Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

This upcoming Windows 11 feature lets you switch to a cloud PC in seconds

By

Microsoft is currently testing a feature that allows users to switch between the local Windows 11 installation and a cloud-based Windows 365 Cloud PC installation on a device using just basic computer commands.

The feature, called Windows 365 Switch, is available for Windows Insiders in the Beta and Dev Channels. The Windows 11 Build 23521 to Insiders in the Dev Channel recently became available for Dev Channels.

Windows 365 Switch being used with Task view.
Microsoft / Microsoft

Microsoft has been developing its Windows cloud PC business since 2021. The company has been heavily focused on business clients, however, it has had an increasing focus on private users, PCWorld noted.

Recommended Videos

The Windows 365 Switch feature allows you to switch from the local Windows 11 installation on your PC to a cloud-based Windows 365 instantly using standard keyboard commands, or a mouse click, or a swipe gesture. You can also enable the switch through the Task view feature on your desktop.

Related

Microsoft noted in its blog post that Windows 365 Switch could be especially beneficial for users who participate in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs through work. An employee can host a company-owned Cloud PC on their own desktop or notebook and switch between the environments as needed. Currently, the cloud-based Windows 365 is only available for corporate users.

The requirements for Windows 365 Switch are:

  • Windows 11-based endpoints (Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise also supported).
  • Windows Insider Program member for Windows 11 and Windows 365 (Beta Channel preferred, Dev Channel also supported).
  • Windows 365 Cloud PC license.

You can find step-by-step guide information on how to deploy and use Windows 365 Switch on Microsoft’s community page.

Microsoft is also looking for opinions from Windows 365 Switch users through its Feedback Hub app. To share your thoughts or report problems, select the Desktop environment category in Feedback Hub and then the Switch to Cloud PC subcategory.

Notably, a major leak recently occurred of the Microsoft StagingTool mechanism, which can activate or disable hidden and unannounced features within Windows 11 Insider Preview software. The leak was ironically found in a misplaced link in Microsoft’s Feedback Hub

There is no telling how the leak could affect Windows Insiders previews overall. So far, the brand appears to be continuing with business as usual.

Considering Windows 365 Switch is a Windows Insiders preview, there is no guarantee the feature will make it to a public build of Windows 11, but it looks promising.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh
Computing Writer
Fionna Agomuoh is a Computing Writer at Digital Trends. She covers a range of topics in the computing space, including…
Microsoft is fixing my biggest problem with Windows 11 on handhelds
Asus ROG Ally with the Windows lock screen.

We're finally starting to make some progress on the handheld experience of Windows 11. Although Windows 11 handhelds like the ROG Ally X are some of the best handheld gaming PCs you can buy, that's despite their use of Windows, not because of it. Now, the latest Windows 11 Insider preview (build 22631.4387) adds a feature that should make navigating the OS much easier on a handheld -- a keyboard built for gamepads.

Windows has included an onscreen keyboard for years, and updates over the last couple of years have even made it usable with touch inputs. On a handheld, however, there are two problems with the keyboard. You can't invoke it naturally -- you have to bind Windows + Ctrl + O to a hotkey -- and you can't use your controller to navigate it. With the new update, Microsoft is fixing that last point, at the very least.

Read more
Windows 11 is creating an ‘undeletable’ 8.63GB cache
The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

The recent Windows 11 24H2 update is reportedly flawed with a new issue where it creates 8.63GB of undeletable update cache. This cache is made during the update process and seems to remain on the system, despite attempts to remove it using traditional methods like Disk Cleanup, Storage Sense, or even manually deleting system folders like Windows.old​.

The issue appears to be linked to checkpoint updates, a new feature in Windows 11 designed to streamline and shrink update sizes by downloading smaller patches rather than full updates.

Read more
Passkeys in Windows 11 are about to get safer and easier to use
Customer using 1Password on their Windows laptop, sitting on a couch.

According to a new Developer Blog post, Microsoft is expanding its support for passkeys on Windows 11 soon, with plans to let you choose how your passkeys are saved and where they're stored. A new API will also allow third-party password managers like 1Password or Bitwarden to integrate more seamlessly into the Windows passkey experience.

With Windows Hello, users will be prompted to complete a one-time setup for each passkey-friendly website using their Microsoft account. Once that's done, you can log in across all your Windows 11 devices using whichever authentication method you prefer -- PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition. All passkeys will be secured with end-to-end encryption and use your PC's TPM (Trusted Platform Module) to keep them protected.

Read more