1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,560 A small box sits beside your monitor, keyboard and mouse. 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:06,440 It costs around $349, but there's no normal Windows desktop running inside. 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,720 It no pile of apps installed on it and no folder full of your work files waiting on its drive. 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:12,560 So why would Microsoft build something like this? 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,120 Welcome to another episode of Microsoft Knowledge Nuggets here on M365. 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:20,200 FM, I'm Mirko Peters and today we're talking about Windows 365 link. 7 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,280 By the end of this episode, you'll understand what this little device actually does, 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:28,040 what a cloud PC is, who should use this setup and when you should grab a normal laptop instead. 9 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,760 Most people see Windows in the name and assume this is just another small PC. 10 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,680 It isn't. 11 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:38,840 Windows 365 link is a purpose-built access device and here's the simplest way to think about it. 12 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,160 Imagine you walk up to a modern office building. 13 00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:45,560 You arrive at the front door, prove who you are and then walk into your own office upstairs. 14 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:47,360 That office is your cloud PC. 15 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:52,640 The link device sits on your desk, but your personal Windows desktop, your apps, your settings 16 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,160 and your files run somewhere else in Microsoft's cloud. 17 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,520 For years, the normal model was pretty basic. 18 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,080 Every desk needed a full computer. 19 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,720 Each laptop or desktop carried its own Windows setup, its own local apps, its own files and 20 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:06,120 its own support problems. 21 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,000 When someone changed desks, changed offices or got a replacement computer, part of their 22 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:11,720 work life had to move with them. 23 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,280 Windows 365 link changes where the computer lives. 24 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:19,160 Instead of putting a full PC at every desk, an organization puts a small managed access device 25 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:20,160 there. 26 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,840 The person signs in and their personal desktop appears from the cloud. 27 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,040 That sounds simple because from the user's side, it is meant to feel simple, but there are 28 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,800 two separate things in this picture and people often mix them up. 29 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,960 So let's separate Windows 365 link from Windows 365 itself. 30 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:36,800 Building block one, the device and the cloud PC. 31 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:42,280 Windows 365 link is a physical device built for one job, connecting you to a Windows 365 32 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,040 cloud PC. 33 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,920 That definition matters because the device and the cloud PC are not the same thing. 34 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:49,520 The link is the small box on your desk. 35 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:53,760 The cloud PC is your actual Windows computer running remotely in Microsoft's cloud. 36 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,360 Think of a filing cabinet in an office. 37 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,880 The cabinet in front of you is where the important papers live. 38 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,320 If you only have a key to the room but no cabinet, you cannot do much work. 39 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,320 Windows 365 link is more like the key in the room entrance. 40 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,840 Your cloud PC is the filing cabinet, the desk and the whole work area behind that door. 41 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:14,120 It holds your Windows environment, your installed work apps, your files and your personal settings. 42 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,440 So when you sit at a Windows 365 link device, you are not opening a little local computer 43 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,240 and then launching a remote tool as an extra step. 44 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,200 You turn it on, connect it to the network, sign in with your work account and it takes you 45 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,480 straight to the Windows desktop assigned to you. 46 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,760 That desktop may look completely normal. 47 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,520 You can open Outlook, you can work in Word, you can use Teams. 48 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,960 You can open the business apps your organization has put on your cloud PC. 49 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,360 But those apps are running on the cloud PC, not on the link device sitting under your monitor. 50 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:41,360 That's the central idea. 51 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,000 Many people ask, so is this a thin client? 52 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,360 In plain English, yes, it works like a modern thin client. 53 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,840 That's a small device that gives you access to a computer running somewhere else. 54 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:54,600 But Microsoft built Windows 365 link specifically for Windows 365 cloud PCs. 55 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,920 It is not trying to be a flexible mini desktop where you install whatever you want and use 56 00:02:57,920 --> 00:02:59,440 it like a normal Windows machine. 57 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,840 There is no local app store for your everyday work. 58 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,480 There is no normal local Windows desktop where you save documents. 59 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,480 There is no local admin account for someone to use as a backdoor into the device. 60 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:14,080 Instead, the link device stays focused on getting you into your assigned cloud PC. 61 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:15,480 Here's a real scenario. 