A faster AVD file redirection alternative
TwinPane lets Azure Virtual Desktop users open remote files in their local applications without RDP drive redirection. Files travel over a dedicated, encrypted channel — so you can keep drive mapping disabled by policy and still give users a seamless workflow.
Why AVD drive redirection rarely feels “native”
Azure Virtual Desktop relies on the RDP virtual channel for client drive redirection. That channel was designed for interactive file browsing — not for opening files in local applications at scale. Three things tend to go wrong:
Sluggish file opens
Drive redirection re-streams the entire file over RDP every time it's read, which slows down PDFs, CAD drawings, and large Office documents.
Policy conflicts
Many enterprises disable drive redirection by Group Policy or Intune for compliance — leaving users with no way to open AVD files locally at all.
Inconsistent UX
Mapped drives appear with cryptic letters, disappear after reconnects, and behave differently across RDP clients on Windows, macOS and web.
A purpose-built channel for AVD file workflows
Instead of riding the RDP virtual channel, TwinPane pairs the AVD session host with the user's local PC over its own encrypted transport. The result is a workflow that behaves the way users expect, without compromising your AVD security posture.
Open AVD files in local apps
Double-click a file in the AVD Explorer and it opens instantly in the local Office, Acrobat, or CAD application — with full GPU performance.
Mirror local folders into AVD
The user's Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and mapped drives appear inside the AVD session — same paths, same layout.
Policy-friendly by design
Keep RDP drive redirection disabled and clipboard policies tight. TwinPane runs alongside, not through, the standard RDP channels.
Real-time, compressed transfer
Files are transferred quickly on open and on save, over a dedicated compressed transport — independent of the RDP pipe.
TwinPane vs. RDP drive redirection
A side-by-side look at how the two approaches compare on the points AVD admins care about. See the full TwinPane vs RDP drive redirection comparison →
| Capability | RDP drive redirection | TwinPane |
|---|---|---|
| Open AVD files in local apps | Manual copy required | One double-click |
| Works with drive redirection disabled | No — relies on it | Yes — independent channel |
| Performance under load | Degrades with RDP traffic | Dedicated, compressed transport |
| FSLogix multi-session | Supported | Supported, per-session pairing |
| Group Policy controllable | Yes (RDP GPO) | Yes (TwinPane ADMX) |
| End-to-end encryption | RDP TLS | TLS 1.3, certificate-validated |
| Setup effort | Built-in | MSI on host + client, ~5 minutes |
Roll it out across an AVD estate in three steps
The same workflow scales from a single AVD pool to thousands of session hosts via Intune or SCCM.
- 01
Install on the session host
Deploy the TwinPane Server MSI to the AVD host image (or via Intune Win32 to existing hosts). It auto-registers with the per-user session.
- 02
Install on the local PC
Push the Client MSI to user devices via Intune, SCCM, or Group Policy. The client auto-pairs the first time the user signs in.
- 03
Activate with a license key
Drop the license into the registry policy or hand it out per-user. Each activated client uses one TwinPane license.
Recommended reading for AVD admins
Practical references for shipping TwinPane on Azure Virtual Desktop.
Intune deployment for AVD: step-by-step
Win32 packaging and detection rules for rolling TwinPane out across an AVD estate via Intune.
Group Policy & registry defaults
Lock down TwinPane behavior on AVD multi-session hosts using ADMX templates and registry policy.
Silent install: client & server
Unattended install switches for the AVD host and the local Windows client.
Antivirus exclusions on the AVD host
Required Defender / endpoint exclusions to keep file transfer fast on session hosts.
Frequently asked questions
What AVD admins typically ask before rolling TwinPane out.
Does TwinPane replace AVD drive redirection?+
Yes. TwinPane works independently of RDP drive redirection, so IT admins can keep redirection disabled while users still open AVD files locally and mirror local folders into the session.
Is TwinPane faster than AVD drive redirection?+
TwinPane uses a dedicated real-time channel with efficient compression. For everyday file-open workflows it is typically faster than RDP drive redirection, and it does not slow down the rest of the RDP session under load.
Does TwinPane work with FSLogix and AVD multi-session hosts?+
Yes. TwinPane runs as a per-session service on AVD multi-session hosts and is compatible with FSLogix profile containers, so each user gets their own pairing on shared hosts.
Can we keep drive redirection disabled by Group Policy and still use TwinPane?+
Yes. TwinPane operates outside the RDP virtual channels used by drive redirection, so existing Group Policy or Intune restrictions on RDP redirection remain enforced.
How do users open a file locally from an AVD session?+
Once the TwinPane Server is installed on the AVD host and the Client is installed on the user's local PC, the user simply double-clicks the file in the AVD Explorer. The file is transferred over the secure TwinPane channel and opens in the local application.