Let’s begin with a brief history lesson. In 1985, Microsoft had a vision of “a computer on every desk in every home.” At the time, this seemed like an impossible feat, but now we know better. Windows has evolved over time, and since the ‘90s, its Operating Systems (OSs) have been accessible remotely. In 1994, Microsoft introduced the Remote Desktop Protocol 4.0 (RDP 4.0) in Windows NT 4.0, revolutionizing the way IT administrators managed servers remotely.

This allowed us to connect to server OS without physically being in front of them. A year later, Windows NT introduced the UI that gave us the Start menu and taskbar, which are still used by billions of users today.

Windows virtualization continued to evolve with the introduction of Remote Desktop Services (RDS). However, this still required a control plane that included a web server, gateway, and broker, along with the session host for user sessions. This model continued until the launch of Microsoft Azure in 2012, which brought new opportunities such as hosting RDS on Azure via Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

This led to the control plane becoming a cloud-based service, called Windows Virtual Desktop (now Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)), as well as the acquisition of FSLogix in 2018. As the virtualization and cloud industry evolved, virtualization-specific skills became standard in every business. As applications shifted to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models, becoming easier to buy as a subscription model, easy to maintain, and scalable, cloud virtualization lagged in simplicity. Virtualization needed something completely turnkey, like the transition from Office to Office 365.

Thus, Windows 365 was created as a new vision for the future of Windows, a cloud service with Cloud PCs as the endpoint managed by Microsoft—a new revolution. The release of Windows 365 and AVD was key, positioning Microsoft as a leader in virtualization, recognized by Gartner in their 2023 Magic Quadrant for Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS)—after just 4.5 years with AVD and 2.5 years with Windows 365.

Windows 365 sparked a computing revolution, moving PCs to the cloud while maintaining “like-local” experiences, manageable via Microsoft Intune without needing specialized skills. This principle guides Windows 365’s latest end user experience features, like Boot and Switch, allowing anyone familiar with Windows to log on effortlessly, unlike traditional Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), which often requires manuals and assistance.

We also want to welcome everyone to the new era of AI. Returning to Microsoft’s early vision of “a computer on every desk,” the innovation around Client + Cloud + AI will continue to revolutionize our Windows experiences. End users and IT pros will leverage new tools that accelerate the productivity and creativity of users.

Microsoft Copilot will join Windows, and as a result, Windows, the Cloud, and AI will come together. We are entering a new era where Cloud and client converge, and hardware will no longer be a barrier to end user experience—offering endless possibilities with the next generation of Copilot+ PCs and Cloud computing. Enjoy the ride, as we are just getting started.

This book supports anyone’s journey to Windows in the Cloud.

Christiaan, Sandeep, and Morten

Windows 365 is the world’s first Cloud PC service that’s designed for your hybrid work needs. Windows 365 is a premium cloud service from Microsoft that securely streams your personalized Windows desktop, apps, and content from the Microsoft Cloud (Microsoft Azure) to any device, anywhere. It is a revolutionary technology where both the IT admin and end user experiences are fundamentally different from traditional VDI and Cloud VDI. It combines the best from Windows, Azure, and Microsoft 365 to deliver simplified IT and modern end user experiences—providing an easy onramp for both existing and new customers.

A Cloud PC is an end user’s own personal computer in the cloud that’s optimized, scalable, and high availability, with a familiar Windows desktop experience. It’s hosted in the Windows 365 service and is accessible from anywhere, on any device. With a Cloud PC, Windows evolves from a device-based OS to hybrid personalized computing. The evolution of Windows into a hybrid local and cloud OS brings new possibilities to organizations of all sizes. With Windows 365, Windows becomes a hybrid local OS and cloud OS. Organizations can choose whether a PC, with its locally installed OS, or a Cloud PC, with its cloud-based OS, is the best fit for a particular user or role in an organization. In some cases, a user may benefit from having both a local and cloud OS and choosing the right one for each job.

Windows 365 is for organizations of all sizes that need highly secure and agile hybrid work solutions. These are valuable for elastic workforces, distributed employees, and specialized workloads that require versatile compute and storage capabilities, accessible on any device. IT administrators can swiftly scale and resize Cloud PCs to meet the changing needs of their users to have the compute power and storage they need, with predictable costs. Hybrid work use cases that can be supported effectively with Windows 365 include:

• Data access and security across devices/locations
• High-capacity computing
• Bring Your Own PC (BYOPC) environments
• Disaster preparedness and recovery
• Temporary workforces
• Mergers and acquisitions

Let’s now jump into the differences between Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop in more detail.

Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop

We still receive many questions from customers about the differences between Windows 365 and AVD. Windows 365 and AVD are both powerful tools, but they cater to different needs and scenarios. They can be used as a better solution together if, for example, there’s a need for remote apps and Cloud PCs.

We recommend shooting for the North Star solution, which is Windows 365, and working backward. Let’s explain the differences in more detail.

Windows 365 is designed for simplicity, allowing users to leverage the benefits of personalized Cloud PCs without requiring expertise in VDI or Azure. It employs a predictable pricing model that charges per user, per month, making cost management straightforward. Windows 365 is an excellent choice for customers who do not have a significant investment in VDI, lack virtualization expertise/resources, or who wish to streamline their VDI and prefer a fixed-cost, service-based model.

In contrast, AVD is structured for maximum flexibility. It provides a highly versatile solution for organizations with experience in virtualization. Its usage-based pricing model is ideal for low-usage scenarios, enabling customers to reduce costs by only paying for what they use. AVD also supports remote app streaming and multi-session Virtual Machines (VMs), and it offers extensive customization options.

The following tables shows the key differences between Windows 365 and AVD:

Table 1.1: Windows 365 and AVD differences

Now that you have a better idea of what Windows 365 is and how it compares to AVD, let’s have a look at Windows 365 migration scenarios.

After reviewing various factors for virtualization solutions, it’s clear that your starting point plays a crucial role in deciding between Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. If you’re currently using physical PCs without any virtualization or relying on VDI, we recommend starting small. Begin with migrating to Windows 365, focusing on a select group of devices first. Then, if needed, incorporate Azure Virtual Desktop as a parallel solution.

This approach will help you modernize your infrastructure and simplify your desktop virtualization strategy.

In the diagram below, you’ll find the different decision points that will help you understand when Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop is the right solution for your business. In most cases, Windows 365 will be the right solution when you are moving toward simplicity, easier management via Microsoft Intune, and Windows-like-local experiences. But check out the diagram to be sure:

Figure 1.1: Decision points for choosing between Windows 365 and AVD

Now that you’ve got a framework for choosing the right solution for your business, let’s move on and look at the various editions of Windows 365 currently available.

Windows 365 is available in multiple editions: Windows 365 Business and Windows 365 Enterprise—and now also Windows 365 Frontline (which we will talk about shortly).

Windows 365 Business and Enterprise

Windows 365 is intended to provide value for businesses of all sizes—from enterprises that employ thousands to a small business of one. Subscriptions can be purchased by individuals through http://www.windows365.com/, using a credit card or similar payment method.

Windows 365 Business is for smaller organizations, up to 300 users, who want a simple way to buy, deploy, and manage Cloud PCs.

Figure 1.2: Windows 365 Business admin portal

Windows 365 Enterprise is for organizations that want to manage their Cloud PCs with Microsoft Intune and take advantage of integrations with other Microsoft services, such as Entra ID and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

Figure 1.3: Windows 365 dashboard in Microsoft Intune

Below, you can see the Windows 365 Enterprise and Frontline IT admin experience in Microsoft Intune:

Figure 1.4: Windows 365 Enterprise and Frontline Dashboard in Microsoft Intune

In the following table, we compare the Windows 365 Business and Windows 365 Enterprise products in more detail:

Table 1.2: Windows 365 Business and Windows 365 Enterprise differences

Windows 365 Frontline Dedicated

Windows 365 Frontline Dedicated is a compelling new offering that provides customers with shift workers the adaptability to allocate Cloud PCs to up to three users, with the acquisition of a single Windows 365 license. Regarding the feature stack, Microsoft’s aim is to achieve a degree of product equivalence across all Windows 365 offerings. If you’re transitioning from a multi-session or server OS to Windows 365, this is an option worth exploring.

Here are some important details to remember about Frontline Dedicated:

• Dedicated Cloud PC access is only available during a user’s shift.
• You can provision up to three Cloud PCs per license, but only one connection can be made per license at a time.
• It maintains a concurrency buffer that allows your users to stay productive when oversubscription scenarios are active.
• It provides a personalized, full Windows experience.
• You can deploy and manage it in Microsoft Intune.

