Application Groups and RemoteApp
Application groups define what users see when they connect to AVD — a full desktop or individual applications. Learn how to create application groups, publish RemoteApps, assign users, and choose the right app delivery method for each workload.
What are application groups?
Think of application groups as menus at a restaurant.
The kitchen (your host pool) can make everything. But you give different menus to different tables. The “Desktop” menu gives the full buffet — the user gets a complete Windows desktop with everything on it. The “RemoteApp” menu lists only specific dishes — the user sees individual apps (like Excel or your LOB app) that appear as windows on their own device, as if they were locally installed.
You cannot give the same table both menus — a user gets either the full desktop or individual apps from the same kitchen, not both.
The rules you must know
These rules come up frequently on the exam:
- One desktop application group per host pool — automatically created when you create the host pool
- Multiple RemoteApp application groups per host pool — create as many as you need
- A user CANNOT be assigned to BOTH a desktop group AND a RemoteApp group in the SAME host pool — this is a hard constraint
- Application groups must be associated with a workspace to appear in the user’s feed
- Users are assigned at the application group level, not at the host pool or workspace level
🏢 Raj’s architecture at TerraStack: “We have two host pools. The general pool publishes a Desktop application group for our 6,000 office workers — they get a full Windows desktop. The LOB pool has three RemoteApp groups: one for Finance (SAP), one for HR (Workday), and one for Engineering (custom CAD tool). Each department only sees their apps.”
Exam tip: The desktop + RemoteApp conflict
This is a favourite exam question: if a user is assigned to the Desktop application group in host pool A, they CANNOT also be assigned to a RemoteApp group in the SAME host pool A. The workaround is to use a second host pool for RemoteApp, or remove the user from the Desktop group.
If the exam describes a user who needs both a full desktop AND specific RemoteApps — the answer is either: (a) use two separate host pools, or (b) include those apps in the desktop image and use the Desktop group only.
Creating and configuring application groups
Desktop application group
Created automatically with the host pool. You just need to:
- Assign users or groups
- Associate it with a workspace
RemoteApp application group
Created manually in the Azure portal or via CLI/PowerShell:
- Navigate to the host pool in the Azure portal
- Go to Application groups and select Create
- Choose RemoteApp as the type
- Add applications by Start menu path or file path
- Assign users or security groups
- Associate with a workspace
Publishing RemoteApp applications
| Method | How It Works | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Start menu path | Browse the Start menu of a session host and select an app | App is installed and has a Start menu shortcut |
| File path | Specify the full path to the executable | App does not have a Start menu entry, or you need a custom launch |
When publishing by file path, you can also configure:
- Display name: What the user sees in their feed
- Icon path: Custom icon for the app
- Command-line arguments: Parameters passed to the app at launch
Workspaces — the user-facing container
A workspace groups application groups together in the user’s feed:
- Users subscribe to workspaces (not directly to application groups)
- One workspace can contain application groups from multiple host pools
- The workspace name is what users see in Windows App or the web client
- Best practice: use descriptive names like “Corporate Desktop” or “Finance Apps”
Architecture example
Workspace: "TerraStack Corporate"
├── Desktop App Group (from General Host Pool)
│ └── Full Windows Desktop
└── (users who need desktop are assigned here)
Workspace: "TerraStack Business Apps"
├── RemoteApp Group: Finance (from LOB Host Pool)
│ ├── SAP
│ └── Excel (with custom template)
├── RemoteApp Group: HR (from LOB Host Pool)
│ └── Workday
└── RemoteApp Group: Engineering (from LOB Host Pool)
└── CAD ViewerChoosing an app deployment method
Not every application needs to be published as a RemoteApp. Consider these options:
| Method | Install in Image | App Attach | RemoteApp | Microsoft Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where app lives | Baked into the golden image | Separate VHD/CIM package mounted at sign-in | In the image, published individually | Downloaded from Store per user |
| Update process | Rebuild and redeploy image | Update the package, no image change | Update image (app is in the image) | Store handles updates |
| User experience | App appears in desktop session | App appears as locally installed | App appears as a window on client device | App in desktop session |
| Per-user assignment | No — all users get all apps | Yes — assign packages to app groups | Yes — assign users to RemoteApp groups | Yes — user installs from Store |
| Image maintenance | Image grows with more apps | Image stays clean | Image contains the app | Minimal image impact |
| Best for | Core apps everyone needs | Frequently updated or department-specific apps | Legacy LOB apps accessed from any device | Self-service user apps |
| Complexity | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Decision guide
- Core apps everyone uses (Office, browser, Teams) — install in the image
- Department-specific apps that update frequently — app attach
- Legacy LOB apps that users need as individual windows on their device — RemoteApp
- User self-service apps — Microsoft Store (if allowed)
🎧 Mia’s clinic apps: “We install Office, Teams, and the EHR system in the image — every clinician needs them. PACS viewer goes through app attach because radiology updates it monthly and only radiologists need it. The patient feedback form is a RemoteApp that admin staff access from their iPads.”
Assigning users and groups
Best practices for assignment:
- Use Entra ID security groups, not individual user assignments
- Create groups per department or role:
SG-AVD-Finance,SG-AVD-Radiology - Nested groups work — assign a parent group and all members of child groups get access
- Review assignments regularly — stale assignments waste resources
Raj has a single host pool. He wants some users to get a full desktop and other users to get only SAP as a RemoteApp. Can he do this with one host pool?
Mia wants the patient feedback form to appear as an individual app window on clinic iPads, not as a full remote desktop. What should she configure?
A user reports that after subscribing to their workspace in Windows App, they do not see the Finance RemoteApps. They can see the Corporate Desktop. What is the most likely cause?
🎬 Video coming soon
Application Groups and RemoteApp
Next up: Microsoft 365, Teams and OneDrive on AVD — configure Microsoft 365 apps with shared computer activation, optimise Teams with media redirection, and set up OneDrive for multi-session environments.