Say goodbye to running an OS from local storage!

The future is here, Microsoft boasts, as the Redmond-based tech giant announces a new preview of new tech called Windows 365 Boot. Here’s some good news: in short, you’ll soon be able to boot a physical PC into a virtual, cloud one, so you can stop running an operating system like Windows 11 locally.

Microsoft’s Christiaan Brinkhoff says, 

On behalf of our team, I’m extremely excited to announce that Windows 365 Boot is now available to deploy in public preview! A feature we worked on over 1,5y across multiple teams in Microsoft. Log on to your Cloud PCs from the Windows 11 initial login screen! A unique new experience to get to your #CloudPC. Exciting times.

With Windows 365 Boot activated, users will experience a seamless login process. The lock screen will display the Windows 11 screen, and users can log in with their Microsoft account. After validation, users are instantly connected to their Cloud PC. 

Then, when logging off, the Cloud PC state reflects the local Windows login screen, allowing for easy re-login or for another user to connect to their own Cloud PC.

When will Windows 365 Boot arrive in general availability?

Here’s the bad news. There are no official words from Microsoft regarding the specific release date of Windows 365 Boot for general users yet. The company has not made any public announcements regarding the availability of this feature, but we will keep you updated as we go. 

To participate in the preview of Windows 365 Boot, you must be enrolled in the Windows Insider Program Dev Channel. This can be done through the Windows Insider Program page in Settings, where users can sign in with their Microsoft account and select the Dev Channel for enrollment.

Plus, you’ll also need a PC with Windows 11 (obviously), a Windows 365 Cloud PC license, and Microsoft Intune Administrator rights. 

Not too long ago, we’ve also reported that Microsoft’s new AI assistance tool, Copilot, is coming to Windows 11. The future is, indeed, here. 

Update: it seems that Microsoft wants to fully integrate Windows 11 into the cloud on all devices. That means your device as well. The latest FTC v. Microsoft hearing and internal state of business presentation from June 2022 were brought up.

The document argues that Microsoft wants to build on Windows 365 to enable a full Windows operating system streamed from the cloud to any device, according to The Verge.

What is your opinion on this? Would you see yourself booting Windows 11 from the cloud? Let us know in the comments!