Now, let’s explain the latest new offering—Windows 365 Frontline Shared.

Windows 365 Frontline Shared

Frontline Shared is Microsoft’s latest addition next to Windows 365 Frontline Dedicated. This offering is built for employees who need brief access to complete tasks without much overhead on the IT administrator to manage and maintain the Cloud PC. The other important detail to mention is the non-personalized configuration, meaning that users’ data, profile settings, etc. are flushed during reboot. If you are transitioning from non-persistent virtual desktops, this is the offer to explore for your business!

Frontline Shared offers:

• Cloud PC access configured for specialized task use.
• Enable a group of employees access to a single shared Cloud PC in seconds.
• Shared, non-personalized experience across a collection of shared Cloud PCs with one active session at a time.
• Deploy and manage in Microsoft Intune.

You will learn more about this in the Implementing and Managing Cloud PCs section of the book.

Windows 365 for Government

Governments can use some of Microsoft’s cloud services, such as Microsoft Office and Microsoft Azure, as they comply with special certifications that are required for governments to use them. Now, Microsoft has ensured that Windows 365 also meets the required certifications.

This allows governments to extend their Windows devices into the Cloud with the newest functionality and technology, on top of the newest Windows version, 11, installed on powerful and secure Cloud PCs.

Windows 365 for Government gives federal governments the opportunity to support the hybrid world we live in today by creating Cloud PCs, just like any other organization. This is currently restricted to governments in the United States (US); however, governments outside the United States can apply for approval to use the service.

Windows 365 for Government is provided in two categories: Government Community Cloud (GCC) and Government Community Cloud High (GCC High). These are the two available government solutions that Microsoft can offer to the US government.

GCC comes with support for FedRAMP High, DFARS, and DISA Level 2 Security Requirements, and complies with CJIS and IRS 1075.

GCC High supports FedRAMP High, ITAR, and DFARS.

All of these are security and compliance certifications that a provider needs to have to fulfill the structure and standardization requirements that governments have.

For governments to get started with Windows 365, they must do so by contacting Microsoft directly or an approved partner.

Figure 1.5: Benefits of using Windows 365

To use Windows 365 Enterprise or Frontline, each user needs to be licensed for Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 11 Enterprise, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Entra ID P1. Windows Enterprise, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Entra ID P1 are included in Microsoft 365 F3, Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 A3, Microsoft 365 A5, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, and Microsoft 365 Education Student Use Benefit subscriptions, or they can be licensed separately.

Before you can get started with deploying Cloud PCs for your users, they will need a Windows 365 license. There are multiple licenses for Windows 365; each license contains the hardware configuration of the Cloud PC that will be created—for example, if a user needs a Cloud PC with 4 vCPUs, 16 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of hard drive space, the license will be named Windows 365 [Edition] 4 VCPU, 16 GB, 128 GB. The [Edition] in the license name will change, depending on which Windows 365 edition you wish to deploy.

The table below lists all the current Windows 365 SKU licenses available. All the licenses are available for the Business, Enterprise, and Government editions.

Table 1.3: Windows 365 available licenses

The license pre-requirements for Windows 365 Business, Enterprise, Frontline, and Government editions are different. This means before users are eligible to use one of the Windows 365 licenses, they must have other licenses assigned.

In the next section, we will take a look at Windows 365 Business and Enterprise license requirements. Let’s go!

Windows 365 Business license pre-requirements

Windows 365 Business licensing is extremely simple, as everything is Cloud-only based, and all required licenses are included with the purchase. Customers can purchase Windows 365 Business licenses directly from https://admin.microsoft.com/. Simply provide a credit card number to get started and be productive in a matter of minutes. Licenses are limited to 300 users per license type. Existing Microsoft 365 customers will need to complete their purchase through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Contact your global administrator or billing administrator to complete the purchase.

Once a license has been assigned, IT administrators and users must go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-365, set up their accounts without a domain, and provision and manage their Cloud PCs.

If you want to utilize the option to enable Intune on your Cloud PC deployed with Windows 365 Business, your users will need Microsoft Intune and Entra ID Premium P1, in order to get it to work. If you have bought a Windows 365 business license with Windows Hybrid Benefit, then users will also need a Windows 10/11 license.

