Classic Teams keeps opening in your Azure Virtual Desktop session even after you installed the new Teams app. You expected the new client to take over, but the old interface appears every time you sign in. This happens because AVD has a separate registry setting that forces the classic client. This article shows you how to disable that setting and make new Teams the default.
Azure Virtual Desktop uses a specific registry key to control which Teams version loads. When that key is missing or set to the wrong value, the session host ignores the per-user new Teams preference. You will learn the exact registry path, the correct value, and a verification step to confirm the fix.
Key Takeaways: Force New Teams in Azure Virtual Desktop
- Registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams: Set the IsWvdEnvironment value to 0 to stop AVD from forcing classic Teams.
- Group Policy Administrative Templates > Microsoft Teams: Use the policy to prevent classic Teams from auto-launching after sign-in.
- New Teams app installation: Verify the new Teams is installed per machine before you edit the registry.
Why Classic Teams Overrides New Teams in Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure Virtual Desktop has a built-in mechanism that redirects Teams to the classic version. The session host reads a registry value named IsWvdEnvironment under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams. When this value is set to 1, the system treats the environment as a VDI and forces the classic client. Microsoft made this choice because classic Teams was the only version that supported AVD media optimizations for a long time.
New Teams now supports the same redirection and media optimization features. However, the registry flag still exists for backward compatibility. If the flag is present and set to 1, new Teams cannot become the default, even if the user has the new app installed and selected. The flag overrides the per-user setting.
Another factor is the group policy that controls Teams auto-launch. The policy Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Teams > Prevent Microsoft Teams from starting automatically after installation can also block new Teams from starting. If that policy is enabled, classic Teams may still start because it is registered differently in the startup sequence.
How the AVD Registry Flag Works
The IsWvdEnvironment value is a DWORD. A value of 1 tells the Teams bootstrapper that the machine is an AVD session host. The bootstrapper then selects the classic client because the older client was the only one certified for that environment. A value of 0 or a missing value tells the bootstrapper to use the standard selection logic, which respects the new Teams preference.
You must edit this key on every session host in your pool. The setting is machine-wide, not per-user. After you change it, restart the Teams process or sign out and sign back in to see the effect.
Steps to Force New Teams in Azure Virtual Desktop
Follow these steps in order. You need local administrator rights on the session host. You also need the new Teams app installed on the machine.
- Install new Teams on the session host
Download and install the new Teams app for all users on the machine. Use the MSI installer or the per-machine installer from the Microsoft 365 admin center. Confirm the installation appears under Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. - Open Registry Editor
Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Accept the UAC prompt if it appears. - Navigate to the Teams registry key
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams. If the Teams key does not exist, right-click Microsoft, select New > Key, and name it Teams. - Create or modify the IsWvdEnvironment value
Right-click the Teams key, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it IsWvdEnvironment. Double-click the new value, set the base to Hexadecimal, and enter 0 as the value data. Click OK. - Check for the classic Teams auto-launch policy
Open the Group Policy Management console on the session host. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Teams. Find the policy Prevent Microsoft Teams from starting automatically after installation. If it is set to Enabled, change it to Not Configured or Disabled. Click OK. - Refresh group policy
Open a command prompt as administrator and run gpupdate /force. Wait for the policy refresh to complete. - Restart Teams or sign out
Close all Teams processes from the system tray. Right-click the Teams icon and select Quit. Alternatively, sign out of the Windows session and sign back in to ensure a clean start. - Verify that new Teams launches
Start Teams from the Start menu or the taskbar. Look for the new Teams interface, which has a simpler design and the word New next to the app name in some builds. If classic Teams still appears, repeat the registry check and confirm the value is 0.
What to Do If the Registry Key Is Missing
If the Teams key does not exist under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft, create it manually. Right-click Microsoft, select New > Key, and type Teams. Then create the IsWvdEnvironment DWORD as described in step 4. A missing key is the same as a value of 0, so the fix may already work without any change. However, creating the key with a 0 value makes the configuration explicit and easier to audit.
If Classic Teams Still Launches After the Registry Fix
Teams Bootstrapper Is Cached
The Teams bootstrapper may have a cached copy of the old client. Clear the cache by deleting the %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams folder. Sign out of Windows, sign back in, and test again. This forces the bootstrapper to download the correct client based on the registry value.
Per-User New Teams Setting Is Not Applied
After the registry fix, the user must still have new Teams selected in their own settings. In the Teams app, click the ellipsis menu next to the profile picture, select Settings, and confirm that the option to switch to new Teams is enabled. If the user had previously chosen classic Teams, the setting may persist. Change it to new Teams manually.
Multiple Session Hosts in the Pool
If your AVD pool has more than one session host, you must apply the registry change to every host. Use Group Policy Preferences or a PowerShell script to deploy the registry value across all machines. A single host with the old value can still serve the classic client when a user is assigned to it.
Classic Teams vs New Teams in AVD: Key Differences
| Item | Classic Teams | New Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Per-user MSI, installed in the user profile | Per-machine MSI, installed system-wide |
| Registry flag | Forced by IsWvdEnvironment=1 | Uses IsWvdEnvironment=0 or missing |
| Performance | Uses more memory and CPU | Uses less memory and CPU |
| Media optimization | Supported in AVD | Supported in AVD |
| Update frequency | Monthly, slower rollout | Frequent, faster feature updates |
| Support status | Deprecated, no new features | Actively developed |
You can now control which Teams client launches in your AVD environment. Set the registry flag to 0 on all session hosts and confirm the group policy does not block the new client. Test with a single user first, then roll out the change to the entire pool. For ongoing management, use a PowerShell script to apply the registry key automatically during session host provisioning.