62 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,400 Imagine a shared desk in a call center. 63 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,160 A worker starts the morning shift. 64 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:24,840 They sit at a desk with a monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset, and one Windows 365 link device. 65 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,840 After they sign in, they see their own cloud PC with their apps, their layout, and the work 66 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:30,680 they left open from the day before. 67 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,320 At the end of the shift, they sign out. 68 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,440 A second worker sits at the very same desk later that afternoon. 69 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,560 They sign in with their own account and the device opens their cloud PC instead. 70 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,880 Same screen, same keyboard, same small box, different Windows desktop, different files, 71 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:45,000 different work environment. 72 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:49,400 The physical desk is shared, but the computer experience belongs to the person who signs in. 73 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:50,920 That's why the separation matters so much. 74 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:55,000 A normal desktop PC carries the work environment inside the device itself. 75 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,200 If that PC fails, gets replaced, or sits at another desk, IT often has to deal with the 76 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:00,400 local setup. 77 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,600 With Windows 365 link, the link device is mainly the way in. 78 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,160 The personal Windows workspace lives elsewhere. 79 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,880 This also changes how you think about the device price. 80 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:13,120 The 3 and 49 dollar box is not replacing a $349 computer because it is not doing the 81 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,320 same job as a normal local computer. 82 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:20,360 It needs a Windows 365 cloud PC behind it, and that cloud PC is the part providing the 83 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:21,360 Windows experience. 84 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,920 So for you, the benefit is familiar Windows work without putting the full computer at the 85 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:25,920 desk. 86 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,920 Your apps and files stay with your cloud PC. 87 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,320 The desk can change, the link device can change. 88 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:34,400 But after you sign in, your own Windows workspace comes back that raises the next question. 89 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,840 If the actual computer runs elsewhere, what does this small box still need to do? 90 00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:39,840 Building block 2. 91 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:41,400 What happens when you sign in? 92 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,040 No Windows 365 link shows you anything it needs a network connection. 93 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,000 That connection uses either a wired Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi. 94 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,960 Either way, you cannot skip it because the device must reach your cloud PC before your 95 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:53,400 Windows desktop appears. 96 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:57,600 A normal laptop lets you open local files or run apps when the internet drops. 97 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:01,800 But Windows 365 link works differently because its job only begins when it reaches the 98 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:02,800 cloud. 99 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:07,640 No connection means no root to your cloud PC, so you cannot start your work session. 100 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,440 Once the device reaches the network, you sign in with your work or school account. 101 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,360 That is where Microsoft Enter ID steps in. 102 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,080 Enter ID is the identity service working behind the scenes. 103 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,760 Think of it as the reception desk that checks who you are before you enter the work area. 104 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,440 You enter your account details and Enter ID checks you sign in by asking several questions. 105 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,160 Are you the person you claim to be? 106 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:28,960 Are you allowed to use this device? 107 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:33,520 Do your organization sign in rules require another check, like approval in an authentication 108 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,240 app or a security key? 109 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,040 Windows checks happen before the cloud PC session opens. 110 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,800 For the person at the desk, it feels like a normal work sign in. 111 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,080 But behind that screen, the system checks the user identity, the device and the access rules 112 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,120 before connecting you to your personal Windows environment. 113 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:49,600 After that check succeeds. 114 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,680 Windows 365 finds the cloud PC assigned to your account and your desktop appears. 115 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,680 Complete with the Windows background you chose, the apps your organization installed, your 116 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:03,280 files, your browser settings, and even the work you left open in a previous session, 117 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:07,920 depending on how you signed out and how your cloud PC is set up. 118 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,800 You can use one link device in the office on Monday, then sit at another link device later 119 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,920 in the week and still arrive in the same Windows workspace. 120 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,440 The desk changes, but your workspace stays the same. 121 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:21,480 Behind the scenes, Intune helps the organization manage the link device itself. 122 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,680 Intune is Microsoft's tool for setting rules on company devices. 123 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,960 For a normal laptop, that means lots of settings, apps, updates and device choices. 