--- title: "Overview | PrimalDesk Docs" description: "Run published Windows applications as individual windows on your local desktop." url: "https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-overview" --- # Overview Run published Windows applications as individual windows on your local desktop. Remote Apps is an **experimental connection mode** in PrimalDesk Desktop. Programs run in a separate Windows session on the host, while their individual windows appear on your local desktop. You use the same PrimalDesk client for Desktop and Apps connections. ## Connect in Apps mode 1. Select your host and choose **Connect**. 2. The client checks which connection modes the host offers. If both Desktop and Apps are available, choose **Apps** in the mode dialog. If only one mode is available, the client continues with that mode. 3. Enter the Windows credentials for the account you want to use on the host. 4. Open an application from the published list. The administrator decides which applications are available; the Windows account must also have permission to run them. ![PrimalDesk mode selection for Home-PC, with Desktop and Apps tiles and an Experimental badge on Apps.](https://docs.primaldesk.com/screenshots/remote-apps/session-mode-dialog.png) The actual client dialog, captured with the example device Home-PC. The mode check happens before Windows credentials and session creation. Seeing a host online does not by itself mean that it offers Apps. ## What to expect Apps windows integrate with the local Windows desktop, including its taskbar and window management. You can also reopen the published application list from the PrimalDesk tray menu. Keep the client running while you work. When closing its main window during Apps use, choose whether to exit the program or keep working through the tray. Apps is still experimental. Test the programs, displays and Windows builds you intend to use before rolling it out. Start with [Integration](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-integration.md), [Rendering](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-rendering.md) and the [version matrix](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-version-support.md). Administrators can follow [Apps publishing](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-publishing.md) to prepare the catalog. Read [Session types](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-session-types.md) before switching between Apps and Desktop. This guide describes the current development and testing phase. [Back to documentation](https://docs.primaldesk.com/docs.md) ## Explore PrimalDesk - [PrimalDesk Docs: all pages](https://docs.primaldesk.com/llms.txt) - [PrimalDesk: all pages](https://primaldesk.com/llms.txt) - [Product overview](https://primaldesk.com/index.md) - [Documentation](https://docs.primaldesk.com/docs.md) - [Help center](https://docs.primaldesk.com/help-center.md) ## Other pages on this site - [PrimalDesk Docs | Multi-user Windows remote desktop](https://docs.primaldesk.com/index.md) - [Adaptive video bitrate | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/adaptive-video-bitrate.md) - [Connection overview | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/connection-overview.md) - [Desktop or Apps: which mode should I choose? | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/desktop-vs-apps.md) - [Make your first connection | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/first-connection.md) - [GDPR and data requests | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/gdpr.md) - [Windows compatibility | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/host-compatibility.md) - [Firewall and ports | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/host-firewall.md) - [Technical requirements | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/host-requirements.md) - [Install and manage a Windows host | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/install-and-manage-host.md) - [Mouse and keyboard controls | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/mouse-keyboard.md) - [Work with multiple monitors | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/multiple-monitors.md) - [Connect across different networks | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/nat-traversal.md) - [Network quality and frame rate | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/network-quality.md) - [RDS role and licensing | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/rds-licensing.md) - [Fullscreen | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-fullscreen.md) - [Integration | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-integration.md) - [Overview | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-overview.md) - [Apps publishing | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-publishing.md) - [Rendering | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-rendering.md) - [Apps restrictions | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-restrictions.md) - [Session types | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-session-types.md) - [Version support | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-version-support.md) - [Audio | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/session-audio.md) - [Clipboard | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/session-clipboard.md) - [Input | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/session-input.md) - [Third-party notices | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/third-party-notices.md) - [Connection security | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/transport-security.md) - [TURN relay | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/turn-relay.md) - [Why does video quality change? | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/video-quality-changes.md) - [Windows sessions | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/windows-sessions.md) - [Workspace: connect from your browser | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/workspace.md) - [Windows host setup and network documentation | PrimalDesk](https://docs.primaldesk.com/docs.md) - [Remote desktop help center | PrimalDesk](https://docs.primaldesk.com/help-center.md)