Windows 365 Enterprise license pre-requirements

Each user must be licensed with Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 11 Enterprise, Microsoft Intune, and Entra ID Premium P1. Each license can be bought individually as a single license, but you might find a license bundle with all three requirements is a better fit for your organization, and you can purchase one of the following licensing bundles:

• Microsoft 365 F3
• Microsoft 365 E3
• Microsoft 365 E5
• Microsoft 365 A3
• Microsoft 365 A5
• Microsoft 365 Education Student Use Benefit
• Microsoft Business Premium

All the above licensing bundles give access to Microsoft Intune and Entra ID Premium P1. Not all licenses are available for every company to use. Microsoft 365 A3, A5, and Education Student Use Benefit are for education organizations only, such as schools. Microsoft 365 Business Premium has a limit of a maximum of 300 licensed users; once you need more than 300 licenses, you will have to buy Microsoft 365 F3, E3, or E5.

Customers can purchase Windows 365 directly from https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-365 or their account representative. They can then provision and manage their Cloud PCs using Microsoft Intune, which works seamlessly with Windows 365 Enterprise.

Windows 365 Enterprise can be licensed separately with the Windows E3 or E5 license. Note that these licenses have qualifying OS requirements. If a customer doesn’t have a qualifying license already and wants Windows 365 Enterprise, they can go to the Windows 11 Enterprise page (https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/product-licensing/windows) or the Microsoft 365 page (https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/business/compare-all-microsoft-365-business-products) to learn more and purchase the plan that’s right for them.

Windows 365 Frontline license pre-requirements

Just like Windows 365 Enterprise, customers who want to use Windows 365 Frontline must be licensed for Windows 10/11 Enterprise, Microsoft Intune, and Entra ID Premium P1. Windows 365 Frontline licenses are available in the Microsoft 365 admin center for purchase. These licenses are assigned at a tenant level rather than a user level; therefore, they show as assigned to zero users in the admin center.

Windows 365 for Government license pre-requirements

Just like Windows 365 Enterprise, governments who want to use Windows 365 Government must have their users licensed with Windows 10/11 Enterprise, Microsoft Intune, and Entra ID Premium P1 to be compliant. Governments also have the option to purchase these licenses through bundles.

The bundles that include the required licenses for Windows 365 Government are:

• Microsoft 365 G3
• Microsoft 365 G5

You will be able to purchase any of the Windows 365 Business or Enterprise licenses alongside the bundles mentioned above directly within the Microsoft Admin portal, or by contacting your preferred cloud partner. If you are buying as a government, you need to contact the Microsoft account team you are assigned or any approved partner to purchase Windows 365 Government licenses.

GPU-based Cloud PCs

A newly added license type is the Windows 365 GPU-based Cloud PC license, which is now available for purchase. Microsoft has added three types of licenses, as shown in the table below; each brings additional graphical benefits.

Windows 365 GPU configurations are powered by NVIDIA and AMD, with the latest hardware delivered from within the Microsoft Cloud. All the configurations, such as driver installment, enablement of hardware acceleration, and other settings, automatically happen per Windows 365 automated provisioning flow. Users will be offered the latest and greatest GPUs available from Azure datacenters at the time of deployment of a Cloud PC, with the actual GPU offered being controlled by Microsoft. When a Cloud PC is redeployed, users will get the latest GPU available at the time of redeployment. Keep in mind that nested virtualization and resizing are features not yet supported in conjunction with GPU-based Cloud PC licenses.

Fun fact—with the GPU-based licenses, the Cloud PC is able to get to 200 frames per second (FPS) during benchmark tests. This makes the RDP very high performance for any workload you have—with the ease of setup you are used to as a Windows 365 user.

Table 1.4: Windows 365 GPU SKUs

Windows 365 takes advantage of the data center capacity that Microsoft has established all over the world. You can deploy Windows 365 Cloud PCs in many regions, with many more to come. Depending on which Windows 365 edition you deploy, there are different circumstances that determine which region you will be able to deploy your Cloud PCs in. The available Windows 365 editions are listed below with their supported regions.

