Windows 365

Windows 365 delivers Cloud PCs, giving users the full Windows experience streamed from Microsoft's cloud to whatever device they have. It differs from traditional virtual desktop infrastructure in one respect that matters most to IT teams: a Cloud PC is deployed and managed just as a physical PC is, so existing knowledge and tools carry over rather than requiring a separate VDI discipline.

That familiarity is the central argument. Organisations adopting virtual desktops have historically needed specialist skills and separate management infrastructure, and Windows 365 is positioned to avoid both. Microsoft is now marking five years of the product, so it is past the point of being an experiment.

Scaling is the clearest operational benefit. Capacity can be added on demand as business needs change without issuing new hardware, which suits seasonal workforces, contractors and rapid onboarding where procuring and shipping laptops is the bottleneck rather than the software.

Security is framed around Zero Trust principles, with Cloud PCs positioned to reduce risk, improve data protection and support compliance, which follows from data residing in the cloud rather than on a device that can be lost. Access works from Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices. Pricing is published, with a plan for small businesses that has no licensing prerequisites and supports up to 300 seats, alongside enterprise plans that do have prerequisites and are listed on Microsoft's compare plans page.