(Updated) Microsoft Teams in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): New optimization solution for Omnissa Releasing to GA

Updated June 29, 2026: We have updated the content and timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We are introducing a new Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) optimization for Microsoft Teams that replaces the existing WebRTC-based solution. This update uses a new media engine, which changes how audio, video, and meeting features are handled in virtual environments. The new optimization includes updated meeting and telephony capabilities and improves integration with admin tools.

By leveraging the same media engine used in the native Microsoft Teams desktop clients, it offers the following:

• Advanced meeting capabilities: Gallery View 3x3 and 7x7, Background images from My Organization (requires Teams Premium licenses), user-uploaded custom backgrounds, 1080p, include computer sound while screensharing, hardware acceleration on the endpoint, cross cloud support.
• Telephony and voice capabilities: Location Based Routing and Media Bypass, QoS, HID, noise suppression
• Better supportability: Teams Admin Center, Call Quality Dashboard, Monitoring API.

It also provides a simpler media engine update experience for users, without requiring frequent upgrades of the VDI infrastructure or VDI clients.

This release applies to Microsoft Windows endpoints connecting to Omnissa Horizon and Workspace One environments.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 518286.

[When this will happen:]

• Targeted Release: Rollout begins in late February 2026 (previously early March) and completes by mid-March 2026 (previously early March). Users must be part of the Public Preview ring.
• General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): Rollout began in mid-May 2026 and completes by late May 2026 (previously mid-May).
• General Availability (GCC High, DoD): Rollout begins in early June 2026 (previously late May) and completes by mid-July 2026 (previously mid-June) across all environments.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

Organizations using Microsoft Teams on Windows endpoints connected to Omnissa Horizon and Workspace One environments that meet minimum requirements:

• Microsoft Teams client version 26072.521.4595.7966 or higher
• Horizon Client 2512 or higher (includes plugin MsTeamsPluginOmnissa.dll). Microsoft recommends 2603.
• Endpoint must allow MSIX packages to be installed by users
• Required networking configurations must be in place

What will happen:

• New VDI optimization will be enabled by default on supported endpoints
• Users will automatically switch from the legacy WebRTC optimization to the new optimization
• Status indicators:
  • "Teams is Omnissa Media Optimized" = legacy WebRTC
  • "Teams is Omnissa SlimCore Media Optimized" = new optimization

Known Issues

• Users may experience hangs in large meetings on thin clients. If encountered, please upgrade to Omnissa Horizon Client 2603 for Windows – download here
  • If unable to upgrade or issue persists, disable Blast Codec on the Horizon client as a mitigation
    • Refer to Omnissa KB for additional details: Address crash issues for large meetings with MS Teams 2.0 New Slimcore for VDI on thin clients (6001417)

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Deploy Microsoft Teams client version 26072.521.4595.7966 or higher
• Install Horizon Client 2512 or higher (includes plugin MsTeamsPluginOmnissa.dll)
• Ensure no configurations block MSIX packages on the user's device
• Allow necessary networking configurations
• If participating in Public Preview, configure Teams Admin Center policy
• Update documentation to reflect new capabilities

[Compliance considerations:]

No compliance considerations identified.