124 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:30,640 With Link, the job is much narrower. 125 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,800 It can prepare the device, control the settings that apply to it, track its status and make 126 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:36,560 sure it follows company rules. 127 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,440 But that does not turn Link into a normal local Windows computer. 128 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:40,760 It stays focused on access. 129 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,720 That split matters because there are really two things being managed. 130 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,760 Intune manages the small link device at the desk while Windows 365 and Intune manage 131 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,200 the actual cloud PC where the user works. 132 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,160 One is the access point, the other is the working desktop. 133 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:54,160 What about Teams meetings? 134 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:58,800 This is a common question because audio and video calls feel bad when every piece of 135 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:03,360 a meeting has to travel back and forth through a remote desktop session. 136 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:08,160 Windows 365 Link handles Teams, audio and video in a way designed to keep calls feeling 137 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:09,160 more natural. 138 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:13,480 Your camera, microphone, speakers and headset connect at the desk while your work session 139 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:14,880 remains on the cloud PC. 140 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,720 So when you join a Teams call, the device handles the local media parts of that meeting instead 141 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,000 of treating your voice and camera like ordinary remote screen traffic. 142 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,960 That makes a real difference in a shared office, a service desk or any role where Teams calls 143 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:26,960 happen all day. 144 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,600 The first time someone signs in, the experience takes longer. 145 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:34,040 A new cloud PC user profile needs time to prepare and the link device also needs to complete 146 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,040 its first setup with the organization. 147 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,440 That is normal for a first time connection. 148 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:42,280 Later sign-ins feel more direct because the account device and cloud PC already know each 149 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:43,280 other. 150 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:45,000 So the full path looks like this. 151 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,600 The link device connects to the network, EntraID checks your identity and access rules, 152 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:54,120 Intune confirms the device belongs in the organization's managed setup, Windows 365 connects 153 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:58,480 you to your assigned cloud PC and then your familiar Windows desktop appears. 154 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:03,460 You can move between desks, offices or shared work areas while your Windows workspace stays 155 00:08:03,460 --> 00:08:06,840 tied to your account instead of one physical machine. 156 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,080 That simple sign-in screen depends on some strict limits and those limits explain why Microsoft 157 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:14,080 built this device with security at the center. 158 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,720 Building block three, why Microsoft built it this way? 159 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,720 A regular PC gives you a lot of freedom. 160 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,440 It also leaves a lot of work and risk on the device sitting in front of you, especially 161 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:27,880 when files, apps, saved passwords and local user accounts all live on that one machine. 162 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:29,320 Think about a lost laptop. 163 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:33,400 Even if the person who finds it cannot sign in, IT still has questions to answer. 164 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:34,800 Was company data stored on it? 165 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:35,800 Were updates current? 166 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,400 Did someone install software they should not have installed? 167 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,400 Does the device need to be wiped, replaced or checked for security problem? 168 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,120 Those are normal concerns with any full Windows device. 169 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,600 Windows 365 link takes a different path. 170 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:52,000 Microsoft built it to keep the local device tightly limited while the personal work desktop 171 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:53,560 lives in the cloud PC. 172 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:57,120 That means there is far less user material sitting at the desk itself. 173 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:02,120 No local user file storage, no normal local apps and no local administrator account that 174 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,880 someone can use to change the device into something else. 175 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,720 That does not mean the link device has no security of its own. 176 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:09,720 It does. 177 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,600 But its security job is very focused. 178 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,560 Start safely, prove that the device has not been changed, protect what it stores for 179 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:17,000 its own operation and restrict what can run. 180 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,000 One piece of that is TPM. 181 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,000 TPM stands for Trusted Platform Module. 182 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,960 You can think of it as a small security chip that helps protect device secrets and confirms 183 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,440 that the device starts in a trusted state. 184 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,320 Secure boot checks the software that starts when the device powers on, bitlocker encrypts 185 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:31,520 the device drive. 186 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,000 Windows Defender includes a sensor that helps detect security problems. 