Amazon WorkSpaces Windows Client Application

The following information will help you get started with the Amazon WorkSpaces Windows client application.

Requirements

The Amazon WorkSpaces Windows client application requires Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10.

Setup and Installation

Depending on which version of the client you want, do one of the following:

If you want to install...	Do this
3.0+ client	Go to Amazon WorkSpaces Client Downloads and find the Amazon WorkSpaces Windows client. Under Get the latest client, choose the Download button.
2.5.11 client	Go to Amazon WorkSpaces Client Downloads and find the Amazon WorkSpaces Windows client. Under Older version 2.5.11, choose the Download button.

You have two choices for how to install the Amazon WorkSpaces Windows client application:

• Install just for you. If you choose this option and you share your local machine with other users, the WorkSpaces client application is available only to you. If other users on the machine also want to use the WorkSpaces client application, they must install the application for their own use.

• Install for all users of this machine. If you choose this option, the WorkSpaces client application is available to anyone who logs on to the local machine, including those with Guest accounts.

Installing the WorkSpaces client application for all users requires you to have administrator privileges on your local machine. Depending on how your local machine is configured, you might not have such privileges. In that case, you can install the WorkSpaces client application just for yourself. If you have questions about which option to choose, ask your WorkSpaces administrator for guidance.

If you're having trouble updating your Amazon WorkSpaces Windows client application to a newer version, use the following procedure to update your client application.

To update the WorkSpaces Windows client application to a newer version

1. On your local machine, open the Windows search box and enter registry editor to open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe).

2. When asked "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", choose Yes.

3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry entry:

   Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Amazon Web Services. LLC\Amazon WorkSpaces\WinSparkle

4. Delete the SkipThisVersion registry key. When prompted to confirm the deletion, choose Yes, and then close the Registry Editor.

5. If you have not already entered a registration code in the WorkSpaces Windows client application, do so, and then choose Amazon WorkSpaces, Quit Amazon WorkSpaces to close the client application.

6. Restart the WorkSpaces Windows client application. You should be prompted to update the client. Accept the update.

Determining Your Client Version

To see which version of the WorkSpaces client you have, choose Amazon WorkSpaces, About Amazon WorkSpaces, or click the gear icon in the upper-right corner and choose About Amazon WorkSpaces.

Connecting to Your WorkSpace

To connect to your WorkSpace, complete the following procedure.

To connect to your WorkSpace for 3.0+ clients

1. The first time that you run the client application, you are prompted for your registration code, which is contained in your welcome email. The Amazon WorkSpaces client application uses the registration code and user name to identify which WorkSpace to connect to. When you launch the client application later, the same registration code is used. To enter a different registration code, launch the client application, and then choose Change Registration Code at the bottom of the login page.

2. Enter your user name and password in the login screen and choose Sign In. If your Amazon WorkSpaces administrator has enabled multi-factor authentication for your organization's WorkSpaces, you are prompted for a passcode to complete your login. Your Amazon WorkSpaces administrator will provide more information about how to obtain your passcode.

3. If your Amazon WorkSpaces administrator has not disabled the Keep me logged in feature, you can select the Keep me logged in check box at the bottom of the login screen to save your credentials securely so that you can connect to your WorkSpace easily while the client application remains running. Your credentials are securely cached up to the maximum lifetime of your Kerberos ticket.

   After the client application connects to your WorkSpace, your WorkSpace desktop is displayed.

To connect to your WorkSpace for 1.0+ and 2.0+ clients

1. The first time that you run the client application, you are prompted for your registration code, which is contained in your welcome email. The Amazon WorkSpaces client application uses the registration code and user name to identify which WorkSpace to connect to. When you launch the client application later, the same registration code is used. To enter a different registration code, launch the client application, and then on the menu bar, choose Options, Manage Registrations.

2. Enter your user name and password in the login screen and choose Sign In. If your Amazon WorkSpaces administrator has enabled multi-factor authentication for your organization's WorkSpaces, you are prompted for a passcode to complete your login. Your Amazon WorkSpaces administrator will provide more information about how to obtain your passcode.

3. If your Amazon WorkSpaces administrator has not disabled the "Remember Me" feature, you are prompted to save your credentials securely so that you can connect to your WorkSpace easily while the client application remains running. Your credentials are securely cached up to the maximum lifetime of your Kerberos ticket.

   After the client application connects to your WorkSpace, your WorkSpace desktop is displayed.

An interruption of network connectivity causes an active session to be disconnected. This can be caused by events such as closing the laptop lid, or the loss of your wireless network connection. The Amazon WorkSpaces client application for Windows attempts to reconnect the session automatically if network connectivity is regained within a certain amount of time. The default session resume timeout is 20 minutes, but this timeout can be modified by your network administrator.