Windows 365 for Business supported regions

The location of where the Cloud PC is provisioned is associated with the billing address for your organization. If there isn’t any available capacity in this location, the Cloud PC will be provisioned in the closest available region instead. To check what data location has been detected for your organization, log in as an administrator at https://admin.microsoft.com and go to Org settings in the menu panel on the left. From here, choose Organization profile; this will display some new options to choose from. Select Data location. You will now be able to see the detected location based on your organization’s address. See the screenshots below for reference:

Figure 1.6: Organization profile in Admin center

Figure 1.7: List of services and regions

Windows 365 for Enterprise and Frontline supported regions

Unlike the Business edition, you’ll have more available options to choose from in the Enterprise edition. The region is chosen when you create your Cloud PC provisioning policy inside Microsoft Intune. During the provisioning process, you can also select automatic as your region selection option; Microsoft will then pick the best data center region for you. You will have a list of all the available regions to pick from. All the regions listed below are the regions that are currently available for Windows 365 Enterprise customers:

Asia:

• East Asia
• Southeast Asia

Australia:

• Australia East

Canada:

• Canada Central

European Union:

• North Europe
• West Europe (no GPU availability)
• Italy North
• Poland Central
• Sweden Central

France:

• France Central

Germany:

• Germany West Central

India:

• Central India

Japan:

• Japan East

Norway:

• Norway East (no GPU availability)

South Africa:

• South Africa North

South America:

• Brazil South (restricted—request your commercial executive to engage the deal manager for exceptions)

South Korea:

• Korea Central

Switzerland:

• Switzerland North

UAE:

• UAE North

United Kingdom:

• UK South

US Central:

• Central US (no GPU availability)
• South Central US

US East:

• East US
• East US 2

US West:

• West US 2 (restricted—contact support)
• West US 3

Windows 365 for Government supported regions

The Windows 365 Government edition is limited to United States government bodies only, and therefore, Windows 365 Government customers have these two regions to choose from:

• US Gov Virginia
• US Gov Arizona

Microsoft Entra ID acts as the main identity provider and access management service for Windows 365 and Microsoft Intune, which implies that users and groups are always managed within Entra. Microsoft Intune is then used to manage your MDM-enrolled devices, assign apps and configurations to users, groups of users, and/or devices, and enable sophisticated Conditional Access features such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and compliance-based filtering. With the premium version of Entra ID, you can add several extra features to protect devices, apps, and data, including dynamic groups, auto-enrollment, and Conditional Access.

Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune is a comprehensive suite of tools and services designed to help businesses manage and maintain all their devices, whether they are physical or cloud-connected endpoints.

Intune includes:

• The Microsoft Intune service
• Configuration Manager and co-management
• Endpoint Analytics
• Windows Autopilot
• The Intune admin center
• The Intune Suite

Microsoft Intune offers a unified management experience, introducing new features and intelligent actions such as anomaly detection in Advanced Endpoint Analytics and remediation scripts. These scripts can proactively resolve end user issues before they become apparent, all without causing complex migrations or disruptions to productivity.

It provides numerous resources to facilitate your transition to modern management while enhancing security and assisting in a move to the cloud. Microsoft Intune now also includes management capabilities for various endpoints, including:

• Windows
• Android
• Linux
• macOS
• iPadOS

Please refer to the table below for a detailed explanation of all the management features provided by Microsoft Intune.

Figure 1.8: Overview of Microsoft Intune Suite features

Microsoft Intune Suite

Microsoft Intune together with Windows 365 are constantly advancing and improving, equipping IT administrators with an expanded toolkit to apply the principle of least privilege on their managed endpoints. The launch of Microsoft Intune Suite has brought sophisticated features that were previously only available through third-party solutions.

Intune Suite addresses numerous challenges that you, as an IT administrator or IT manager/CIO, may face, especially those related to remote work and diverse management solutions and devices. The complexity of IT administration work for enterprises is at an all-time high.

The key advantages of Intune Suite include simplification, the potential to lower IT support costs, the phasing out of third-party software currently used as add-ons, the utilization of cost-effective Microsoft 365 plans, and a reduction in attack surfaces.

A great example of using both Intune Suite and Windows 365 together is combining Enterprise Privilege Management with Cloud PCs. You will learn more about this in Chapter 5, Intune Suite: Optimize and Secure Your Cloud PC deployment!