187 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,080 Strict app controls limit what software can run on the device. 188 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,600 You do not need to memorize every one of those names. 189 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,720 The plan English point is that Windows 365 link is designed to avoid becoming an open 190 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:45,720 local computer. 191 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,200 A normal PC is like giving someone a workshop full of tools. 192 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:54,160 That makes sense when they need to build, install, download and work without a network. 193 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:58,200 Windows 365 link is more like a secured badge reader at a controlled site. 194 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,920 It has one clear job and it does not hand every visitor toolbox. 195 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,920 This matters most in places where many people use the same desk. 196 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:06,720 Imagine a clinic reception desk. 197 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,320 Staff members rotate through the day. 198 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:13,480 They need access to patient scheduling tools, business email, teams and other work apps. 199 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:18,480 Yet the organization does not want personal files, browser data and unmanaged software building 200 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,000 up on the physical device between shifts. 201 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,960 The same idea applies to a call center, a training room, a hot desk office or a frontline 202 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:25,960 location. 203 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,400 The employee signs into their own cloud PC. 204 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,040 When they leave, the next person does not inherit a local Windows profile full of the 205 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:33,240 previous person's work. 206 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,680 I'd also get some more controlled device to manage through Intune. 207 00:10:35,680 --> 00:10:40,480 IT prepares the device for the organization, applies the device rules that matter, reviews 208 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,840 its status and keeps it within the company's management process. 209 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:48,160 The link device does not need the same broad set of local choices as a standard laptop, 210 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,800 because it is not meant to carry out standard laptop jobs. 211 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,520 That narrower design removes some common support work. 212 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,840 There is less reason to troubleshoot local app installs on the link device, because users 213 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,280 are not supposed to install their work apps there. 214 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:04,200 There is less need to recover local documents from a failed link device, because user files 215 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:05,720 belong in the cloud PC. 216 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:09,720 If a link device stops working, the person's Windows workspace does not disappear with the 217 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:10,720 box. 218 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:15,360 They use another approved way to reach their cloud PC while IT deals with the physical device. 219 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,320 Microsoft also designed the hardware with repair in mind. 220 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,040 The device has parts that are removable and replaceable, and Microsoft provides service 221 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:23,400 guidance for repairs. 222 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,840 That is a practical choice for a device intended to sit in offices and shared spaces for years, 223 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,600 rather than become a sealed box that gets thrown away after a single fault. 224 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,600 Still, do not confuse, restricted with weak. 225 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:36,680 The device limits local activity on purpose. 226 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:40,440 The cloud PC remains the place where the user's actual Windows work happens, while link 227 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,480 concentrates on getting that user there in a controlled way. 228 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,360 It explains why that split exists. 229 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:50,440 It does not mean this device is right for every person, every job, or every company. 230 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:51,640 Building block 4. 231 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:52,640 Who it fits? 232 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:53,800 And who should skip it? 233 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,840 So, who should actually use Windows 365 link? 234 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:57,920 And who should skip it? 235 00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,360 Let's start with the obvious fit. 236 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,920 This device works best when your organization already uses Windows 365 cloud PCs and manages 237 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:05,520 work accounts through EntryD. 238 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:06,520 That's the starting point. 239 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,760 Without that foundation, you're buying a box that doesn't do much on its own. 240 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:10,760 Here's the thing. 241 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,160 A link device does not create a cloud PC. 242 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:17,880 Each person still needs a Windows 365 license and assigned cloud PC and permission to sign 243 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:19,320 in with their work account. 244 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,040 So this is not a box you buy first and figure out later. 245 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:26,400 It makes sense when the cloud PC plan already exists and you want a simple, fixed way for 246 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,840 people to reach those cloud PCs at a desk. 247 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:30,960 Now shared desks are probably the clearest example. 248 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,400 Picture a large office where employees do not have assigned seats. 249 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,400 Someone arrives in the morning, finds an open desk, plugs in a headset and signs in. 250 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,440 Their own Windows workspace appears even though another person used that desk yesterday. 