Microsoft has created Windows apps for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, and web browsers. The app essentially takes over the previous Windows 365 app and turns it into a central hub for streaming copies of Windows from remote PCs, Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Microsoft Dev Box, and Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Services.
Microsoft supports multiple monitors, custom display resolutions and scaling, and device redirection for peripherals such as webcams, storage devices, and printers through Windows apps. However, preview versions of Windows apps are currently not available on Android.
The Windows app is also limited to Microsoft’s suite of business accounts, but there are signs that it will be available to consumers as well. The Windows app sign-in prompt on Windows (yes, that’s a mouthful) suggests that the app can be accessed using the individual’s Microsoft account, but this feature currently doesn’t work.
Microsoft has offered similar apps for connecting to PCs remotely for decades. The most notable of these is the Remote Desktop Connection app that ships with Windows. However, the dedicated “Windows app” branding is unusual and could signal that Microsoft’s broader ambitions to move Windows entirely to the cloud are underway.
Microsoft created a new Windows team focused on the web after Panos Panay, who was responsible for Surface and Windows, left for Amazon in September. The new “Windows and Web Experience” team seems to be primarily focused on building his AI-powered web services for Windows. Windows 11 is already introducing a number of web-powered features, including a main search interface that updates dynamically from the web, a widget system, and even his Copilot integration.
Between FTC vs. Microsoft The hearing revealed that Microsoft wants to move Windows completely to the consumer cloud. This is what Microsoft already offers businesses with Windows 365. Windows Apps may only prepare consumers to access Windows apps on cloud PCs and devices that are not running Microsoft’s operating system.