Managing Your Login Information (3.0+ Clients Only)

You can view your registration code and what Region your WorkSpace is in. You can specify whether you want the WorkSpaces client application to save your current registration code, and you can assign a name to your WorkSpace. You can also specify if you want Amazon WorkSpaces to keep you logged in to a WorkSpace until you quit or your login period expires.

To manage your login information for a WorkSpace

1. In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, go to Settings, Manage Login Information.

2. In the Manage Login Information dialog box, you can see the registration code and Region information for your WorkSpace.

3. (Optional) If you want the WorkSpaces client to remember your current registration code, select the Remember Registration Code check box.

4. Under Saved registration codes, select the WorkSpace that you want to name.

5. In the WorkSpace name box, enter a name for the WorkSpace.

6. (Optional) If you want WorkSpaces to keep you logged in until you quit or your login period expires, select the Keep me logged in check box.

7. Choose Save.

Client Views

You can switch to full screen mode by choosing View, Enter Full Screen (3.0+ clients) or View, Show Fullscreen (1.0+ and 2.0+ clients) in the client application menu.

While in full screen mode, you can switch back to window mode by moving the pointer to the top of the screen. The client application menu is displayed, and you can choose View, Leave Full Screen (3.0+ clients) or View, Exit Fullscreen (1.0+ and 2.0+ clients) in the client application menu.

You can also toggle full screen mode by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Enter.

Client Language

You can select the language displayed by the client by performing the following steps.

Note

The WorkSpaces client applications support Japanese. However, Japanese WorkSpaces are available only in the Asia Pacific (Tokyo) Region.

To select the client language

1. Depending on which client you're using, do one of the following.

   If you're using...	Do this
   3.0+ client	In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, go to Settings, Change Language.
   1.0+ or 2.0+ client	In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, open the Advanced Settings dialog box.

2. Enter your desired language in the Select a language list and choose Save.

3. Restart the client.

Display Support

Amazon WorkSpaces Value, Standard, Performance, Power, PowerPro, and GraphicsPro bundles support a maximum of four displays and a maximum resolution of 3840x2160 (ultra-high definition, or UHD). The maximum supported resolution depends on the number of displays, as shown in the following table.

Displays	Resolution
2	3840x2160
4	1920x1200

Note

Graphics bundles support only a single monitor configuration with a maximum resolution of 2560x1600.

The Amazon WorkSpaces client application extracts the Extended Display Information Data (EDID) of all attached displays and determines the best compatibility match before starting the session. If you have a high pixel density (high DPI) display, the client application automatically scales the streaming window according to your local DPI settings. For better maximum resolution with high DPI displays, see WorkSpaces High DPI Display Support.

To use multiple monitors with WorkSpaces

Note

Multiple monitors aren't currently supported on Linux WorkSpaces using the WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP).

1. Configure your local machine to use multiple monitors. For more information, see How to use multiple monitors in Windows 10 in the Microsoft documentation.

2. Start the WorkSpaces client application and log in to your WorkSpace.

3. Depending on which client you're using, do one of the following:

   If you're using...	Do this
   3.0+ client	Choose View, Enter Full Screen On All Displays. You can also toggle full screen mode by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Enter.
   2.0+ client	Choose View, Show Fullscreen. You can also toggle full screen mode by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Enter.

Your WorkSpace should now be extended across your displays. Whichever display you have designated as your primary display is also the primary display in WorkSpaces when you enter full screen mode.

Note

Using full screen mode on only some of the displays in a multiple monitor setup isn't possible. You can, however, press the Windows logo key + Up Arrow or use the maximize button in the upper-right corner of the WorkSpaces window to maximize the WorkSpaces client window on a display without extending the WorkSpace to the other displays.

Proxy Server

If your network requires you to use a proxy server to access the internet, you can enable your Amazon WorkSpaces client application to use a proxy for HTTPS (port 443) traffic. The Amazon WorkSpaces client applications use the HTTPS port for updates, registration, and authentication.

Note

• The desktop streaming connections to the WorkSpace require ports 4172 and 4195 to be enabled, and do not go through the proxy server.

• Proxy servers that require authentication with a username and password are not supported.

To control the proxy server for 3.0+ clients

By default, the 3.0+ Windows clients use the proxy server specified in the device operating system settings. The first time the client is launched, the device operating system proxy server setting is used. If you select another option for the proxy server, that setting is used for subsequent launches of the client.

Starting with version 3.0.12 of the Windows client, you can also choose not to use a proxy server.

