AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Remote Desktop

I’m not fond of the default name (Default Desktop) shown in the AVD client portal under the desktop icon. Let’s change the default desktop name and give a more user-friendly name to the remote desktop icon (Default Desktop).

Let’s learn how to provide a more user-friendly name to AVD remote desktop icons in AVD ARM-based (a.k.a AVD v2) deployments. It’s a bit different from how this is handled in AVD’s classic version.

The issue with AVD Desktop Friendly Name

Let’s understand the Issue with the AVD Desktop Friendly Name. Well, it’s not an AVD technical issue; rather, it’s a user experience issue. I think it’s always better to keep a more user-friendly name.

When a user logs on to the AVD client portal or RD client, the user can see the remote desktop icon name as “default desktop.”

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There was a requirement from a client that they want to change the name of the remote desktop icon from Default Desktop to ABC Desktop.

Default Desktop – Friendly Name for Azure Virtual Desktop

The Default Desktop – Friendly Name for Azure Virtual Desktop. Let’s find out the details to understand where the name “Default Desktop” is coming from.

AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Remote Desktop
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Remote Desktop

Launch Azure Portal – portal.azure.com

Search with “Windows Virtual Desktop. “

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Click on the Azure Virtual Desktop icon as shown in the below screenshot.

AVD Arm based Deployment - WVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon

Click on the Host pools icon (#2)

Select the Host Pool (#3) that is having the issue with a friendly name.

Click on Application Groups (#4)

Click on the Application Groups Name (#5)

AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
  • Now we are on the Application Group blade in the Azure portal.
  • Click on the Properties tab.
  • On the right side of the blade – You can see the Friendly Name of Remote Desktop ICON.
    • Check what is the name shown under Friendly Name = Default Desktop.
WVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon

Fix – AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Remote Desktop

All the users assigned to the particular host pool shall get the same name for the shortcut. We don’t have an option to give a separate remote desktop name for each individual user assigned to the host pool.

NOTE! – You have an option to change the host pool-friendly name; however, that might NOT help to change the remote desktop icon name.

NOTE! – The host Pool name cannot be changed, you can only change the “FriendlyName.” Typically, we would expect desktop sessions to consume more resources (RAM, Network, etc.) since you can launch more applications and services. More details here.

So to change the name of the Remote Desktop icon within the host pool, you need to follow the steps explained below.

  • Follow the steps mentioned in the above section👉 Default Desktop – Friendly Name.
  • Now we are on the Application Group blade in the Azure portal.
  • Click on the Properties tab.
  • On the right side of the blade – You can see the Friendly Name of Remote Desktop ICON.
    • Check what is the name shown under Friendly Name = Default Desktop.
Default Desktop AVD ARM - WVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
  • Change the Friendly name to ABC Desktop as I showed below.
  • Click on the Save button to confirm the changes.
WVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
  • You can also change the name from Applications Blade.
  • Click on SessionDesktop from the ARM-based AVD portal.
  • Change the Display name to ABC Desktop.
  • Click on the Save button to complete.
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Remote Desktop 1

Results

Let’s launch the AVD client portal or RD client.

Select the Workspace (AVD Tenant in AVD Classic world).

Check the name of the remote desktop icon – As you can see in the below screen capture now, it’s changed to ABC desktop.

WVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon
AVD Change Default Desktop Friendly Name Desktop Icon

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