Microsoft App-V Valuable Features
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Sorin Neacsu
Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
The most valuable feature of Microsoft App-V that I found is the possibility to bring old software back to life and publish it for users to do their jobs using those applications. Additionally, this came free with an agreement with SCCM since it did not require any additional licenses; it was an add-on to SCCM when the enterprise acquired the solution.
One of the latest releases allowed for easy publishing via SCCM, making it quite flexible and easy to maintain. Once you package one app, it can be delivered to many users, creating a win-win situation because if it was packed in a capsule, the interaction with the user was minimal. The users could not break the app or ask for support because there was no support; they simply had this app in a container that would function correctly, without altering the content.
The downside is that not all software worked perfectly due to how they were written—as either machine or user context—which impacted how applications could be delivered. In a virtual environment with many users on the same machine, surprises could happen.
I utilize the feature of Microsoft App-V for running multiple versions of applications concurrently, where they are pushed by SCCM. We can have different populations with different versions published simultaneously, either through SCCM or Microsoft App-V. However, I'm currently contemplating whether the enterprise I'm in still uses the old App-V infrastructure or if they have completely switched to SCCM packages, as they have multiple personnel for managing SCCM and only had three individuals for the Microsoft App-V infrastructure.
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Michael Baars
Owner at CoBSS
Microsoft App-V is a simple, very good working product that just works. It's starting to age, but it still is one of the better products available.
The specific area of virtualization in Microsoft App-V keeps the application separate from the local OS without deploying unwanted files.
I have utilized Microsoft App-V's feature for running multiple versions of an application concurrently. This capability helps when migrating from version one to version two of software, as it allows easily pointing the software to people who need the current or next version. It usually works seamlessly as long as there are no services involved.
Using Microsoft App-V for virtual application distribution across a network has definitely helped customers with their business continuity plans. It works very stably, meaning that if there's an issue, things can be quickly switched around. It can be moved to a local system, to an end-user system, or used in VDI. If Microsoft App-V is working, it usually works in all systems, making it flexible. Even if there's an issue and the VDI environment is not working, it can easily be deployed to another environment or to the end user, and the customers can keep working with the application. From their standpoint, it is a very robust system.
Microsoft App-V brings measurable benefits in terms of improvement in operational cost because it is a well-defined solution. There are many best practices available on how to use it. The costs of keeping it running are limited and easy to quantify. The system resources needed to keep it running and especially to make new ones are very limited, and as that is even starting to be phased out, it keeps the companies running without hidden costs.
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Francois Gotti
Senior Global Infrastructure Engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
From my experience with Microsoft App-V, the feature I liked the most is the streaming.
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Microsoft App-V
June 2025

Learn what your peers think about Microsoft App-V. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
861,481 professionals have used our research since 2012.
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Olufemi Ajala
Consultant at ACT4SERVICES
Microsoft App-V does not require local installs and reduces application conflicts. It offers centralized management, allowing for the management, updates, or removal of an application from the server without touching the device. It facilitates faster deployments and is easy to update and roll back if an issue arises. It also supports legacy and new applications and improves security by reducing user admin rights.
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Gerhard Pfingstl
System Administrator at Hows Tiny Homes
What I appreciate best about Microsoft App-V are its user-friendly features that simplify application management, although I did encounter some issues when troubleshooting.
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Bruno Vilela
IT Manager at Vertical Garden
It is easy to scale. You can quickly deploy additional instances. Rollbacks are easy because there is an automatic backup every hour. Deploying the application is straightforward and efficient.
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Dan Patriche
Application Integrator at Lombard Odier Group
We can deploy applications incredibly fast. The implementation time is really fast. I like the way the Sequencer works. The publication and management console are really helpful. We switch from the classic MSI through SCCM deployment to App-V with an in-house publication server. The delivery time has decreased by 40% to 45%.
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Dan Patriche
Application Integrator at Lombard Odier Group
The most interesting and powerful feature for us is the fact that we can upgrade any kind of app instantly.
We like that we can deploy apps, both globally or per-user.
Also, that the applications follow the user. For example, if the end-user connects to a different station and the application is published for him, the application will follow him no matter where he is.
We can run scripts on different triggers for when an application is published, unpublished, or when a package is added or removed.
It's very flexible.
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MohamedFawy
Business Development Manager & Customer Success Support Manager at insights solutions
This product helps to protect business applications that are in the cloud.
It is very easy to use from an administration point of view.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft App-V
June 2025

Learn what your peers think about Microsoft App-V. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
861,481 professionals have used our research since 2012.