Microsoft Rolls Out Passwordless Sign-on for Azure Virtual Desktop

Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) users now have the option for single sign-on (SSO), as well as passwordless authentication, with the public preview of the latest Microsoft upgrade. 

“Today we’re announcing the public preview for enabling an Azure AD-based single sign-on experience and support for passwordless authentication, using Windows Hello and security devices (like FIDO2 keys),” Microsoft’s David Belanger explained in a blog post about the new feature’s debut. 

According to the announcement of the public preview of the new cloud security feature, after users install the September Cumulative Update Preview, the features will be available on Windows 10 and 11, as well as Windows Server 2022. 

According to Belanger’s post, the latest AVD upgrade will allow users to: 

• Enable a single sign-on experience to Azure AD-joined and Hybrid Azure AD-joined session hosts when using the Windows and web clients
• Use passwordless authentication to sign in to the host using Azure AD
• Use passwordless authentication inside the session when using the Windows client
• Use third-party Identity Providers (IdP) that integrate with Azure AD to sign in to the host

The Azure Academy tutorial for administrators explaining how to deploy the new updates said the new SSO option was the “most requested AVD feature of all time.”