New Teams Bulk Installer for VDI
In this guide we will deploy and install the new Microsoft Teams for VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) client, and enable Microsoft Teams Media Optimization on VMware Horizon.
This guide replaces and supersedes my old guide “Microsoft (Classic) Teams VDI Optimization for VMware Horizon” which covered the old Classic Teams client and VDI optimizations. The new Microsoft Teams app requires the same special considerations on VDI, and requires special installation instructions to function VMware Horizon and other VDI environments.
You can run the old and new Teams applications side by side in your environment as you transition users.
Let’s cover what the new Microsoft Teams app is about, and how to install it in your VDI deployment.
Please note: VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) support for the new Teams client went G.A. (Generally Availabile) on December 05, 2023. Additionally, Classic teams will go end of support on June 30, 2024.
Please see below for a table of contents:
On October 05, 2023, Microsoft announced the availability of the new Microsoft Teams application for Windows and Mac computers. This application is a complete rebuild from the old client, and provides numerous enhancements with performance, resource utilization, and memory management.
Ultimately, it’s way faster, and consumes way less memory. And fortunately for us, it supports media optimizations for VDI environments.
My close friend and colleague, mobile jon, did a fantastic in-depth Deep Dive into the New Microsoft Teams and it’s inner workings that I highly recommend reading.
Interestingly enough, it uses the same media optimization channels for VDI as the old client used, so enablement and/or migrating from the old version is very simple if you’re running VMware Horizon, Citrix, AVD, and/or Windows 365.
While installing the new Teams is fairly simple for non-VDI environment (by simply either enabling the new version in the Teams Admin portal, or using your application manager to deploy the installer), a special method is required to deploy on your VDI images, whether persistent or non-persistent.
Do not include and bundle the Microsoft Teams install with your Microsoft 365 (Office 365) deployment as these need to be installed separately.
Please Note: If you have deployed non-persistent VDI (Instant Clones), you’ll want to make sure you disable auto-updates, as these should be performed manually on the base image. For persistent VDI, you will want auto updates enabled. See below for more information on configurating auto-updates.
You will also need to enable Microsoft Teams Media Optimization for the VDI platform you are using (in my case and example, VMware Horizon).
If you haven’t previously for the old client, you’ll need to enable the Teams Media Optimizations for VDI for your VDI platform.
For VMware Horizon, we’ll create a GPO and set the “Enable HTML5 Features” and “Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams”, to “Enabled”. If you have done this for the old Teams app, you can skip this.
Please see below for the GPO setting locations:
Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> VMware View Agent Configuration -> VMware HTML5 Features -> Enable VMware HTML5 FeaturesComputer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> VMware View Agent Configuration -> VMware HTML5 Features -> VMware WebRTC Redirection Features -> Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft TeamsWhen installing the VMware Horizon client on Windows computers, you’ll need to make sure you check and enable the “Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams” option on the installer if prompted. Your install may automatically include Teams Optimization and not prompt.
If you are using a thin client or zero client, you’ll need to make sure you have the required firmware version installed, and any applicable vendor plugins installed and/or configurables enabled.
At this time, we will now install the new Teams app on to both non-persistent images, and persistent VDI VM guests. This method performs a live download and provisions as Administrator. If running this un-elevated, an elevation prompt will appear:
teamsbootstrapper.exe -pSee below for an example of the deployment:
C:\Users\Administrator.DOMAIN\Downloads>teamsbootstrapper.exe -p
{
"success": true
}
You’ll note that running the command returns success equals true, and Teams is now installed for all users on this machine.
Additionally, you can perform an offline installation by also downloading the MSI-X packages and running the following command:
teamsbootstrapper.exe -p -o "C:\LOCATION\MSTeams-x64.msix"For the offline installation, you’ll need to download the appropriate MSI-X file in additional to the bootstrapper above. See below for download links:
For non-persistent environments, you’ll want to disable the auto update feature and install updates manually on your base image.
