Windows 365: Your PC in the Cloud
Windows 365 gives every user a full Cloud PC — accessible from any device, managed like a physical one. Learn how to deploy and manage Cloud PCs with Intune.
What is Windows 365?
Imagine your work PC living inside your web browser.
Windows 365 gives every user a personal Windows desktop that runs in Microsoft’s cloud. You open a browser (or the Windows 365 app), sign in, and there’s your desktop — with all your apps, files, and settings. It looks and feels like a normal PC, but it’s running in a data centre somewhere. Close the browser on your work laptop, open it on your home iPad — everything’s exactly where you left it.
For Aroha at CloudForge, this means her 30 fully remote employees can work from any device, anywhere, without carrying company laptops.
Windows 365 vs Azure Virtual Desktop
| Feature | Windows 365 Cloud PC | Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Fixed per-user/month subscription | Consumption-based (pay for what you use) |
| User assignment | 1 Cloud PC per user (dedicated) | Pooled or personal desktops |
| Session type | Single-session only | Multi-session (Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session) |
| Persistence | Always persistent — state saved between sessions | Configurable — can be persistent or pooled (reset between users) |
| Management | Intune (same as physical devices) | Azure portal + Intune |
| Azure knowledge needed | None — fully managed service | Moderate — networking, host pools, session hosts |
| Best for | Simple deployment, predictable costs, per-user PCs | Complex scenarios, variable workloads, cost optimisation |
| Ideal org | CloudForge (30 people, simple needs) | Meridian Bank (10,000 users, variable workloads) |
Deploying Windows 365 Cloud PCs
Step 1: Licensing
Each Cloud PC user needs a Windows 365 licence, which defines the hardware specs:
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 365 Business | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 128 GB | Light users (email, web, basic Office) |
| Windows 365 Business | 2 vCPU | 8 GB | 128 GB | Standard knowledge workers |
| Windows 365 Enterprise | 4 vCPU | 16 GB | 256 GB | Developers, data analysts |
| Windows 365 Enterprise | 8 vCPU | 32 GB | 512 GB | Power users, graphics workloads |
Business vs Enterprise:
- Business — self-service, up to 300 users, no Azure subscription needed
- Enterprise — full Intune management, Azure AD integration, unlimited users, network configuration options
Step 2: Create a provisioning policy (Enterprise)
Where: Intune admin center → Devices → Windows 365 → Provisioning policies
| Setting | Options | Aroha’s Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Join type | Entra Joined or Hybrid Joined | Entra Joined |
| Network | Microsoft hosted or Azure network connection | Microsoft hosted (simplest) |
| Image | Gallery (Microsoft-provided) or custom | Gallery: Windows 11 + M365 Apps |
| Language/region | Select default | English (New Zealand) |
| Windows Autopatch | Enable automatic updates | Yes |
Step 3: Assign licences
Assign Windows 365 licences to users or groups in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Once licensed, Cloud PCs are automatically provisioned based on the provisioning policy.
Step 4: Users access their Cloud PCs
Users sign in at windows365.microsoft.com or via the Windows 365 app (available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).
Exam tip: Cloud PC management in Intune
Cloud PCs appear in the Intune admin center alongside physical devices. You can:
- Apply compliance policies (same as physical Windows devices)
- Push configuration profiles and apps
- Perform remote actions: restart, reprovision (factory reset), resize (change specs)
- Use Windows Autopatch for automated updates
The exam may ask: “How is a Windows 365 Cloud PC managed differently from a physical device?” The answer: it isn’t — Intune manages both the same way. The only Cloud PC-specific actions are reprovision and resize.
Deep dive: Cloud PC networking options
Windows 365 Enterprise offers two networking models:
- Microsoft hosted network — Microsoft manages the networking. Simplest setup. Cloud PCs connect to the internet directly. No Azure virtual network needed.
- Azure network connection (ANC) — Cloud PCs connect to your Azure virtual network. Allows access to on-prem resources via VPN/ExpressRoute. Required for hybrid scenarios.
Aroha at CloudForge uses Microsoft hosted (no on-prem resources). Chen Wei at Meridian Bank would use Azure network connection (needs access to on-prem financial systems).
🎬 Video walkthrough
Flashcards
Knowledge Check
Aroha needs to provide Windows desktops for 30 fully remote employees at CloudForge. They use various personal devices (Macs, iPads, Chromebooks). The company has no on-premises infrastructure. What's the best solution?
A Cloud PC user at CloudForge reports that their Cloud PC is running slowly after installing too many personal apps. Aroha wants to reset it to a clean state. What should she do?
Next up: Configure Windows Devices with Intune — creating device configuration profiles, importing ADMX, and using filters.