Figure 1.9: Embracing the future: IT and security challenges and solutions

Windows Autopatch

Windows Autopatch is a fresh Microsoft Cloud service included in your existing Windows E3/E5 subscriptions. It transfers the responsibility of managing Windows devices and their monthly patches after Patch Tuesday from your IT department to Microsoft. It can be thought of as Windows-Updates-as-a-Service. Windows Autopatch is distinct from Windows Update for Business (WUfB), as it combines new and improved cloud service components with WUfB to deliver Windows Autopatch.

Essentially, Windows Autopatch fully automates the planning and deployment of Windows updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11, as well as for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Teams. This not only simplifies the management of your Cloud and physical PCs but also reduces the risk of security vulnerabilities infiltrating your environment, ultimately enhancing user productivity.

Windows Autopatch is designed to ensure that at least 95% of eligible devices are updated with the latest Windows quality update, within 21 days of its release. Furthermore, it aims to keep at least 99% of eligible devices on a supported version of Windows, allowing them to continue receiving Windows feature updates. For Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Windows Autopatch aims to keep at least 90% of eligible devices on a supported version of the Monthly Enterprise Channel (MEC).

One of the best aspects of this service is its seamless integration with Windows 365 Enterprise during the provisioning policy process, which we will explain later in Chapter 3, Deploying Cloud PCs.

Figure 1.10: Windows Autopatch

Now, let’s talk about Microsoft Dev Box.

Microsoft Dev Box

Microsoft Dev Box is a managed service that empowers developers to generate secure, high-performance, ready-for-coding, project-specific workstations in the cloud on demand – as developer-based Cloud PCs.

Microsoft Dev Box allows developers to concentrate solely on the unique code they write, providing them with easy access to the necessary tools and resources, without the hassle of workstation setup and maintenance. Development teams can preconfigure Dev Box for specific projects and tasks, enabling developers to quickly start with an environment that’s prepared to build and run their app in minutes. Simultaneously, Microsoft Dev Box ensures that unified management, security, and compliance remain under IT control by utilizing Windows 365 to integrate Dev Box with Microsoft Intune.

You can see an example of Dev Box in the screenshot below:

Figure 1.11: Microsoft Dev Box inside Microsoft Azure

In the next section, we will discuss Cloud printing and Windows 365.

Universal Print

You might remember, or perhaps you’re still using, this procedure: establishing a Windows Server environment, integrating the print server role, and then adding your printers and specific drivers to the server. It’s not exactly state of the art or efficient, right? Universal Print offers the same capabilities and more, while eliminating the need for local infrastructure. It enables you to manage printers directly through a centralized portal in Microsoft Azure.

There’s no longer a need to install (and maintain) printer drivers on devices or golden images. As a bonus, everything is compatible with Entra ID. This means users can use the same credentials they use for other Microsoft services, whether they’re logging onto a physical desktop or a cloud-based virtual desktop.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is your personal assistant for work. It harnesses the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) and integrates them with your data in the Microsoft Graph and Microsoft 365 apps. This transforms your words into an incredibly potent productivity tool.

It integrates into all the apps you use daily, such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.

Figure 1.12: Microsoft 365 Copilot integration across applications

AI PCs and Copilot+ PCs

With Copilot+ PCs, computers are transforming from humans understanding computers to computers understanding humans. This wave of innovation will change both the Windows OS as well as the underlying hardware, with extensive battery life you haven’t seen before due to the ARM-based silicon architecture.

Copilot+ PCs are the quickest and smartest Windows PCs ever constructed. They are equipped with potent new silicon that can perform an astounding 40+ Trillion Operations Per Second (TROPS), offer all-day battery life, and provide access to the most sophisticated AI models. These features make Copilot+ PCs capable of tasks that are impossible on any other PC.

Copilot+ PCs utilize advanced processors and cutting-edge AI models, including Microsoft’s top-tier Small Language Models (SLMs), to enable new experiences directly on the device. This eliminates previous constraints related to latency, cost, and privacy, enhancing your productivity, creativity, and communication.

