Configure Media Transfer Protocol and Picture Transfer Protocol redirection on Windows over the Remote Desktop Protocol

For Azure Virtual Desktop, we recommend you enable MTP and PTP redirection on your session hosts using Group Policy, then control redirection using the host pool RDP properties.

For Windows 365, you can configure your Cloud PCs using Group Policy. Once enabled, Windows 365 redirects all supported MTP and PTP peripherals.

For Microsoft Dev Box, you can configure your dev boxes using Group Policy. Once enabled, Microsoft Dev Box redirects all supported MTP and PTP peripherals.

• An existing host pool with session hosts.

• A Microsoft Entra ID account that is assigned the Desktop Virtualization Host Pool Contributor built-in role-based access control (RBAC) roles on the host pool as a minimum.

• An existing Cloud PC.

• An existing dev box.

Configuration of a session host using Group Policy, or setting an RDP property on a host pool governs the ability to redirect MTP and PTP peripherals between the remote session and the local device, which is subject to a priority order.

The default configuration is:

• Windows operating system: MTP and PTP redirection isn't allowed.
• Azure Virtual Desktop host pool RDP properties: MTP and PTP devices are redirected from the local device to the remote session.
• Resultant default behavior: MTP and PTP peripherals aren't redirected.

Configuration of a Cloud PC governs the ability to redirect MTP and PTP peripherals between the remote session and the local device, and is set using Group Policy.

The default configuration is:

• Windows operating system: MTP and PTP redirection isn't allowed.
• Windows 365: MTP and PTP redirection is enabled.
• Resultant default behavior: MTP and PTP peripherals are redirected.

Configuration of a dev box governs the ability to redirect the MTP and PTP peripherals between the remote session and the local device, and is set using Group Policy.

The default configuration is:

• Windows operating system: MTP and PTP redirection isn't allowed.
• Microsoft Dev Box: MTP and PTP redirection is enabled.
• Resultant default behavior: MTP and PTP peripherals are redirected.

Configure MTP and PTP redirection using host pool RDP properties

The Azure Virtual Desktop host pool setting MTP and PTP device redirection controls whether to redirect MTP and PTP peripherals between the remote session and the local device. The corresponding RDP property is devicestoredirect:s:<value>. For more information, see Supported RDP properties.

To configure MTP and PTP redirection using host pool RDP properties:

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

2. In the search bar, type Azure Virtual Desktop and select the matching service entry.

3. Select Host pools, then select the host pool you want to configure.

4. Select RDP Properties, then select Device redirection.

   

5. For MTP and PTP device redirection, select the drop-down list, then select one of the following options:

   • Don't redirect any devices
   • Redirect portable media players based on the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) and digital cameras based on the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) (default)
   • Not configured

6. Select Save.

Optional: Retrieve specific MTP and PTP device instance IDs and add them to the RDP property

By default, the host pool RDP property will redirect all supported MTP and PTP peripherals, but you can also enter specific device instance IDs in the host pool properties so that only the peripherals you approve are redirected. To retrieve the device instance IDs available of the USB devices on a local device you want to redirect:

1. On the local device, connect any devices you want to redirect.

2. Open a PowerShell prompt and run the following command:

   Get-PnPdevice | Where-Object {$_.Class -eq "WPD" -and $_.Status -eq "OK"} | FT -AutoSize
   

   The output is similar to the following output. Make a note of the InstanceId value for each device you want to redirect.

   Status Class FriendlyName InstanceId
   ------ ----- ------------ ----------
   OK     WPD   Apple iPhone USB\VID_05AC&PID_12A8&MI_00\B&1A733E8B&0&0000
   

3. In the Azure portal, return to the host pool RDP properties configuration, and select Advanced.

4. In the text box, find the relevant RDP property, which by default is devicestoredirect:s:*, then add the instance IDs you want to redirect, as shown in the following example. Separate each device instance ID with a semi-colon (;).

   devicestoredirect:s:USB\VID_05AC&PID_12A8&MI_00\B&1A733E8B&0&0000
   

5. Select Save.

Configure MTP and PTP redirection using Group Policy

Configure MTP and PTP redirection using Group Policy