December rounds off a very strong year for Azure Virtual Desktop, with Microsoft focusing on platform stability, Windows App readiness, FSLogix reliability, identity-driven access, and operational polish ahead of 2026.

While December brings fewer headline features, the updates delivered this month significantly improve enterprise readiness, security posture, and long-term scalability, especially for customers preparing for the Remote Desktop Client retirement in March 2026.

Below is a breakdown of the key Azure Virtual Desktop updates released in December 2025.

1. Windows App – End-of-Year Stability & Readiness Improvements

Microsoft continues to position the Windows App as the primary client for Azure Virtual Desktop, with December focusing on quality, reliability, and user experience consistency.

What’s New?

• Improved session reliability for long-running connections
• Faster workspace refresh and host pool enumeration
• Improved handling of Conditional Access token refresh
• Additional RDP property compatibility refinements
• Stability fixes for multi-monitor and high-DPI scenarios

These improvements help organisations confidently expand Windows App adoption ahead of the MSRDC retirement.

Official Microsoft Link:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-app/whats-new?tabs=windows

2. FSLogix – Profile Performance & Resiliency Refinements

FSLogix continues to receive incremental but impactful improvements, particularly for large-scale AVD environments.

What’s New?

• Improved retry logic when accessing Azure Files Premium
• Reduced impact of transient storage connectivity issues
• Further refinements to Cloud Cache behaviour
• Additional diagnostic logging for profile load delays

These enhancements reduce the risk of failed logons and improve profile stability during peak usage periods.

Official Microsoft Link:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fslogix/overview-release-notes

3. Azure Monitor – AVD Insights Quality Improvements

Azure Monitor remains the primary observability platform for Azure Virtual Desktop, with December focusing on refinement rather than new dashboards.

What’s New?

• Improved accuracy in session duration metrics
• Better correlation between host performance and user experience
• Minor usability and performance improvements in the AVD Insights workbook

These updates help operations teams trust the data used for capacity planning and troubleshooting.

4. App Attach – Reliability Improvements at Scale

App Attach continues to mature as Microsoft fine-tunes behaviour in production environments.

What’s New?

• Improved handling of App Attach during autoscale events
• Reduced impact on user logon times when multiple MSIX apps are attached
• Better consistency when mounting applications across pooled hosts

These refinements further strengthen App Attach as a viable alternative to traditional application installation approaches.

5. RDP Shortpath – Ongoing Network Optimisation

Following major enhancements earlier in the year, December focuses on fine-tuning RDP Shortpath behaviour.

What’s New?

• Improved stability in complex hybrid networking environments
• Minor performance optimisations for UDP traffic
• More consistent reporting of Shortpath usage

Shortpath remains a key capability for improving user experience in distributed and hybrid deployments.

Official Microsoft Link:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/whats-new-sxs

6. Security & Identity – Continued Zero Trust Alignment

Security remains a core focus as AVD continues aligning with Microsoft’s Zero Trust strategy.

What’s New?

• Improved Conditional Access enforcement for long-running sessions
• Better token renewal handling in multi-session environments
• Continued readiness improvements for External Identities

These changes support secure access models for internal users, partners, and contractors.

7. Azure Files Premium – Backend Optimisations for AVD Profiles

Azure Files Premium continues to receive backend enhancements that benefit FSLogix workloads.

What’s New?

• More consistent performance during peak usage
• Reduced latency for small file operations
• Improved stability for large profile containers

Although these improvements are largely transparent, they directly improve logon times and session reliability.

Official Microsoft Link:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/storage-files-introduction

8. Autoscale & Host Pool Management – Platform Refinements

Microsoft continues to refine native AVD autoscale and host pool behaviour.

What’s New?

• Improved predictability when draining hosts
• Better handling of active sessions during scale-in events
• Improved logging for autoscale operations

These refinements help organisations better balance cost optimisation with user experience.

9. Planning Ahead – 2026 Readiness & MSRDC Retirement

With 2026 approaching, Microsoft continues to reinforce the move toward the Windows App.

Key Reminder

⛔ Remote Desktop Client (MSRDC) retires on 27 March 2026

Organisations should continue validating Windows App readiness, updating documentation, and preparing end users for the transition.

Official Microsoft Link:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/remote-desktop-client/whats-new-windows

Summary

December 2025 closes out a strong year for Azure Virtual Desktop with meaningful refinements across the platform. While the updates are incremental, their combined impact improves stability, security, and readiness for 2026 — particularly as organisations prepare for full Windows App adoption and modern identity-driven access models.

As Microsoft continues to invest heavily in AVD, now is the ideal time to review your roadmap, validate client readiness, and ensure your environment is positioned for the next phase of evolution