To disable auto-updates for the new Teams client, configure the registry key below on your base image:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TeamsCreate a DWORD value called “disableAutoUpdate”, and set to value of “1”.
If you are using the VMware Operating System Optimization Tool (OSOT), you may notice that after installing New Teams in your base or golden image, that it disappears when publishing and pushing the image to your desktop pool.
The New Teams application is a Windows Store app, and organizations commonly choose to remove all Windows Store apps inside the golden image using the OSOT tool when optimizing the image. Doing this will remove New Teams from your image.
To workaround this issue, you’ll need to choose “Keep all Windows Store Applications” in the OSOT common options, which won’t remove Teams.
When using the new Teams client with FSLogix Profile Containers on non-persistent VDI, you must upgrade to FSLogix version 2.9.8716.30241 to support the new teams client.
To confirm that VDI Optimization is working on New Teams, open New Teams, click the “…” in the top right next to your user icon, click “Settings”, then click on “About Teams” on the far bottom of the Settings menu.
You’ll notice “VMware Media Optimized” which indicates VDI Optimization for VMware Horizon is functioning. The text will reflect for other platforms as well.
The Teams Boot Strap utility can also remove teams for all users on this machine as well by using the “-x” flag. Please see below for all the options for “teamsbootstrapper.exe”:
C:\Users\Administrator.DOMAIN\Downloads>teamsbootstrapper.exe --help
Provisioning program for Microsoft Teams.
Usage: teamsbootstrapper.exe [OPTIONS]
Options:
-p, --provision-admin Provision Teams for all users on this machine.
-x, --deprovision-admin Remove Teams for all users on this machine.
-h, --help Print helpAs of April 9th, 2024, you can now deploy the New Teams (Teams 2.0) via VMware App Volumes, using the workflow provided at Capturing new teams as a package in App Volumes 4.x (97141) (vmware.com).
Previously, using the New Teams bootstrapper, it appeared that it evaded and didn’t work with App Packaging and App attaching technologies such as VMware App Volumes and Citrix Application layering, however following the instructions on KB97141 will work.
The New Teams bootstrapper downloads and installs an MSIX app package to the computer running the bootstrapper.
It’s great news that we finally have a better performing Microsoft Teams client that supports VDI optimizations. With new Teams support for VDI reaching GA, and with the extensive testing I’ve performed in my own environment, I’d highly recommend switching over at your convenience!
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View Comments
Hello, we're using Citrix App Layering and it seems that the app layer finalization process strips this new version of teams out of the image. Any thoughts on that?
Hi Raul,
I'm noticing the same thing when attempting to package the New Teams on VMware App Volumes. I'm going to continue to test and see what I can do.
There is an MSIX package, and I'm almost wondering if the focus should be on that for App packaging/layering technologies, instead of using the bootstrapper.
Hi Stephen,
I installed this new version of Teams with the parameters -p (on my Citrix master) but only the user use for the installation see Teams shortcut in menu, the other user on VDA server don't see anything...
and when I try to uninstall with the parameters -x I have this error code 0x80070002
It's doesn't seems ready for production ;-)
Hi Baptiste,
New Teams is only in "Public Preview" for VDI. Hopefully it'll be ready for production soon!
Cheers,
Stephen
Hi Stephen
Do you have a install method when using Citrix Hypervisor as opposed to VMWare?
Hi Alan,
Please note that VDI functionality is in public preview. The deployment method is the same for all desktop virtualization suites, including Citrix.
Cheers,
Stephen
Hi Stephen
Except the GPO settings don't exist for Citrix Hypervisor as the Citrix admx and adml files don't contain these settings.
Hi Alan,
Are you referring to enabling the optimization, or installing Teams in the base image?
If you're referring to enabling the optimizations, please reference this page: https://docs.citrix.com/en-us/citrix-virtual-apps-desktops/multimedia/opt-ms-teams.html
Cheers,
Stephen
Thanks Stephen
Ill follow that when I instal teams.
