Category: Software | Published: 2025-10-03
App-Only Access Now a Reality
The new feature, announced on 17 September, allows organisations to deliver key Microsoft 365 apps such as Outlook, Word and Teams directly to users via the cloud, thereby removing the need to spin up a full Cloud PC session. Microsoft says the service is ideal for task-based roles where a full desktop adds unnecessary complexity.
_“This is ideal for organisations that want to streamline app delivery, reduce overhead, and modernise their virtual desktop infrastructure,”_ explained Serena Zheng, Senior Product Manager at Microsoft. _“Cloud Apps delivers only essential applications like Outlook or Word without loading a full desktop.”_
The service is built on Microsoft’s existing Windows 365 Frontline model, which enables multiple users to share a single Cloud PC licence, one active user at a time. It’s a cost-effective approach for sectors such as healthcare, retail and logistics, where staff typically work in shifts and only require access to a handful of cloud-hosted tools.