251 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,080 They do not need a local computer with their name on it. 252 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,560 They need a reliable doorway to their own cloud PC. 253 00:12:47,560 --> 00:12:48,560 That's the magic of it. 254 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:50,600 That pattern also works for shift workers. 255 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,520 Imagine a contact center running three shifts from the same room. 256 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,920 A training center where many people use the same desks at different times. 257 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:01,400 A retail back office where staff only need occasional access to company systems. 258 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:05,800 In each case, the physical desk stays simple while the person's Windows environment follows 259 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:06,800 their account. 260 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,480 Remote work can fit too, although this is not a portable device. 261 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,040 An organization could place a link device in a controlled home office or a branch location 262 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:17,080 where they want work to stay in the cloud PC rather than on a local machine. 263 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:20,520 Contractors are another possible fit when the company wants to give someone a managed work 264 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,800 environment without setting up a full local PC for that role. 265 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,800 Still, the worker needs a stable place to sit. 266 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,400 Windows 365 link supports the usual desk equipment you would expect. 267 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:35,920 You can connect two 4K displays, USB devices, a camera, audio equipment, Ethernet or Wi-Fi. 268 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,240 That means the desk can feel like a normal work setup. 269 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,840 You can have a large monitor, a second screen for teams or email a keyboard, mouse, webcam 270 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:42,840 and headset. 271 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:44,120 The difference is not what the desk looks like. 272 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,480 The difference is where the Windows computer does its work. 273 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,720 But before anyone can use that setup, a few things need to be ready. 274 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,000 The user needs a Windows 365 license. 275 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,080 They need a cloud PC assigned to their account. 276 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,480 They need an Entra ID account that can sign in. 277 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:58,720 And the location needs dependable network access. 278 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:00,320 That last point deserves a pause. 279 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:04,600 A laptop can go onto a train, lose its connection, and still let you edit a document that 280 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:06,160 sits on the device. 281 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,720 Windows 365 link cannot replace that kind of work. 282 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,680 If the network is poor, the cloud PC session will feel poor. 283 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:15,040 If the network disappears, the desk cannot reach the cloud PC. 284 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,720 For people who travel often, work in areas with unreliable internet or need to keep working 285 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,840 during an outage, a regular laptop remains the better tool. 286 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,240 There is another limit that catches many people. 287 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,560 Windows 365 link connects to Windows 365 cloud PCs. 288 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:29,360 It does not connect to Azure Virtual Desktop. 289 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,960 Those names sound close and both relate to Windows desktops in the cloud. 290 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,040 But they are different Microsoft services. 291 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:39,520 If your organization uses Azure Virtual Desktop today, you should not assume this device will 292 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:40,840 become its access point. 293 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:42,640 It is built for Windows 365. 294 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,000 Some roles will also need more freedom than link is designed to give them. 295 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:50,720 A developer who needs local tools, tests software, and direct control over their device may 296 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:52,040 need a full PC. 297 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,400 A designer working with demanding local software may need a workstation. 298 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:59,480 A field worker who needs offline files, a battery and a device they can carry between 299 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:01,240 sites needs a laptop. 300 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,560 And anyone who expects to install random local apps, change device settings freely or connect 301 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,320 unusual hardware should check whether the cloud PC setup supports their work before choosing 302 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:10,320 link. 303 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:12,560 So Windows 365 link is a focused device. 304 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,240 That focus can be exactly right or completely wrong depending on the job. 305 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,200 The price can confuse this decision too. 306 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,920 The link device may cost less than a business laptop, but the hardware price does not replace 307 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:23,800 the cost of Windows 365. 308 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:28,760 You still need the cloud PC subscription, the identity setup, the device management plan, 309 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:30,680 and the network that carries the session. 310 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,560 A lower cost box does not automatically mean a lower cost working setup. 311 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:38,760 For some organizations, the savings come from using simpler desk hardware, reducing local 312 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,320 device work or supporting many shared desks. 