Using Parallels Client with Azure Virtual Desktop

After you deployed Azure Virtual Desktop in Parallels RAS and published resources from it, you can use Parallels Client to access applications and/or desktops that you published. This topic describes Parallels Client requirements and provides additional information about accessing published resources.

Requirements

Parallels Client requirements for opening Azure Virtual Desktop apps and desktops are as follows:

• Parallels Client for Windows version 18 or newer (Basic or Full versions).
• Azure Virtual Desktop resources are shown in Parallels HTML5 Client, but can only be launched using Parallels Client for Windows installed on the same machine.

  Note: At the time of this writing, it is not yet supported to use other platform-specific Parallels Clients to launch Azure Virtual Desktop resources. In these clients, Azure Virtual Desktop resources are filtered out and not shown.

• Supported Windows versions: Windows 7 SP1 or later. Note that Windows Server operating systems are not supported.
• Windows updates: Update for Universal C Runtime for Windows (KB2999226). Microsoft Windows 10 incorporates this by default.
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.0 or later is required. Microsoft Windows 10 incorporates .NET Framework 4 and has it enabled by default.
• Microsoft Windows Desktop client, also known as Remote Desktop (MSRDC) client, must be installed. The client is downloaded and installed automatically upon launching an Azure Virtual Desktop resource from Parallels Client (if not already installed on a supported Windows client device). You may also download the client using the following link: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2068602.

  Note: If you are using the Standard client feature set option and Windows 10 and Windows 11 Enterprise Virtual Desktop as desktop OS where the Parallels Client is running (nested), the administrator needs to have the Windows Desktop client preinstalled using the per-device installation as highlighted by Microsoft in the following article: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/clients/windowsdesktop-admin.

Accessing Azure Virtual Desktop resources

When you connect to Parallels RAS from Parallels Client, all published resources, including Azure Virtual Desktop resources, are listed and made available for a user to access. Note that Azure Virtual Desktop resources are only shown in Parallels Client running on supported versions of Windows (see above).

If the Client feature set option is set to Advanced or Advanced with feedback, you can use advanced Parallels RAS features when running a published resource, such as RAS Universal Printing and Scanning, session prelaunch, accelerated file redirection, drag and drop, and others. If the option is set to Standard, these features will not be available. To view and modify this setting, navigate to Farm > Site > Settings, select the Features tab and select a desired setting in the Client feature set drop-down list.