Microsoft testing PC-to-Cloud-PC failover for those times your machine dies or disappears
- Reference: 1750311124
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/06/19/microsoft_windows_365_reserve/
- Source link:
As explained in a Wednesday [1]post by Stefan Kinnestrand, Microsoft’s Veep for “Modern Work”, the service provides “instant access to a temporary, pre-configured Cloud PC when their primary device is unavailable.”
“Reserve Cloud PCs” will be preloaded with Microsoft 365 apps and a user’s preferred security policies and other Windows customizations.
[2]
An [3]application form for those interested in testing the service mentions data synchronization enabled by Microsoft’s OneDrive, plus pre-loaded corporate apps. The virtual machines will appear as just another PC to manage in Microsoft’s Intune endpoint wrangling tool.
[4]
[5]
The form also states that Windows 365 Reserve will make a Cloud PC available for 10 days a year, usable “all at once or split up”.
Kinnestrand suggests the cloud PCs are ideal if a device is lost or breaks and promises the service means “users can connect to their Reserve Cloud PC within minutes from any device using the Windows App or a browser.”
[6]Citrix finds new use for virtualization: Avoiding PC price hikes caused by tariffs
[7]Google takes on virtual desktops with acquisition of app-streamer Cameyo
[8]Microsoft brings its cloudy virtual desktops on-prem to AzureStack HCI
[9]AWS targets desktop virtualization rigs with lift and shift to cloudy DaaS
Sadly the Veep’s post, and the application form don’t mention the cost of the service. As the service seems to involve frequent data syncing The Register imagines Microsoft will charge for it up front rather than offering this as a just-in-time option. We’ve asked Microsoft for pricing info and will update this story if we receive substantive info.
Kinnestrand’s post also revealed that Microsoft has changed the default security settings for Cloud PCs, by “Disabling select redirections, such as USB and clipboard” and adding “virtualization-based security, to better protect against credential theft and kernel-level exploits.”
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The Veep also noted that Microsoft is running a private preview of Windows 365 Cloud Apps, which “let organizations deliver secure access to individual apps hosted on Cloud PCs, without requiring a dedicated Cloud PC for every user.” The Veep recommended this product for seasonal or remote workers.
The post also discusses some new features of [11]Windows 365 Link , the client device Microsoft created just to access Cloud PCs. A new “Connection Center” offers users the chance to choose between multiple Cloud PCs. Microsoft has also improved multi-monitor support and made it possible to log in with NFC cards.
Virtual PCs account for around five percent of the global PC fleet, but are not widely adopted beyond industries with unusually complex regulatory and security requirements. Microsoft appears to be trying to expand the market with these initiatives. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2025/06/18/strengthen-business-resilience-with-windows-365-and-azure-virtual-desktop/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aFPfuwc8t1J129q8gPbwVwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=v4j5cvGGr0GRqy180BHbR35z8y2oNjBOmsgL_HrnYKlUNDJKREdZSDBPOVdWSktZQ0VKNzYxR05UViQlQCNjPTEu
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aFPfuwc8t1J129q8gPbwVwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aFPfuwc8t1J129q8gPbwVwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/07/citrix_virtualisation_avoids_tariffs/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/06/google_acquires_cameyo_vdi_challenge/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/06/azure_virtual_desktops_azurestack_hci/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/18/vdi_meets_daas/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aFPfuwc8t1J129q8gPbwVwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/03/windows_365_link/
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
"ideal when physical machines aren’t usable."
And how exactly do I access this "Cloud-PC" without a physical machine ?
And if I DO have a spare one laying around... Why would I want to use it to log into a "Cloud-PC" ?
Re: "ideal when physical machines aren’t usable."
99.5% of times my physical machine is unavailable, it will be due to Micros~1 doing Micros~1 things.
... or, you could use a Linux machine
and access the warez of micros~1 via a browser.
Re: ... or, you could use a Linux machine
I suppose the logical conclusion to this is Microsoft produce an extremely cut-down Linux distro, and have it boot straight into Edge for Linux. That browser can then only access Microsoft.cloud or wherever they host it. They could create a read-only USB which you can boot any machine from and get access to all that data-slurping goodness.
Probably shouldn't have written this in case it gives them ideas, though I suspect this has been their plan for a long time now
Re: ... or, you could use a Linux machine
that's just a citrix terminal
At a job years ago we went down the Wyse terminals with their cost replacing all the old PC's. I did suggest we use a small Linux distro andd the citrix client, but no, lets waste lots of money on Wyse 'unreliable' terminals
"connect to their Reserve Cloud PC within minutes from any device"
I take that to mean that Borkzilla is mirroring your PC 100% of the time, instantly.
You had better not be on an ADSL link for this service. I'm guessing GB fiber is mandatory.
Just another excuse for Redmond to have control over all your data, but this one will really cost you.
But all that aside, I'm just wondering : if this is an instant copy of your PC environment, what happens when you get pwned by malware ?
What are the use cases for this tech ? Is Redmond promising that its Reserve Cloud PC will be immune to malware (it can't) ? What happens if you've lost your connection and only notice half an hour later ? A PC is, after all, made for working locally.
And when you do recover the use of your PC, what synchronization options are there ? And why should you trust them ?
Re: "connect to their Reserve Cloud PC within minutes from any device"
From reading the article it just sounds like its basic Windows 11 configured with 365 a few extra tweaks and you will need to install whatever apps and data onto it, as it not a cloud clone of your IRL PC.
Which as others have pointed out if you need access to another device to be able to connect to this cloud PC then you could probably use that device instead. Although I guess if you have a critical app that is Windows only then this would allow you to run it from a Chromebook or iPad if you had one of those hanging around.
It looks to me like just another route by which MS can get their hands on the data that you would normally keep out of their reach on your own machine.
And to be honest, from the very few and far between serious failures I have had with the few computers I have owned, I would say the 'cloud' is more likely to to have a suddden unexpected failure than my computer, added to which, if you are going to then have to spend time setting up the cloud pc and keeping it up to date, it is likely to be as onerous a task as repairing and re-installing your own systemanyway, so this is just another solution without a problem to solve. Which just re-inforces my view that this is just another cynical MS ruse to grab the rest of your data that they haven't already managed to pinch.
After reading the article...
...I came to the comments section and was not at all disappointed with the universal slagging off of this turkey of a dumpster fire by the commentards.
Keep up the good work!
TFTFY
Microsoft testing PC-to-Cloud-PC failover for Patch Tuesdays when Microsoft crash your machine