Citrix Workspace Microsoft



Citrix Workspace app is here to replace Citrix Receiver with a new UI and capabilities (primarily for Citrix Cloud customers). Here’s how to deploy it across various supported platforms in a modern management capacity with Microsoft Intune.

Windows 10

Citrix Workspace Microsoft

There are multiple deployment options for Workspace app on Windows via Microsoft Intune:

  • Workspace app from the Microsoft Store. This version has some feature limitations but requires the least amount of effort to deploy
  • The full Workspace app that provides the best compatibility, but doesn’t ship as a Windows Installer file and therefore requires custom solutions to deploy

Microsoft Store

Adding the Workspace app from the Microsoft Store is well documented and should take only 5 minutes to get the app from the Store, synchronise to Intune and assign the app to your users. How’s that for done and dusted? - I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than package and maintain applications.

Citrix Workspace in the Microsoft Store

  • Citrix Workspace app is here to replace Citrix Receiver with a new UI and capabilities (primarily for Citrix Cloud customers). Here’s how to deploy it across various supported platforms in a modern management capacity with Microsoft Intune. Windows 10 There are multiple deployment options for Workspace app on Windows via Microsoft Intune.
  • Microsoft and Citrix have been working together closely for decades, but that partnership is going a step further today. Microsoft is partnering with Citrix to use the company’s Citrix Workspace.

The Workspace app can be assigned as available for end-users to install via the Intune Company Portal or required for automatic deployment. Once deployed, the Store will take care of updates, thus there is no further action required by the administrator.

Citrix delivers optimization for desktop-based Microsoft Teams using Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and Citrix Workspace app. By default, we bundle all the necessary components into Citrix Workspace app and the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA).

Citrix Workspace app in the Microsoft Intune Company Portal

If you have already deployed Citrix Receiver from the Microsoft Store via Intune, it should be automatically updated to Citrix Workspace. One they key feature limitations of the Microsoft Store version is pass-through authentication, so you might need to consider alternative deployment options

PowerShell

The Workspace app installer is a single executable just it has been with Citrix Receiver. This presents a challenge to deploy Workspace app as a line-of-business application with Intune which requires Win32 applications to be packaged as a single Windows Installer file. PowerShell scripts are a simple alternative, but deploying applications via PowerShell has two key considerations:

  • PowerShell scripts can’t be applied to computer groups
  • PowerShell scripts are executed on devices only when an Azure Active Directory user is signed in to the device

Deploying this way also means that the Workspace app will be deployed regardless of user choice and of course does not support deployment via the Intune Company Portal.

Like we’ve done previously with Citrix Receiver, the Workspace app can be deployed to Windows 10 machines via Intune with PowerShell without requiring custom packaging. We need a consistent URL that will always download the latest version of Workspace app and a command line to perform a silent installation. Your command line options might differ depending on your target environment, but the example script below will download and install the Workspace app.

Once deployed, devices must then rely on auto-updates to ensure that Workspace app is kept up-to-date.

Re-package Citrix Workspace app for Windows Installer

With the right tools and a bit of effort, Citrix Workspace app can be re-packaged into a single Windows Installer file. Once you’ve packaged the app with this method you’ll need to maintain the package and update it regularly. As with the PowerShell method though, auto-updates will keep Workspace app up-to-date once deployed.

Is this approach right for you? This requires maintaining and deploying a custom package and is dependent on how the environment is managed and available skillsets. Only you can answer that for your projects or environments. A custom package isn’t ideal and I recommend using the Microsoft Store version as the default approach instead.

Citrix Workspace app extracted Windows Installer files

HDX RealTime Media Engine

The Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine - required for optimising Skype for Business under XenApp and XenDesktop, does come as a single Windows Installer file. This makes it easy then to deploy the engine to Windows PCs as a Required line-of-business application without modification or custom packaging. This will ensure that no user interaction is required to install the engine since most users are unlikely to know what it does anyway.

Bonus: Citrix Workspace app for Chrome

If you have Google Chrome deployed in your environment and you’d like to deploy the Citrix Workspace app for Chrome, this can be achieved with a PowerShell script that will either deploy it as a preference that users must approve or as a policy that will be automatically pushed out and users will be unable to remove from Chrome.

Google provides detailed documentation on deploying Chrome extensions on Windows.