The following are Windows AI features for Copilot+ PCs:

• Recall: With Recall, you can virtually retrieve anything you’ve viewed or accomplished on your PC, akin to possessing a photographic memory. Copilot+ PCs arrange data in the same way we do—based on unique relationships and associations derived from our personal experiences.
• Live Captions: Live Captions now has live translations and will turn any audio that passes through your PC into a single, English-language caption experience, in real time on your screen, across all your apps consistently.
• Windows Studio Effects: Three innovative filters (illustrated, animated, or watercolor) introduce an artistic touch. The eye contact teleprompter aids in maintaining eye contact while reading from your screen. Recent enhancements to voice focus and portrait blur ensure that you’re always the center of attention.
• Paint Co-creator: Merge your pen strokes with text cues to create new images almost instantly with Co-creator. As you adjust, the artwork adapts as well, assisting you in effortlessly refining, modifying, and developing your concepts. Advanced diffusion-based algorithms prioritize superior-quality results in the fewest steps possible, giving the impression that you’re co-creating with AI.

Copilot, your everyday AI companion

Windows Copilot is your new Windows assistant. It’s an artificial intelligence assistant integrated into Windows 11 (and Windows 10). It aims to enhance productivity and creativity by providing real answers, inspiration, and solutions.

Here are the key features of Copilot:

• Assistance and focus:
  • Stay Focused: Copilot helps you stay on track while performing tasks. It adjusts PC settings and organizes windows using Snap Assist, saving you time and improving efficiency.
  • Task-Oriented: Whether you’re adjusting settings or working online, Copilot assists you when needed.
  • State-Of-The-Art Tools: You can set Copilot aside when not required or launch it with a keystroke to access its powerful tools.

1. Answers and Inspiration:
   • Quick Answers: Copilot provides relevant answers promptly and allows follow-up questions.
   • Creative Spark: Start your next project with ideas and information generated by Copilot. It can even create images from your concepts.
2. Other AI-Powered Features in Windows 11:
   • Paint: Enhanced tools for photo editing and art creation.
   • Photos App: Crop, erase, and adjust colors with ease.
   • Photo Movie Editor: AI in Snipping Tool simplifies text copying and redaction from screenshots.
   • Clipchamp: AI assists in editing footage for faster publishing.
3. Smart App Control: Predicts safe app downloads.
4. Windows Security: AI-powered tools for investigating security issues and quick searches.

Windows Copilot combines seamlessly with Bing Chat and ChatGPT plugins, allowing you to stay in your flow without switching between apps. It’s like having a smart, helpful companion right within your Windows environment!

Figure 1.13: Windows Copilot

This concludes the section on Windows Copilot; in the next section, we will give you an overview of the different supported endpoints.

Users accessing Windows 365 can now use the new Windows App. The Windows App serves as your portal to AVD, Windows 365, Microsoft Dev Box, RDP, and remote PCs, providing a secure connection to Windows devices and applications.

The Windows App is versatile and can be used on a wide range of devices across various platforms and form factors, including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even through a web browser. Notably, when accessing via a web browser on a desktop or laptop, there’s no need for any software download or installation.

Microsoft also has more integrated features available, like Windows 365 Boot and Switch, allowing users to connect to their Cloud PC directly from the initial login screen experience. Users can use one or more devices of their choice to connect to their Cloud PC. Further details about endpoint setup and optimizations are covered in Chapter 8, Accessing Cloud PCs.

Figure 1.14: Overview of pinned devices and apps in Windows App

As we conclude this initial chapter, we hope that you’ve gained substantial knowledge about the fundamentals of Windows 365, Windows AI, and Intune and its various versions. We also hope you’ve understood how other Microsoft Cloud services like Intune Suite, Windows 365 Frontline, and Autopatch enhance their capabilities.

We anticipate your eagerness to delve deeper into Windows 365. In the upcoming chapter, we’ll be exploring its architecture and sharing best practices for design, solidifying your understanding before we dive into the deployment chapter. Let’s go!

At the end of each chapter, we ask three questions to help you evaluate your learning and challenge yourself. Here are the first three questions:

1. Can you use Windows 365 Boot with AVD?
2. What license do you need for Windows Autopatch?
   1. Microsoft 365 E3
   2. Microsoft 365 E5
   3. Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3
3. How can you access your Cloud PC from different devices and locations?

If you want to learn more about the subjects covered in this chapter, you can visit the online resources below:

• Learn more about Windows Autopatch: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/windows-autopatch/overview/windows-autopatch-faq
• Introduction to modern management in Microsoft 365: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/describe-endpoint-modernization-management-concepts-deployment-options/
• The official Microsoft documentation for Windows 365 Enterprise and Windows 365 Business: https://learn.microsoft.com/windows-365

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