Mouse Scrolling Not Working in Azure Virtual Desktop Session

Hi Ashroh,

Thank you for the detailed environment description and for listing the troubleshooting you have already performed , it helps us narrow down the cause quickly. This behavior is typically caused by a client-side redirection issue, an outdated Remote Desktop / Windows App client, or a known RAIL DVC registry threshold on the session host that intermittently breaks mouse input in RemoteApp/desktop sessions. Please try the steps below in order and let us know at which step the scrolling is restored. [techcommun...rosoft.com]

 Recommended troubleshooting steps

1. Update the client to the latest version

Outdated Remote Desktop / Windows App builds are the most common cause. On the local machine:

• Open Windows App (or Remote Desktop client) → Settings (⚙️) → About → check for updates.
• If using MSI-based Remote Desktop client (MSRDC), download and reinstall the latest from Microsoft Learn: Install the Remote Desktop client for Windows. [learn.microsoft.com]
• Reboot the local device after upgrade and reconnect.

2. Toggle "Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them"

This local Windows setting is a well-known culprit for mouse-wheel loss in RDP:

• On the local machine, go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mouse.
• Turn Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them Off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back On.
• Reconnect to the AVD session and test scrolling.

3. Test full-screen vs windowed mode

Some client builds lose scroll-wheel input only in windowed mode. [learn.microsoft.com]

• Press Ctrl + Alt + Break (or use the connection bar) to toggle full-screen.
• Confirm whether scrolling works in one mode but not the other.

4. Apply the RAIL DVC registry workaround on the session host (if issue persists)

Microsoft has acknowledged an SxS/AVD agent regression that impacts mouse input inside AVD sessions. The confirmed workaround, provided by Microsoft Support, is to add the following registry value on the session host: [techcommun...rosoft.com]

• Key: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RdpCloudStackSettings
• Value name: RAILDVCActivateThreshold
• Type: REG_DWORD
• Data: 0

After creating the value, sign out of the AVD session and reconnect (a session-host reboot is not required, but reconnect is).

5. Verify session host updates and AVD agent versions

On the session host, confirm the following are on the latest supported versions:

• Remote Desktop Services Infrastructure Agent
• Remote Desktop Agent Boot Loader
• Remote Desktop Services SxS Network Stack

You can view these under Control Panel → Programs and Features. Older SxS Network Stack versions are known to introduce input redirection regressions. [techcommun...rosoft.com]

6. Check device redirection GPO on the session host

If the above does not resolve it, verify no GPO is blocking input redirection:

• On the session host, run gpresult /h report.html and check: Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Remote Desktop Session Host → Device and Resource Redirection
• Ensure**"Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection"** is Not Configured / Disabled.

7. Quick isolation tests

• Connect to the same AVD host from another local device — does scrolling work? (isolates client vs host).
• Connect using the web client (rdweb / Windows App on browser) — if scrolling works there, it confirms a native client-side issue. Hi Ashroh, Thank you for the detailed environment description and for listing the troubleshooting you have already performed , it helps us narrow down the cause quickly. This behavior is typically caused by a client-side redirection issue, an outdated Remote Desktop / Windows App client, or a known RAIL DVC registry threshold on the session host that intermittently breaks mouse input in RemoteApp/desktop sessions. Please try the steps below in order and let us know at which step the scrolling is restored. [techcommun...rosoft.com]  Recommended troubleshooting steps
  1. Update the client to the latest version
  Outdated Remote Desktop / Windows App builds are the most common cause. On the local machine:
  • Open Windows App (or Remote Desktop client) → Settings (⚙️) → About → check for updates.
    • If using MSI-based Remote Desktop client (MSRDC), download and reinstall the latest from Microsoft Learn: Install the Remote Desktop client for Windows. [learn.microsoft.com]
      • Reboot the local device after upgrade and reconnect.
  2. Toggle "Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them"
  This local Windows setting is a well-known culprit for mouse-wheel loss in RDP:
  • On the local machine, go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mouse.
    • Turn Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them Off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back On.
      • Reconnect to the AVD session and test scrolling.
  3. Test full-screen vs windowed mode
  Some client builds lose scroll-wheel input only in windowed mode. [learn.microsoft.com]
  • Press Ctrl + Alt + Break (or use the connection bar) to toggle full-screen.
    • Confirm whether scrolling works in one mode but not the other.
  4. Apply the RAIL DVC registry workaround on the session host (if issue persists)
  Microsoft has acknowledged an SxS/AVD agent regression that impacts mouse input inside AVD sessions. The confirmed workaround, provided by Microsoft Support, is to add the following registry value on the session host: [techcommun...rosoft.com]
  • Key: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RdpCloudStackSettings
    • Value name: RAILDVCActivateThreshold
      • Type: REG_DWORD
        • Data: 0
  After creating the value, sign out of the AVD session and reconnect (a session-host reboot is not required, but reconnect is).
  5. Verify session host updates and AVD agent versions
  On the session host, confirm the following are on the latest supported versions:
  • Remote Desktop Services Infrastructure Agent
    • Remote Desktop Agent Boot Loader
      • Remote Desktop Services SxS Network Stack
  You can view these under Control Panel → Programs and Features. Older SxS Network Stack versions are known to introduce input redirection regressions. [techcommun...rosoft.com]
  6. Check device redirection GPO on the session host
  If the above does not resolve it, verify no GPO is blocking input redirection:
  • On the session host, run gpresult /h report.html and check: Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Remote Desktop Session Host → Device and Resource Redirection
    • Ensure**"Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection"** is Not Configured / Disabled.
  7. Quick isolation tests
  • Connect to the same AVD host from another local device — does scrolling work? (isolates client vs host).
  • Connect using the web client (rdweb / Windows App on browser) — if scrolling works there, it confirms a native client-side issue.

Hi! Test the same session through the web client and another version of Windows App. If scrolling works there, update or reset the local client and temporarily disable mouse-vendor utilities. If it fails through every client, test another AVD user on the same session host. A user-only failure points toward the profile or accessibility settings, while all-user failure suggests a session-host agent, Windows update, or policy issue.