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Use Microsoft Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop

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Microsoft Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop supports chat and collaboration. With media optimizations, it also supports calling and meeting functionality by redirecting it to the local device when using Windows App or the Remote Desktop client on a supported platform. You can still use Microsoft Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop on other platforms without optimized calling and meetings. Teams chat and collaboration features are supported on all platforms.

There are two versions of Teams, Classic Teams and New Teams, and you can use either with Azure Virtual Desktop. New Teams has with feature parity with Classic Teams, but improves performance, reliability, and security.

To redirect calling and meeting functionality to the local device, Azure Virtual Desktop uses an extra component. This component is either SlimCore or the WebRTC Redirector Service. The option you use depends on the following:

  • New Teams can use either SlimCore or the WebRTC Redirector Service. If you use SlimCore, you should also install the WebRTC Redirector Service. This allows a user to fall back to WebRTC, such as if they roam between different devices that don't support the new optimization architecture. For more information about SlimCore, see New VDI solution for Teams.

  • Classic Teams uses the WebRTC Redirector Service.

Tip

If you're using the classic Teams app with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments, such as as Azure Virtual Desktop, end of support is October 1, 2024 and end of availability is July 1, 2025, after which you'll need to use the new Microsoft Teams app. For more information, see End of availability for classic Teams app.

Prerequisites

Before you can use Microsoft Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop, you need:

  • Prepare your network for Microsoft Teams.

  • Connect to a session host running Windows 10 or 11 multi-session or Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise. Session hosts running an N or KN SKU of Windows aren't supported.

  • For Windows, you also need to install the latest version of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable on your client device and session hosts. The C++ Redistributable is required to use media optimization for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop.

  • Install the latest version of Windows App or the Remote Desktop client on Windows or macOS that meets the hardware requirements for Microsoft Teams.

    SlimCore is available on Windows with the following apps and versions:

    • Windows App for Windows, version 1.3.252 or later
    • Remote Desktop client for Windows, version 1.2.5405.0 or later

  • If you use FSLogix for profile management and want to use the new Microsoft Teams app, you need to install FSLogix 2210 hotfix 3 (2.9.8716.30241) or later.

Media optimization for Microsoft Teams is only available for the following clients:

For more information about which features Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop supports and minimum required client versions, see Supported features for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop.

Prepare to install the Teams desktop app

This section shows you how to install the Teams desktop app on your Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise multi-session or Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise VM image.

Enable media optimization for Teams

To enable media optimization for Teams, set the following registry key on each session host:

  1. From the start menu, run Registry Editor as an administrator. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams. Create the Teams key if it doesn't already exist.

  2. Create the following value for the Teams key:

    Name Type Data/Value
    IsWVDEnvironment DWORD 1

Alternatively, you can create the registry entry by running the following commands from an elevated PowerShell session:

New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams" -Force
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams" -Name IsWVDEnvironment -PropertyType DWORD -Value 1 -Force

Install the Remote Desktop WebRTC Redirector Service

You need to install the WebRTC Redirector Service on each session host. You can install the MSI file using a management tool such Configuration Manager, or manually.

To install the WebRTC Redirector Service manually:

  1. Sign in to a session host as a local administrator.

  2. Download the Remote Desktop WebRTC Redirector Service installer.

  3. Open the file that you downloaded to start the setup process.

  4. Follow the prompts. Once it's completed, select Finish.

You can find more information about the latest version of the WebRTC Redirector Service at What's new in the Remote Desktop WebRTC Redirector Service.

Tip

If you want to use SlimCore, all of its required components come bundled with new Teams and Windows App or the Remote Desktop client.

Install Teams on session hosts

You can deploy the Teams desktop app per-machine or per-user. For session hosts in a pooled host pool, you need to install Teams per-machine. To install Teams on your session hosts follow the steps in the relevant article:

Verify media optimizations loaded

After installing the WebRTC Redirector Service and the Teams desktop app, follow these steps to verify that Teams media optimizations loaded:

  1. Connect to a remote session.

  2. Quit and restart the Teams application.

  3. Select the More options menu (...) in the title bar, then select Settings.

  4. Select About Teams to see the version.

    If media optimizations loaded, the banner shows you AVD SlimCore Media Optimized or AVD Media Optimized. If the banner shows you AVD Media not connected, quit the Teams app and try again.