Here’s a basic script to deploy Workspace app for Chrome via PowerShell that uses the app’s Chrome Web Store identifier (haiffjcadagjlijoggckpgfnoeiflnem) to tell Chrome to install the app on next launch. This shows both approaches - deploy as a preference or enforced.

Add the script to the Intune portal and assign to a user group to deploy. Ensure the script runs in the system context because it needs to write to HKLM.

macOS

The Citrix Workspace app can be deployed as a line-of-business application with Microsoft Intune. The Workspace app download comes as an Installer package (inside an Apple Disk Image) that can be converted into suitable file format with the Microsoft Intune App Wrapping Tool, ready to deploy with Intune.

The Citrix Workspace app disk image

Convert the Installer

Instructions for converting a .pkg file to a .intunemac file are outlined in the documentation, and the basic process I have followed to convert the Citrix Workspace app installer file is:

  1. Download the Intune App Wrapping Tool for Mac executable - IntuneAppUtil - to a local folder. I’ve downloaded it to ~/bin.
  2. Mark the file as executable. In my example, I’ve done this with:
  1. Optionally copy the Install Citrix Workspace.pkg file to a local folder. You should also be able to run the converter against the copy stored in the disk image. In my example, I’ve copied the installer to ~/Projects/Intune-Apps. Rename the installer to remove spaces, so rename the file to InstallCitrixWorkspace.pkg.

Note: Removing the spaces from the installer name before converting is important, otherwise when installing the application, macOS will report the following error and the installing will fail to download and install:

  1. Convert the .pkg file into the required .intunemac format with a command similar to the following example - note that the -o switch should include a directory path only.

If successful the command line will look similar to the following screenshot:

Converting the Citrix Workspace app with IntuneAppUtil

The Workspace app installer will have been converted into a .intunemac format ready to import into the Intune portal for distributing to users.

The converted Citrix Workspace app

Distribute with Intune

With the prepared package, create a new line-of-business app in the Intune portal, select the .intunemac file and enter application information as follows:

  • Name - Citrix Workspace
  • Description - copy and paste the description from Workspace app on the Microsoft Store
  • Publisher - Citrix
  • Ignore app version - Yes
  • Category - Business or Productivity
  • Information URL - https://docs.citrix.com/en-us/citrix-workspace-app-for-mac.html
  • Privacy URL - https://www.citrix.com.au/about/legal.html
  • Logo - download the Workspace app icon in PNG format here

Once the details have been added, click OK to create the application. I initially had issues with uploading the application on Chrome on macOS. I was successful on Internet Explorer.

Adding the Citrix Workspace app as a line-of-business app in Microsoft Intune

Once the application has been created and assigned to users, it will be available for install in the Intune Company Portal. The application can also be set to required for automatic deployment.

Citrix Workspace available in the Intune Company Portal on macOS*

Just as on Windows, updates to the Citrix Workspace app can be managed with the inbuilt updater, post-deployment.

HDX RealTime Media Engine

The Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine is also available as an installer package that can be converted and deployed the same way as Workspace itself. Citrix Workspace app is now a 64-bit macOS application and will, therefore, require a 64-bit version of the HDX RealTime Media Engine. Right now, a 64-bit HDX RealTime Media Engine is in tech preview that can be downloaded, packaged, uploaded as a line-of-business application and assigned.

iOS

As at the time of writing, Citrix Receiver is still available on the iOS App Store and we should see it updated to Citrix Workspace app soon. Adding an iOS application in Microsoft Intune is, fortunately, a simple process:

Citrix Workspace Microsoft Edge

  1. Add an application and choose ‘Store app - iOS’, then search the app store
  2. Search for ‘Citrix’, ‘Citrix Receiver’ or ‘Citrix Workspace’
  3. Choose ‘Citrix Receiver’ or ‘Citrix Workspace’ depending on what is returned
  4. Save the change and Add the application
  5. Assign the application as required

The application will be available in the Intune Company Portal:

Citrix Workspace for iOS available in the Intune Company Portal

For existing deployments of Citrix Receiver, they should be updated to Citrix Workspace app automatically.

Android

Android Store app

At the time of writing, the Workspace app for Android is not available in the Google Play Store, but a tech preview is available for download as an APK. I would recommend deploying Citrix Receiver via the Google Play Store, but with access to an APK file, you can deploy Android applications directly to enrolled devices as a line-of-business application with Intune.