1. In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, go to Settings, Manage Proxy Server.

2. In the Set Proxy dialog box, select the appropriate options, depending on which version of the 3.0+ client you have.

   • Windows client version 3.0.12 or later — To enable or disable the proxy server, select or deselect Use proxy server. If you deselect Use proxy server, no proxy server is used when you access the internet.

     If you've selected Use proxy server, choose one of the following options, and then choose Save:

     • Use your device operating system settings — This option uses the proxy server settings for your operating system.

     • Customize proxy server for WorkSpaces — Enter the IP address and port for your custom proxy server.

   • Windows client version 3.0.11 or earlier — By default, these versions of the client use the proxy server specified in the device operating system settings. To use a custom proxy server, choose Use proxy server, enter the IP address and port for the proxy server, and then choose Save.

To use a proxy server for 1.0+ and 2.0+ clients

By default, the 1.0+ and 2.0+ Windows clients don't use a proxy server. To specify a proxy server, use the following procedure.

1. In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, open the Advanced Settings dialog box.

2. In the Proxy Server Setting area, select Use Proxy Server, enter the proxy server address and port, and choose Save.

Command Shortcuts

The Amazon WorkSpaces Windows client supports the following command shortcuts:

• Ctrl+Alt+Enter—Toggle full screen display

• Ctrl+Alt+F12—Disconnect session

Disconnect

To disconnect the Windows client application, you have several options:

• In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, go to Amazon WorkSpaces, and then choose Disconnect WorkSpace. Your WorkSpace session ends, but the client application continues running in case you want to log in again.

• In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, go to Amazon WorkSpaces, and then choose Quit Amazon WorkSpaces. Your WorkSpace session ends, and the client application closes.

• In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, close the WorkSpaces client window by clicking the close (X) button in the upper-right corner. In the End Session dialog box, choose Yes. Your WorkSpace session ends, but the client application continues running in case you want to log in again.

• You can also log off of the WorkSpace. In the Amazon WorkSpaces client application, go to View, and then choose Send Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Choose Sign Out. Your WorkSpace session ends, but the client application continues running in case you want to log in again.

Clipboard Support

The clipboard supports a maximum uncompressed object size of 20 MB. For more information, see I'm having trouble copying and pasting.

Note

When copying from a Microsoft Office app, the clipboard only contains the last copied item, and the item is converted into standard format. If you copy content larger than 890 KB from a Microsoft Office app, the app might become slow or unresponsive for up to 5 seconds.

Release Notes

The following table describes the changes to each release of the Windows client application.

