Historically, users within an Azure Virtual Desktop personal host pool were limited to a single desktop assignment. If a user needed access to more than one personal desktop—for example, one for development and another for testing—we had to provision separate host pools. This added unnecessary administrative overhead and resource sprawl.
With the multiple desktop assignment update, now generally available, a single user can be assigned multiple desktops within the same personal host pool, making management more efficient and reducing the number of host pools required in an environment.
🎥 For a full demo and step-by-step walkthrough, watch the video on YouTube.
Key Considerations for Multiple User Assignment
The following are considerations for using the new multiple assignment feature:
Direct Assignment Only: Multiple desktop assignments require a personal host pool configured with direct assignment. This feature won’t work with automatic assignment types.
FSLogix Compatibility: While FSLogix technically works with multiple desktop assignments, it’s not recommended. Sharing a single FSLogix profile between multiple desktops introduces complexity due to read/write limitations on VHD/VHDX files. Consider using local profiles with OneDrive Known Folder Redirection (KFR) or creating a separate FSLogix profile per desktop.
Irreversible Change: Once a host pool is enabled for multiple desktop assignments, you can’t revert the setting or change the assignment type.
Friendly Names Require PowerShell: Friendly names help end users distinguish between desktops in their AVD client (e.g., “Dev Desktop” vs. “Production Desktop”). At the time of this writing, updating session host friendly names is only supported via PowerShell. See below for details on setting friendly names.
How to Enable Multiple Desktop Assignments in AVD
You can configure this feature on new or existing personal host pools. Here’s how:
Create a New Host Pool with Multiple Desktop Assignments
- In the Azure Portal, create a new host pool.
- From the Basic tab, select host pool type: Personal.
- Set Assignment type: Direct.
- Enable the “Allow multiple desktops to a single user” option.
- Complete the host pool creation as usual.
- Once created, go to Host Pool > Settings > Properties to confirm that the assignment type is direct and multiple desktop assignments are enabled.
Enable on an Existing Host Pool
- Navigate to the existing personal host pool in the Azure Portal.
- Go to Settings > Properties.
- Change the assignment type to Direct (if currently set to Automatic).
- Enable the option to assign multiple desktops per user.
- Save the changes (note: this action is permanent).
Assigning a User to Multiple Desktops
To assign a user to multiple desktops, first navigate to the default desktop group within the Host Pool and manage application groups. Under the assignments section, add the desired users or groups that will access the pool.
Once the users are assigned to the desktop applications, access the session hosts in the host pool and choose a session host. Assign the user to the relevant desktop. This process must be repeated for every desktop intended for user access.
The user will now see multiple desktops in their AVD client.
Updating Friendly Names with PowerShell
The remote desktop client displays the session host computer name by default. To make desktop names more user-friendly, assign friendly names to the session hosts (e.g., “Dev Desktop” instead of “multiSh-332A”). At the time of this article, friendly names can only be assigned using PowerShell. The following PowerShell command can be used to update friendly names on a session host:
Update-AzWvdSessionHost -HostPoolName "<YourHostPool>" -ResourceGroupName "<YourResourceGroup>" -Name "<SessionHostName>" -FriendlyName "<Friendly Name"
Repeat for each session host. You can run this in Azure Cloud Shell or locally with the Az module installed.
Final Thoughts
The ability to assign multiple desktops to a single user in AVD personal host pools is a significant enhancement for organizations looking to simplify infrastructure and provide more flexibility to users. Just be aware of the limitations around FSLogix and assignment types before enabling the feature.
Links:
A Beginner’s Guide to the AZ-900
https://www.udemy.com/course/beginners-guide-az-900/?referralCode=C74C266B74E837F86969
Zero to Hero with Azure Virtual Desktop
https://www.udemy.com/course/zero-to-hero-with-windows-virtual-desktop/?referralCode=B2FE49E6FCEE7A7EA8D4
Hybrid Identity with Windows AD and Azure AD
https://www.udemy.com/course/hybrid-identity-and-azure-active-directory/?referralCode=7F62C4C6FD05C73ACCC3
Windows 365 Enterprise and Intune Management
https://www.udemy.com/course/windows-365-enterprise-and-intune-management/?referralCode=4A1ED105341D0AA20D2E
Multiple Personal Desktop Assignment now Generally Available
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/AzureVirtualDesktopBlog/multiple-personal-desktop-assignment-now-generally-available/4419225