Cheers
Alan
Hi Stephen,
Been reading some of the comments, and noted some points:
1) Comment by Raul Noa - For Horizon, would you not need to check the path is included in snapvol.cfg.
2) Comment by Baptiste Potiron - Suspect a change will need to be made to the Start Menu to accommodate the new icon?
I havent had a chance to test these yet, but just on previous missions and setups these would be some of the first things I would look at.
Cheers
I'm running into this error when attempting to run the teamsbootstrapper.exe
"success": false,
"errorCode": "0x80004004"
I've looked online but cant find anything about this.
Bootstrapper ERROR 0x80004004
If you get that error, you just need to delete the following Registry KEY:
HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Mocrosoft\Office\Teams (yes, the whole key)
Then you can re-install with the bootstrapper.exe (always use the latest version of Bootstrapper!)
• Download the new Microsoft Teams Bootstrapper: (LINK REMOVED)
I have tried this on a VMware Horizon non-persistent image and have been unsuccessful in getting it to work... I am able to install using the bootstrapper and the new Teams appears in the Start Menu. I can open it after install while logged in as my imaging user account. Once I take the snapshot and deploy to the Desktop Pool though, no user can open it. A new writable is required to see the Start Menu entry and even with a new writable it does not open. The log files indicate a permissions issue:
WIL: ms-teams.exe!00007FF6D2B540D6: LogHr(3) tid(2a88) 80070005 Access is denied.
We do lock down our environment so that our users cannot install anything without administrative approval. If there is no way around this, then the new Teams is a non-starter for our environment... Which sucks because the old Teams really bogs everything down!
I had a similar result to Rick Fredley. I did find that if I removed Teams from all users on my gold image -
"Remove-AppxPackage
PowerShell cmdlet to remove new Teams from all users on all computers:
Get-AppxPackage MSTeams -AllUsers |Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers For an individual user without administrator privilege, use this command: Get-AppxPackage MSTeams|Remove-AppxPackage"
Then installed the app again by double-clicking the MSTeams-x64.msix file and snap/push the image, it all then worked.
I had the same issue as Rick Fredley, I was able to install successfully but after pushing my master image to my machine catalog and try to open Teams with another account it would not open. In our enviroment we are currently using windows GPOs with Citrix profile management admx to manage our profiles. I replicated our windows GPO to a Citrix policy and Teams worked afterwards. After multiple tests citrix policies were the only way to get the new teams to work. I figured share this as maybe someone else has a similar issue. Very frustrating to troubleshoot.
Hi Stephen,
great article.
Thank you.
We are using View Horizon with Teams classic for a long time, and I managed to install the new Team without a problem.
The only issue we have is, that it is not possible to change organizations with the new teams.
It worked (and still works) fine with teams classic where I can see and switch between organizations with no problem.
But when I switch to the new teams the organizations are not even visible.
Any sugestions?
Setup:
Vmware View Horizon 8 (non-persistent desktops)
Fslogix (2.9.8612.60056)
Hi Nico,
This could be because you're running in co-existence mode. Have you tried deploying an image where only the new Teams client is installed?
Cheers,
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
No. Since the switch between organisations did noct work, I had to keep the classic version.
But I will try to deploy a new image where only the new client ist installed.
Thank's for the hint.
Nico
Environment: Citrix Cloud / FSLogix (latest versino)
Has anyone seen this error?
Getting a popup error when launching a VDI session. C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\MSTeams_23320.3027.2591.150_x64_8wekyb...\msteams_autostarter.exe The parameter is incorrect.
On the golden image, I'm able to log in as a regular user and Teams launches fine (autostart).
Hi Chuck,
Could you provide your FSLogix version number?
When using the new Teams client with FSLogix Profile Containers on non-persistent VDI, you must upgrade to FSLogix version 2.9.8716.30241 to support the new teams client.
Yes, the FSLogix version 2.9.8716.30241 is the one I installed on the golden image. The popup error would appear during new VDI session.