WorkSpaces Windows client application

1. Open the by Type "registry editor" in the Windows search box.

2. Right-click on Registry Editor and select Run as administrator.

3. If prompted for permission, choose Yes.

4. Open a command line.

5. Navigate to: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Amazon\.

6. If it does not already exist, create a new Key called "Amazon WorkSpaces Client".

7. Within this key, create a new String Value named "clientUpgradeDisabled" and set its value to 1.

8. Either restart your computer or do the following to apply the changes:

   1. Open the Task Manager.

   2. Go to the Processes tab.

   3. Search for one of the following:

      • For an "all users" installation, search for WorkSpacesService.exe.

      • For a "single user" installation, search for WorkSpacesHelper.exe.

   4. Right-click and select End process.

9. For organizations managing multiple Windows devices, this registry setting can be deployed using Group Policy:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Amazon\Amazon WorkSpaces Client\clientUpgradeDisabled 
   Type: REG_SZ
   Value: 1

1. In the WorkSpaces client application, navigate to Settings >, Manage Connection Settings.

2. Under General Connection Settings, choose Prefer IPv6-enabled communications.

Alternatively, you can also enable IPv6 connections by using the following registry key:

1. On the Windows client, enter registry editor in the Windows search bar.

2. Right-click on Registry Editor and select Run as administrator.

3. If prompted for permission, choose Yes.

4. In the Registry Editor, navigate to: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Amazon\Amazon WorkSpaces Client\

5. Within this key, create a new DWORD (Double Word) Value named WSUseDualStackIPv6.

   1. Set its value to 1 to enable IPv6 preferred connections.

      Set its value to 0 to disable IPv6 preferred connection, and enable IPv4 connections exclusively.

6. Changes you make will take effect the next time you launch the WorkSpaces client application. Users can modify this setting, but it will revert to the default registry key value when the client is relaunched.

1. The first time that you run the client application, you are prompted for your registration code, which is contained in your welcome email. The WorkSpaces client application uses the registration code and user name to identify which WorkSpace to connect to. When you launch the client application later, the same registration code is used. To enter a different registration code, launch the client application, and then choose Change Registration Code at the bottom of the login page.

2. Enter your sign-in credentials in the login screen and choose Sign In. If your WorkSpaces administrator has enabled multi-factor authentication for your organization's WorkSpaces, you are prompted for a passcode to complete your login. Your WorkSpaces administrator will provide more information about how to obtain your passcode.

3. If your WorkSpaces administrator has not disabled the Keep me logged in feature, you can select the Keep me logged in check box at the bottom of the login screen to save your credentials securely so that you can connect to your WorkSpace easily while the client application remains running. Your credentials are securely cached up to the maximum lifetime of your Kerberos ticket.

   After the client application connects to your WorkSpace, your WorkSpace desktop is displayed.

1. In the WorkSpaces client application, go to Settings, Manage Proxy Server.

2. In the Set Proxy dialog box, select the appropriate options, depending on which version of the 3.0+ client you have.

   • Windows client version 3.1.3 or later — To disable usage of a proxy server, select Don't use proxy server. If you select Don't use proxy server, no proxy server is used when you access the internet.

     To use a proxy server, choose one of the following options, and then choose Save:

     • Use your device operating system settings — This option uses the proxy server settings for your operating system.

     • Customize proxy server for WorkSpaces — Enter the URL or IP address and the port for your custom proxy server.

   • Windows client versions 3.0.12, 3.1.0, and 3.1.2 — To enable or disable usage of a proxy server, select or deselect Use proxy server. If you deselect Use proxy server, no proxy server is used when you access the internet.

     If you've selected Use proxy server, choose one of the following options, and then choose Save:

     • Use your device operating system settings — This option uses the proxy server settings for your operating system.

     • Customize proxy server for WorkSpaces — Enter the URL or IP address and the port for your custom proxy server.

   • Windows client version 3.0.11 or earlier — By default, these versions of the client use the proxy server specified in the device operating system settings. To use a custom proxy server, choose Use proxy server, enter the URL or IP address and the port for the proxy server, and then choose Save.

1. Choose Settings, Manage Hardware Acceleration.

2. In the Manage Hardware Acceleration dialog box, select Enable Hardware Acceleration for Amazon WorkSpaces, and then choose Save.

3. For this change to take effect, choose Amazon WorkSpaces, Quit Amazon WorkSpaces to close the Windows client application.

4. Restart the WorkSpaces Windows client application. Hardware acceleration should now be enabled.

   After you've enabled hardware acceleration in the Windows client, if the screen and mouse issues described earlier occur, clear the Enable Hardware Acceleration for Amazon WorkSpaces check box to disable hardware acceleration, and then restart the Windows client application.

1. Use the following command to check for the EnableHwAcc registry key.

   reg query "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Amazon Web Services. LLC\Amazon WorkSpaces" /v EnableHwAcc

2. Use the following command to add the EnableHwAcc registry key.

   reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Amazon Web Services. LLC\Amazon WorkSpaces" /v EnableHwAcc

   This registry setting takes effect after the WorkSpaces Windows client is closed and restarted.

1. Choose Settings, Manage Hardware Acceleration.

2. In the Manage Hardware Acceleration dialog box, unselect Enable Hardware Acceleration for Amazon WorkSpaces, and then choose Save.

3. For this change to take effect, choose Amazon WorkSpaces, Quit Amazon WorkSpaces to close the Windows client application.

4. Restart the WorkSpaces Windows client application. Hardware acceleration should now be disabled.

1. On your Windows computer (not your WorkSpace), open the Windows search box, and enter registry editor to open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe). Choose Run as administrator. (If you don't have permission to run the Registry Editor as an administrator, contact your system administrator for assistance.)

2. When asked "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", choose Yes.

3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry entry:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Amazon Web Services. LLC\Amazon WorkSpaces

4. Select Amazon WorkSpaces, and then choose Edit > New > String Value.

5. For the registry key name, enter EnableHwAcc.

6. Close the Registry Editor.

7. Close and restart the WorkSpaces client application.

   After you've enabled hardware acceleration in the Windows client, if the screen and mouse issues described earlier occur, delete the EnableHwAcc registry key to disable hardware acceleration, and then restart the Windows client application.

1. Use the following command to check for the EnableHwAcc registry key.

   reg query "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Amazon Web Services. LLC\Amazon WorkSpaces" /v EnableHwAcc

2. Use the following command to add the EnableHwAcc registry key.

   reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Amazon Web Services. LLC\Amazon WorkSpaces" /v EnableHwAcc

   This registry setting takes effect after the WorkSpaces Windows client is closed and restarted.

1. On your Windows computer (not your WorkSpace), open the Windows search box, and enter registry editor to open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe). Choose Run as administrator. (If you don't have permission to run the Registry Editor as an administrator, contact your system administrator for assistance.)

2. When asked "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", choose Yes.

3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry entry:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Avalon.Graphics

4. Do one of the following:

   • If the DisableHWAcceleration registry key exists, select it and choose Edit > Modify. In the Value data box, enter 1 (to disable hardware acceleration), and then choose OK.

   • If the DisableHWAcceleration registry key doesn't exist, do the following:

     1. Select Avalon.Graphics, and then choose Edit > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

     2. For the registry key name, enter DisableHWAcceleration.

     3. Select the new DisableHWAcceleration key, and then choose Edit > Modify.

     4. In the Value data box, enter 1 (to disable hardware acceleration), set Base to Hexadecimal, and then choose OK.

5. Close the Registry Editor.

6. Close and restart the WorkSpaces client application.