The process for deploying Citrix Workspace app or Citrix Receiver on Android follows the standard Android store app deployment steps:

  1. Add an application and choose ‘Store app - Android’, then search the app store
  2. Name - ‘Citrix Workspace’ or ‘Citrix Receiver’
  3. Description - copy and paste the description from Workspace app on the Microsoft Store
  4. Publisher - Citrix
  5. Appstore URL - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.citrix.Receiver
  6. Minimum operating system - Android 4.4 (Kitkat)
  7. Category - Business or Productivity
  8. Privacy URL - https://www.citrix.com.au/about/legal.html
  9. Logo - download the Workspace app icon in PNG format here

Assign the application and it will be available to users in the Intune Company Portal.

Android Work Profile app

In the future, it’s more likely that organisations will leverage the Android enterprise capabilities, previously known as Android for Work. This also simplifies Android app deployment with a connection between Microsoft Intune and the Google Play store. Once configured, browse the Google Play store, approve a list of desired apps and these will then appear for assignment in the Mobile Apps node in Intune.

Here’s Citrix Receiver in the Google Play store.

Approving Citrix Receiver in the Google Play store*

Once approved, you must choose how new permissions will be approved:

  • Keep approved when app requests new permissions - Users will be able to install the updated app. (Default)
  • Revoke app approval when this app requests new permissions - App will be removed from the store until it is reapproved.

You can approve and deploy Citrix Receiver today, which should be automatically updated to Citrix Workspace app once it is released.

Wrap-up

In this article, I’ve covered the high-level steps required for deployment of the Citrix Workspace app across the various major platforms supported by Microsoft Intune. Mobile platforms, including the Microsoft Store on Windows 10, will require the least amount of administrative effort to configure, deploy and update. For most organisations supporting Windows as their primary platform, even with Microsoft Intune, the choice of deployment solution will depend on Workpace app feature requirements.

downloadWhy can't I download this file?This article is intended to capture known issues with Windows 10 v2004 and 20H2 that have been identified so far through Citrix internal testing and customer reports.

Note:

  • This is a live article and is updated as and when new information is available.
  • This article also outlines issues seen with Windows 10 20H2. Unless explicitly specified, issues seen with Windows 10 v2004 are seen with Windows 10 20H2 also.

Known Issues

The following are the known issues:

Issue 1

Issue Description
Citrix User Profile Manager (UPM) may stop working after Windows 10 with VDA installed is upgraded to v2004 OR it may break the native Windows applications like notepad, calculator etc when UPM is configured on fresh install of v2004.

[TPV-2706]

Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.

Solution
This issue is fixed in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2003 and later versions.

Issue 2

Issue Description
Printers part of Citrix Universal Print Server (UPS) are not mapped within ICA session of Windows 10 v2004 VDA.
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is causing the printer mapping failure.

Solution
This issue is resolved with the Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection signature updates released around June 2020.


Issue 3

Issue Description
On Virtual Machine's (hosted on vSphere) with VM version 14 and boot option EFI, a failure may be seen when you upgrade Windows 10 machine to v2004 with an error “We can’t tell if your PC is ready to continue installing Windows 10. Try restating the setup”

[TPV-2703]

Solution
Installing the latest VMWare tools 11.0.0.x before attempting to upgrade to v2004 resolves this issue.

Issue 4

Issue Description
On Windows 10 v2004 end point with Receiver/Workspace App, when a network interruption is caused by disabling the Network Interface from Control Panel, Session Reliability feature fails to work.
[RFWIN-15116]
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is making the Session Reliability to fall back to Auto Client Reconnect when the network is disrupted.

Solution
This issue has been fixed in Citrix Workspace App.

  • Users on Current Release of Workspace App are advised to upgrade to version 2002 or its replacement that contains the fix.
  • Users on the LTSR version of Workspace App are advised to upgrade to version 1912 or its replacement that contains the fix.

Issue 5

Issue Description
On Windows 10 v2004 end point with Receiver/Workspace App, when a network interruption is caused using Firewall, Session Reliability feature fails to work.
[RFWIN-15263]
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is making the Session Reliability to fall back to Auto Client Reconnect as soon as the the network is disrupted.

