Summary
Table of Contents
- Windows 365 Flex shared Cloud PCs will automatically reset to a provisioning snapshot at sign-out, removing both user and system data between user sessions unless you opt out at the provisioning policy level.
- Snapshots are created during provisioning and refreshed every 24 hours; resets occur on sign-out or session timeout and may show Cloud PCs as “Unavailable (Servicing)” for a few minutes while restoring.
- Persistence: with User Experience Settings (UES) enabled only profile data (Desktop, Documents, profile-based app settings) roams; without UES no files, settings, or app configurations persist across sessions—store needed files in OneDrive or the user profile.
- Admin actions: review shared provisioning policies and workloads that depend on device-level persistence, decide whether to opt out per policy, bake required apps/configs into provisioning via Intune and reprovision, and update helpdesk docs and user communications.
Primary Service: Windows 365
Admin Impact: High
User Impact: Medium
Release Start: 01 Jul 2026
Release End: 01 Jul 2026
Services: Intune, Windows 365
Category: Plan for change
Tags: Admin Action, Feature Update, User Adoption
History
6/5/2026 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
What and Why
Starting in early July 2026, Windows 365 Flex shared Cloud PCs will change the default behavior of the reset operation when users sign out.
Today, when a user signs out of a Windows 365 Flex shared Cloud PC, only user data under C:\Users\<username> is removed between user sessions while system data (OS state, installed apps, and runtime changes) persists.
After early July 2026, both user data and system data will be removed when a user signs out. The Cloud PC automatically resets and reverts to a clean state using a snapshot created during provisioning and refreshed periodically. As a result, each user session starts with a fully clean Cloud PC, with no data carried over between users.
This change will be enabled automatically on all existing Windows 365 Flex shared provisioning policies and will also apply to any newly created shared provisioning policies, unless admins explicitly opt out at the policy level.
Rollout Schedule
This change will be implemented beginning early July 2026.
Impact on Your Organization
Who is affected:
- Organizations using Windows 365 Flex in shared mode
- Users of Windows 365 Flex shared Cloud PCs
- Admins managing Windows 365 Flex shared provisioning policies
What will happen:
- A snapshot restore point is captured during provisioning after initial configuration, and policies are applied.
- Snapshots are refreshed every 24 hours for each Cloud PC.
- When a user disconnects or signs-out, the Cloud PC automatically reverts to the most recent snapshot.
User impact:
- Reset between users typically takes a few minutes. After the reset is complete, users can sign in shortly afterward.
- Reset is still triggered when a user signs out or after a session timeout following a disconnect.
- With User Experience Settings (UES) enabled, data stored within the user profile (for example, Desktop, Documents, and profile-based app settings) is retained and roams across sessions.
- Without UES, no files, settings, or app configurations persist after sign-out.
Admin impact:
- Cloud PCs may briefly appear as Unavailable (Servicing) during reset.
- Snapshots are system-managed and not visible or configurable.
- Changes made directly on the device (apps, updates, configurations) do not persist after reset.
Action Required/Recommendations
- Review workloads that depend on device-level persistence between users and evaluate if you want to opt-out at the provisioning policy level.
- Identify workflows, scripts, or user habits that depend on changes remaining on the Cloud PC between sessions, and either include that state in the Cloud PC at provisioning (via Intune-managed apps and policies in the Device
- Provisioning Policy, then reprovision) or store it in cloud storage so it remains available after reset.
- Set expectations on what UES covers. UES only retains data inside the user’s profile. Guide users to save work inside their profile or to OneDrive / a network location.
- Update internal documentation and helpdesk guidance.
If no action is taken:
- Your Windows 365 Flex shared Cloud PCs will operate with snapshot-based reset enabled:
- Devices will reset to the latest snapshot after each session.
- Local changes made during a session will be removed.
- With UES enabled, only data within the user profile persists; otherwise, all data is cleared.
Learn more: Snapshot-based reset for Windows 365 Flex in Shared mode | Microsoft Learn
Compliance considerations
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.