Microsoft announced on October 7 that remote PC connections are now generally available in Windows App on Windows. Users can access physical or virtual Windows PCs from a Windows machine through a single app, alongside Windows 365 Cloud PCs, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box resources. It is the final step in Windows App's complete replacement of the Microsoft Store Remote Desktop app.
Windows App brings remote Windows devices and applications into a single interface: physical PCs, virtual machines, Windows 365 Cloud PCs, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box can all be reached from one place. Microsoft positions Windows App as "a unified gateway to Windows," with clients spanning Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web browsers, and even Meta Quest headsets. According to Help Net Security, Windows users no longer need to switch apps just to reach a remote PC — remote PC connections on Windows had long lingered in preview, while macOS, iOS, Android, and the web version supported them long ago.
The migration began when Windows App debuted in November 2023 and officially launched in September 2024. On May 27, 2025, the Microsoft Store Remote Desktop app lost support and was removed from the store; from September 30, 2025, the old app could no longer connect to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, or Dev Box at all. Microsoft's documentation also notes that the MSI-based Remote Desktop client has not been supported in public cloud environments since March 27, 2026. The old road is closed — Windows App is the only way forward.
According to Microsoft's product team, Windows App is more than a bundle of entry points: a customizable home screen, multi-monitor support, dynamic display resolutions, USB redirection (peripherals like webcams and printers pass through), Microsoft Teams optimizations, and easy account switching via Microsoft Entra ID. Hilary Braun, senior product manager for Windows 365, has said Windows App is meant to deliver "a unified experience" so people can "connect to the Windows experience they know and love from any device." In February 2026, direct RDP connections also entered public preview in Windows App.
For IT administrators, a single entry point means security policies and device management can be pushed from one place instead of maintaining separate clients for Cloud PCs, virtual desktops, and physical machines. PCWorld has previously noted security capabilities such as multi-factor authentication and relayed RDP Shortpath; Neowin added that Windows App supports data loss prevention policies on Windows resources accessed through Android and iOS via Microsoft Intune mobile application management, plus keyboard input protection against keystroke-based attacks. Some longtime users have grumbled that Windows App felt rougher than its predecessor at launch (gHacks once called it "an app that is liked even less"). With remote PC connections now GA on Windows, the last gap is closed — Microsoft's unification of remote connectivity is essentially complete.