498355 – Microsoft Teams: New VDI solution for Teams optimization in Amazon WorkSpaces

Product:

Stream, Teams, Windows Virtual Desktop

Platform:

US Instances, Windows Desktop, World tenant

Status:

Rolling out

Change type:

Links:

Details:

New VDI solution for Teams introduces multimedia offloading and optimization solution for Microsoft Teams when running in Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal and Pools). Users of the WorkSpaces Client for Windows can enjoy a high-definition experience in virtual desktops, where audio/video/screensharing are offloaded to the user's device and processed by the SlimCore media engine. This entry applies to WorkSpaces only (AppStream is not supported).

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
General Availability, Targeted Release

Created:
2025-07-17

updated:
2025-08-22

Public Preview Start Date

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Docu to Check

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MS workload name

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summary for non-techies**

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Direct effects for Operations**

Performance Degradation
Without proper preparation, the implementation of the new VDI solution may lead to performance issues such as lag or stuttering during video calls, as the system may not be optimized for all user devices.
   - roles: IT Support, End Users
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/virtual-desktop-infrastructure, https://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/

User Experience Disruption
If the change is made without adequate training or communication, users may struggle to adapt to the new features, leading to confusion and frustration during meetings.
   - roles: End Users, Team Leaders
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/virtual-desktop-infrastructure, https://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/

Configutation Options**

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explanation for non-techies**

Imagine you're watching a movie on your TV at home. Normally, the TV handles everything – the picture, the sound, and even the streaming from the internet. But what if your TV could offload some of that work to a separate device, like a smart speaker for sound or a streaming stick for video? This would make the experience smoother and potentially higher quality because each device is doing what it does best.

In the world of virtual desktops, something similar is happening with Microsoft Teams and Amazon WorkSpaces. When you use Teams on a virtual desktop, all the audio, video, and screen sharing usually have to be processed by the virtual desktop itself. This can sometimes lead to lower quality or slower performance, especially if the virtual desktop is handling a lot of tasks at once.

The new solution is like having that smart speaker and streaming stick. It offloads the audio and video processing from the virtual desktop to your personal device. This means your device, which is closer to you and likely has better resources for handling multimedia, takes care of the heavy lifting. The result is a high-definition experience with smoother audio and video, just like watching a movie with the best possible sound and picture quality.

This change is specific to Amazon WorkSpaces, which are virtual desktops that people use to access their work environment from anywhere. It's important to note that this improvement doesn't apply to AppStream, another service for running applications in the cloud. By optimizing how Teams works in this environment, users can have a more seamless and efficient experience, much like enjoying a high-quality movie night at home.