Release	Date	Changes
3.1.2	January 8, 2021	The WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP) is now generally available. Video-in functionality continues to be available as a beta feature on WSP WorkSpaces only Fixes an intermittent issue that impacts client application upgrades Fixes an issue with the login screen being magnified Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.1.1	December 1, 2020	Adds support for smart card authentication in the AWS GovCloud (US-West) Region Minor bug fixes and enhancements Note Version 3.1.1 is available only in the AWS GovCloud (US-West) Region.
3.1.0	December 1, 2020	Resolves intermittent flickering issue inside of an active WorkSpaces session Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.12	November 10, 2020	Adds support for optionally disabling the use of the default proxy server Adds enhancements to the session reconnect experience Improves error messaging during session disconnects for WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP) WorkSpaces Fixes keyboard mapping issue with the Shift key for WSP WorkSpaces
3.0.11	October 02, 2020	Resolves an issue with enumeration of video-in devices on WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP) WorkSpaces Resolves an intermittent crash issue when disconnecting from a WSP WorkSpace Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.10	September 16, 2020	Resolves an issue with loading the login screen Resolves an issue with persisting a user's screen size preference when the user chooses full screen mode and then exits this mode Resolves an issue that causes the menu bar to be hidden after a user exits full screen mode Resolves an input method editor (IME) issue Adds support for health checks over port 4195 (UDP and TCP)
3.0.9	August 14, 2020	Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.8	July 30, 2020	Adds monochrome cursor support on WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP) WorkSpaces For improved diagnostics, displays round trip time (RTT) as part of the network health check information Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.7	June 3, 2020	Adds support for multiple monitors on WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP) WorkSpaces Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.6	April 28, 2020	Adds support for toggling between high DPI and standard DPI displays Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.5	March 30, 2020	Resolves an issue with the user interface displaying a login prompt if single sign-on (SSO) is enabled for Amazon WorkDocs
3.0.4	March 3, 2020	Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.2	February 14, 2020	Adds keyboard shortcut to toggle full screen display Adds support for connecting to WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP) WorkSpaces Minor bug fixes and enhancements
3.0.0	November 25, 2019	Improved user interface Friendly registration code labels Minor bug fixes and enhancements
2.5.11	November 4, 2019	Minor bug fixes
2.5.10		Resolves an intermittent issue related to invalid keystrokes sent when closing a laptop lid Minor fixes
2.5.9		Resolves the issue of displaying a blank app icon image on the Windows 10 taskbar after WorkSpace client upgrades Minor bug fixes
2.5.8		Resolves an intermittent crashing issue related to computer waking up when opening a laptop lid
2.5.7		Adds support for German keyboard layouts with Linux WorkSpaces Resolves an issue that results in a crash of Excel with clipboard direction
2.5.6		Minor fixes
2.5.5		Minor fixes
2.5.2		Resolves an intermittent issue with the Caps Lock key becoming stuck Minor bug fixes
2.5.1		Resolves an issue that periodically results in repeated key presses with WorkSpaces running Amazon Linux 2 Adds support for localized date and time formats in the user interface Minor user interface improvements
2.5.0		Adds support for user self-service WorkSpace management capabilities
2.4.10		Minor fixes
2.4.9		Minor fixes
2.4.8		Adds support for uniform resource identifiers (URIs), which enable login orchestration Minor fixes
2.4.7		Resolves an issue with the user interface text not displaying correctly on Microsoft Surface Pro 4 models (Windows only) Adds support for time zone redirection for more Regions: America/Indianapolis America/Indiana/Marengo America/Indiana/Vevay America/Indiana/Indianapolis Includes user interface text changes for the Login page
2.4.6		Adds support for configuring the logging level to include advanced logging for debug scenarios Minor improvements to session provision handling
2.4.5		Adds a check to ensure that certificates issued by Amazon Trust Services are trusted by Windows during installation. By default, an up-to-date Windows local Root CA list includes Starfield Service Root Certificate Authority - G2, and therefore trusts Amazon Trust Services certificates. If the local Root CA list is outdated, the client installer installs the Starfield Service Root Certificate Authority - G2 certificate to the system. If you do not have administrator access to the client device, you'll be prompted to confirm the installation of the Root CA certificate.
2.4.4		Minor fixes Improves copy and paste
2.4.2		Minor fixes
2.4.0		New logo Improves the user interface and stability
2.3.7		Addresses a gray screen issue that occurs when displays are in different orientations
2.3.6		Localization enhancements
2.3.5		Minor improvements
2.3.3		Improves the support for multiple monitors Localization enhancements Improves security and performance
2.3.2		Installer fixes
2.3.1		Minor fixes
2.3.0		Improves support for multiple monitors Improves security and stability
2.2.3		Resolves minor bugs and improves stability
2.2.1		Adds support for the German language Resolves time zone mapping issues for some Regions Resolves a connection issue on Russian systems Improves the Japanese user interface Improves stability
2.1.3		Closing the client expires the reconnect token. You can easily reconnect to your WorkSpace as long as the client is running.
2.1.1		Minor improvement to protocol handling
2.1.0		Adds support for the following new WorkSpace states: STOPPING and STOPPED Resolves minor bugs and improves stability
2.0.8		Resolves a conflict with running iTunes or Garmin processes during installation Adds support for a password-free installation experience if installing only for the current user Resolves an issue with Excel formatting when copying and pasting data in BIFF5 format If Remember Me is disabled, the user name is not shown on restart Adds a confirmation dialog box when deleting a registration code Improves stability
2.0.6		Resolves bugs and includes other improvements
2.0.4		Adds support for audio in, enabling you to make calls or attend web conferences Adds support for devices with high DPI screens Adds support for saving registration codes, enabling you to switch WorkSpaces without re-entering the registration codes Improves support for Windows 10 Improves usability and stability
1.1.80		Adds CloudWatch metrics for session latency, session launch time, and session disconnects Improves auto-session resume so that you are interrupted less frequently when network conditions are degraded Resolves specific issues and improves stability
1.1.6		Adds support for status notifications. The client application notifies you about the state of your WorkSpace when it cannot connect to the WorkSpace. Improves the reconnect experience. The client automatically redirects to the login screen after 10 hours of inactivity. You can reconnect again if the client fails to launch a session using reconnect. Adds support for auto-session resume. The client application automatically attempts to resume your session if network connectivity is lost and then regained within the session-resume timeout (default value is 20 minutes). Improves network health checks so they are faster and more reliable Adds client-side validation of registration codes Improves the synchronization of Caps Lock and Num Lock status between the local device and the WorkSpace
1.1.4		Adds support for saving your credentials, enabling you to easily reconnect to your WorkSpace Improves advanced connection-health checks Improves stability
1.0.8		Introduces a full-file installation package Improves network connectivity checks Adds version information to the About window
1.0		Initial release