Amazon WorkSpaces introduces Windows 10 desktop experience

Amazon WorkSpaces now offers bundles that come with a Windows 10 desktop experience, powered by Windows Server 2016. Amazon WorkSpaces Windows 10 bundles provides you an easy way to move users to a modern operating system, while also simplifying licensing. Amazon WorkSpaces continues to offer bundles that come with a Windows 7 desktop experience, provided by Windows Server 2008 R2. You can also run Windows 7 and Windows 10 Enterprise operating systems with Amazon WorkSpaces if your organization meets the licensing requirements set by Microsoft.

We are also making Microsoft Office 2016 available in the Plus bundles for Windows 10, while continuing to offer Office 2010 and Office 2013 in the Plus bundles for Windows 7.

To launch an Amazon WorkSpace bundle with the Windows 10 desktop experience, you can simply select a bundle clearly labelled “Windows 10”, through the Amazon WorkSpaces API or the Amazon WorkSpaces Management Console. The Windows 10 desktop experience is available today for the Value, Standard, and Performance bundles, and for Graphics bundles in the near future.

Windows 10 WorkSpaces can be accessed using all Amazon WorkSpaces client applications and PCoIP Zero Clients, but not currently using Web Access. They are available in all AWS Regions where the Amazon WorkSpaces service operates. There is no additional cost when using the new operating system and you can continue to pay for it on a monthly or hourly basis by choosing the appropriate running mode from the management console or when using the WorkSpaces APIs.

To get started, log in to the AWS Management Console, and provision an Amazon WorkSpace Windows 10 bundle.