Hey everyone! Microsoft recently announced they will be replacing the standalone MSI installer version of the Remote Desktop app with a new Windows App on March 27, 2026. This follows their earlier decision to retire the Microsoft Store version on May 27, 2025. We're currently in a tricky spot since we usually disable the Microsoft Store on endpoints for various reasons, and the new Windows App doesn't seem to have a standalone installer like the current version does. Has anyone rolled out this Windows App while blocking the Microsoft Store? How was your experience? Also, do you know if Microsoft plans to provide a standalone installer for this new Windows App?
2 Answers
Interesting point! The official info suggests the MSI version will stick around. The transition to the Windows App looks necessary for all features regarding Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, but they mentioned users should still use the MSI for now. It’s confusing!
Yes, they do have standalone installers available! You can check out their official page for the latest updates. I've had to deal with deployment issues in the past, especially with Intune, but it's worth giving it a try. Link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-app/whats-new?tabs=windows#latest-release
Thanks for the tip! I’ve had my share of struggles with deploying MSIX apps via Intune, but I’ll take a shot at this. Fingers crossed!
I remember two announcements being made. The first one clearly stated that the MSI version wouldn’t be affected initially, but then later they clarified that it would also be phased out. Microsoft seems to be pushing everyone towards the new app pretty quickly.