Solution
This issue has been fixed with KB4571744. Install this KB OR its replacement on end-points to resolve this issue.


Issue 6

Issue Description
ICA launch of Citrix VDA installed on Windows 10 Virtual Desktop v2004 fails OR ICA session disconnects within 2 minutes with error message “Idle Timer Expired “ or “Logon timer Expired”.
[TPV-3025]
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is causing this issue.

Solution
For Citrix VDA version 2006 and above:
Issue is resolved in KB4586853, Install this KB OR its replacement on your VDAs to resolve this issue.
For Citrix VDA versions before 2006:
ICA launch still fails and Citrix is working on fixing it. Please use the below workaround.
Workaround
The WDDM graphics display driver for Remote Desktop Connection which is enabled by default in Windows 10 v2004 and above needs to be disabled as it is not supported by the Citrix VDA. To disable, set the below policies through the group policies for your OU:

  • Browse to Administrative Templates (Computers) -> Windows Components - > Remote Desktop Service -> Remote Desktop Session Host.
  • Disable the setting “Use WDDM graphics display driver for Remote Desktop Connection”
Issue 7

Issue Description
A failure during component initialization may be seen when 7.15 LTSR VDA (with any CU) is upgraded to CU6 on Windows 10 v2004. This issue is not seen with a fresh install of CU6 VDA on Windows 10 v2004.
[LCM-7909]

Problem Cause
An error 'Failed to configure component 'ICA for workstation services' because it is not installed' is seen. Changes in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.

Solution
Citrix is working with Microsoft to resolve this issue.

Workaround

  • Uninstalling the existing CU and installing CU6 resolves this issue.
  • Upgrading 7.15 LTSR VDA to CU6 prior to upgrading VDA OS to Windows 10 v2004 is advised.


Issue 8

Issue Description
Following upgrade to Windows 10 v2004, user personalization layer (UPL) services will no longer be able to start during logon. This prevents user layer disks from attaching or being created when users log into their desktops. Note, this issue does not impact App Layering User Layers, it only affects user personalization layer for Virtual Apps and Desktops
[UNI-78456]
Problem Cause
During upgrade to Windows 10 v2004 Microsoft is removing the UPL service key and service from the Winlogon chain.

Solution
This issue is fixed in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2009 or newer. This issue has also been fixed with the latest updates of 20H1/20H2.

Issue 9

Issue Description
App Layering fails to import a new OS Layer for Windows 10 v2004 with the error: “A failure occurred while importing the OS: Cannot handle more than two partitions on a disk.”
[UNI-79067]
Problem Cause
Importing Windows 10 v2004 as a new OS Layer fails due to Windows creating a recovery partition during installation which results in their being a total of three partitions for the image. This is greater than the maximum two partitions allowed for OS Import.

Solution
This issue is fixed in Application Layering 2009 or newer. Citrix recommends to upgrade the Enterprise Layer Manager (ELM) and do the import again.

Issue 10

Issue Description
Published images from App Layering running Windows 10 v2004 can take 5 minutes or longer to log into Windows and/or for the Start Menu to appear after login.
[UNI-79147]
Problem Cause
The issue is caused by missing dependencies between the App Layering uniservice, and the Windows Delivery Optimization Service (dosvc) and Storage Service (StorSvc).

Solution
This issue is fixed in Application Layering 2011 or newer. Citrix recommends to upgrade the Enterprise Layer Manager (ELM) and redeploy any images.

Issue 11

Issue Description
Audio redirection may fail after a reconnect of ICA session on Windows 10 Multi-session editions with Citrix VDA.
[CVADHELP-15804]
Problem Cause
Changes made in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.

Solution
There is no solution. Citrix is working on a fix to resolve this issue.


Issue 12

Issue Description
Upgrade to Windows 10 20H2 may fail on machines that are configured to have domain administrator profiles managed by UPM
[UPM-3083]
Problem Cause
Changes made in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.

Citrix Workspace Microsoft Store Limitations

Solution
There is no solution. Citrix is working with Microsoft to resolve this issue.
Workaround
Ensure the domain administrator profiles are not managed by UPM before upgrading to Windows 10 20H2.

Citrix Workspace For Arm

Disclaimer

Citrix Workspace For Microsoft Edge

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