Azure portal

  • Automate creation of Azure Virtual Desktop hosts and host pools by using PowerShell, Azure CLI, Azure Resource Manager templates (ARM templates), and Bicep files

  • Configure host pool and session host settings

  • Apply a Windows client or Windows Server license to a session host

Create and manage session host images

  • Create an image manually

  • Create an image by using Azure virtual machine Image Builder

  • Modify an image

  • Plan and implement lifecycle management for images

  • Apply OS and application updates to an image

  • Create a session host by using a custom image

  • Plan and implement image storage, including Azure compute gallery

Plan and implement identity and security (15–20%)

Plan and implement identity integration

  • Select an identity scenario for Azure Virtual Desktop, including Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), Microsoft Entra ID, and Microsoft Entra Domain Services

  • Specify requirements to configure the Azure Virtual Desktop session host for an identity scenario

  • Plan and implement Azure roles and role-based access control (RBAC) for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Plan and implement Conditional Access policies for connections to Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Plan and implement authentication options in Azure Virtual Desktop, including passwordless, smart card, and multifactor authentication

  • Manage roles, groups, and rights assignments on Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts

  • Configure single sign-on

Plan and implement security

  • Plan, implement, and manage security for Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud

  • Configure session host protection by using Microsoft Defender Antivirus

  • Configure session host protection by using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, including onboarding and scanning options

  • Implement and manage network security for connections to Azure Virtual Desktop, including user defined routes (UDRs), network security groups (NSGs), and Azure Firewall

  • Configure Azure Bastion or just-in-time (JIT) for administrative access to session hosts

  • Plan and implement Windows threat protection features on Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts, including Windows Defender Application Control and Controlled Folder Access

  • Plan for and implement Confidential VM and Trusted Launch security features for Azure Virtual Desktop session host provisioning

Plan and implement user environments and apps (20–25%)

Plan and implement FSLogix

  • Recommend FSLogix configuration

  • Configure FSLogix Profile Containers

  • Configure FSLogix Office Containers

  • Configure FSLogix Cloud Cache

  • Implement FSLogix application masking

Plan and implement user experience and client settings

  • Choose an Azure Virtual Desktop client

  • Choose a deployment method for the client

  • Deploy and troubleshoot Azure Virtual Desktop clients

  • Configure device redirection

  • Configure multimedia redirection

  • Configure printing and Universal Print

  • Configure user settings through Microsoft Intune policies or Group Policy

  • Configure Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) properties on a host pool

  • Configure session timeout properties

  • Implement the Start Virtual Machine on Connect feature

  • Assign and unassign personal desktops to users

Install and configure apps on a session host

  • Choose a method for deploying an app to Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Create and configure an application group

  • Assign users to application groups

  • Publish an application as a RemoteApp

  • Implement and manage Microsoft 365 apps on Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts

  • Implement and manage OneDrive, including multisession environments

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Teams, including the Remote Desktop WebRTC Redirector Service

  • Implement and manage browsers for Azure Virtual Desktop sessions

  • Configure dynamic application delivery by using app attach

  • Create an application package for app attach

Monitor and maintain an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure (10–15%)

Monitor and manage Azure Virtual Desktop services

  • Configure log collection and analysis for Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts

  • Monitor Azure Virtual Desktop by using Azure Monitor

  • Customize Azure Monitor workbooks for Azure Virtual Desktop Insights

  • Optimize session host capacity and performance

  • Implement autoscaling in host pools

  • Monitor and manage active sessions and application groups

Plan and implement updates, backups, and disaster recovery

  • Recommend an update strategy for session hosts

  • Plan and implement a disaster recovery plan for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Plan for multi-region implementation

  • Design and implement a backup strategy for Azure Virtual Desktop

  • Configure backup and restore for FSLogix user profiles, personal virtual desktop infrastructures (VDIs), and images

Study resources

We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.

Study resources Links to learning and documentation
Get trained Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an instructor-led course
Find documentation Azure documentation
Azure Virtual Desktop documentation
FSLogix configuration examples
Azure Virtual Desktop FSLogix profile containers files
Ask a question Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs
Get community support Azure Community Support
Follow Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community
Find a video Exam Readiness Zone
Azure Fridays
Browse other Microsoft Learn shows

Change log

The table below summarizes the changes between the current and previous version of the skills measured. The functional groups are in bold typeface followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the previous and current version of the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.

Skill area prior to July 21, 2025 Skill area as of July 21, 2025 Change
Plan and implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure Plan and implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure No change
Implement host pools and session hosts Implement host pools and session hosts Minor
Plan and implement user environments and apps Plan and implement user environments and apps No change
Plan and implement user experience and client settings Plan and implement user experience and client settings Minor
Install and configure apps on a session host Install and configure apps on a session host Minor