  5. Select the More options menu (...) in the title bar, then select Settings.

    If media optimizations loaded, the audio devices and cameras available locally will be enumerated in the device menu. If the menu shows Remote audio, quit the Teams app and try again. If the devices still don't appear in the menu, check the Privacy settings on your local PC. Ensure the under Settings > Privacy > App permissions - Microphone the setting "Allow apps to access your microphone" is toggled On. Disconnect from the remote session, then reconnect and check the audio and video devices again. To join calls and meetings with video, you must also grant permission for apps to access your camera.

    If media optimizations don't load, uninstall then reinstall Teams and check again.

Publish Teams as a RemoteApp

New Teams is installed as an MSIX package, which is a format used for applications from the Microsoft Store. The directory path for an application installed from the Microsoft Store includes the version number, which changes each time an application is updated. To publish new Teams as a RemoteApp, follow the steps in Publish Microsoft Store applications, and for the path enter shell:appsFolder\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MSTeams.

Enable registry keys for optional features

If you want to use certain optional features for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop, you need to enable certain registry keys. The following instructions only apply to Windows client devices and session host VMs.

Enable hardware encode for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop

Hardware encode lets you increase video quality for the outgoing camera during Teams calls. In order to enable this feature, your client needs to be running version 1.2.3213 or later of the Windows Desktop client. You need to repeat the following instructions for every client device.

To enable hardware encode:

  1. On your client device, from the start menu, run Registry Editor as an administrator.
  2. Go to HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default\AddIns\WebRTC Redirector.
  3. Add the UseHardwareEncoding as a DWORD value.
  4. Set the value to 1 to enable the feature.
  5. Repeat these instructions for every client device.

Enable content sharing for Teams for RemoteApp

Enabling content sharing for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop lets you share your screen or application window. To enable this feature, your session host VM needs to be running version 1.31.2211.15001 or later of the WebRTC Redirector Service and version 1.2.3401 or later of the Windows Desktop client.

To enable content sharing:

  1. On your session host VM, from the start menu, run Registry Editor as an administrator.
  2. Go to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\AddIns\WebRTC Redirector\Policy.
  3. Add the ShareClientDesktop as a DWORD value.
  4. Set the value to 1 to enable the feature.

Disable desktop screen share for Teams for RemoteApp

You can disable desktop screen sharing for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop. To enable this feature, your session host VM needs to be running version 1.31.2211.15001 or later of the WebRTC service and version 1.2.3401 or later of the Windows Desktop client.

Note

You must enable the ShareClientDesktop key before you can use this key.

To disable desktop screen share:

  1. On your session host VM, from the start menu, run Registry Editor as an administrator.
  2. Go to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\AddIns\WebRTC Redirector\Policy.
  3. Add the DisableRAILScreensharing as a DWORD value.
  4. Set the value to 1 to disable desktop screen share.

Disable application window sharing for Teams for RemoteApp

You can disable application window sharing for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop. To enable this feature, your session host VM needs to be running version 1.31.2211.15001 or later of the WebRTC service and version 1.2.3401 or later of the Windows Desktop client.

Note

You must enable the ShareClientDesktop key before you can use this key.

To disable application window sharing:

  1. On your session host VM, from the start menu, run Registry Editor as an administrator.
  2. Go to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\AddIns\WebRTC Redirector\Policy.
  3. Add the DisableRAILAppSharing as a DWORD value.
  4. Set the value to 1 to disable application window sharing.

Customize Remote Desktop Protocol properties for a host pool

Customizing a host pool's Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) properties, such as multi-monitor experience or enabling microphone and audio redirection, lets you deliver an optimal experience for your users based on their needs.

Enabling device redirections isn't required when using Teams with media optimization. If you're using Teams without media optimization, set the following RDP properties to enable microphone and camera redirection:

  • audiocapturemode:i:1 enables audio capture from the local device and redirects audio applications in the remote session.
  • audiomode:i:0 plays audio on the local computer.
  • camerastoredirect:s:* redirects all cameras.

To learn more, check out Customize Remote Desktop Protocol properties for a host pool.

Next steps

See Supported features for Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop for more information about which features Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop supports and minimum required client versions.

Learn about known issues, limitations, and how to log issues at Troubleshoot Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop.

Learn about the latest version of the WebRTC Redirector Service at What's new in the WebRTC Redirector Service for Azure Virtual Desktop.