313 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:46,120 For others, the ongoing cloud PC cost may not make sense compared with laptops they already 314 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:47,440 own and manage well. 315 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,080 Buy Windows 365 link for a clear work pattern. 316 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,640 Do not buy it just because it is the newest small box from Microsoft. 317 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:58,120 Once the work pattern fits, the larger picture becomes much easier to see. 318 00:15:58,120 --> 00:15:59,280 How the parts connect? 319 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,040 A desk that is not the PC. 320 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:05,800 At this point, Windows 365 link makes more sense when you stop looking at it as a standalone 321 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:06,800 computer. 322 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:08,040 It is one part of a connected platform. 323 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:09,040 Let's break it down. 324 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:10,760 Entra ID handles the person. 325 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,320 Intune handles the device rules. 326 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,480 Windows 365 provides the cloud PC. 327 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:18,320 And Windows 365 link gives that person a dedicated place to connect. 328 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,040 Think of it like an office building with assigned workspaces. 329 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,080 Entra ID checks your badge at the entrance. 330 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,640 Windows 365 link is the access point at the desk. 331 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,360 Intune sets the rules for how that access point is prepared and managed. 332 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,560 Then Windows 365 takes you to the workspaces assigned to you. 333 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,040 Each part has a different job. 334 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,440 The user journey is straightforward because those jobs happen in the right order. 335 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,760 You sit down at an approved device, sign in with your work identity, pass the organization's 336 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,360 access checks and connect to the cloud PC attached to your account. 337 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,360 Your desktop appears because the system knows both who you are and what Windows environment 338 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:50,360 belongs to you. 339 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,360 That's the experience. 340 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:54,160 For IT, the journey looks different. 341 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,440 They prepare link devices for the organization. 342 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,960 They set up user accounts and cloud PC access. 343 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,560 They apply the device settings that fit the location. 344 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:05,320 Then they can repeat that setup across a row of shared desks without building a separate 345 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:07,440 local work environment on every desk. 346 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,040 That is a different model from the old desktop approach. 347 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:14,280 With a traditional PC, each physical machine often carries a large part of the user's work 348 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:15,440 setup. 349 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,920 The computer at desk 12 has its own local Windows installation, local apps, local settings, 350 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,240 and a history that IT may need to manage. 351 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,360 With Windows 365 link, the desk is mainly a place to connect. 352 00:17:25,360 --> 00:17:29,320 The personal Windows environment stays tied to the user instead of becoming attached to 353 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:30,560 one physical box. 354 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,240 That is the part many people miss. 355 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,400 Windows 365 link does not replace Windows 365. 356 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,480 It gives Windows 365 a dedicated, controlled doorway. 357 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:43,400 And that doorway works best when the organization has already decided that the user's real PC belongs 358 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:47,680 in the cloud while the desk only needs to provide a screen, a network connection, and a 359 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,280 trusted way in. 360 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:51,200 Here's the thing. 361 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:55,280 Before you put a link device on every desk, there are three practical questions to ask. 362 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:56,280 Start with your users. 363 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,960 Do they already have Windows 365 cloud PCs? 364 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,160 If not, then you're also signing up for cloud PC licenses and planning. 365 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:03,280 Now look at the job. 366 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,640 Does it happen at a fixed shared desk with reliable internet? 367 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:09,280 Or do people need something portable that works offline? 368 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:12,440 That answer decides whether link or laptop makes more sense. 369 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:17,400 Finally, can your IT team handle enter ID sign-in, Intune enrollment, and the network connection 370 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:18,720 cloud PCs need? 371 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:19,720 Starts more. 372 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,440 Find shared location and run through a real workday. 373 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:27,280 Sign-in, make teams calls, test monitors, headsets, USB devices, and see what happens when 374 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:28,560 someone needs help. 375 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,480 That pilot tells you more than any product page ever can. 376 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:35,400 Windows 365 link is a focused access device, not a general PC. 377 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,560 When the work pattern fits, that limitation is exactly why it works. 378 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:42,040 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and share this knowledge nugget with someone 379 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:43,280 planning cloud PCs.