When connecting to a Windows 10 virtual desktop using Citrix Virtual Desktops (or XenDesktop) the “Disconnect” option is not available to users under the power options in the Windows Start Menu. An empty box shows instead as seen on the screenshot below:

The expected behavior is for the “Disconnect” option to show when the user clicks on the power button in the Windows 10 Start Menu, as shown in the screenshot below:

Option #1

The fix attached to this article can be download and installed on supported Windows 10 VDA images.

Requirements:

1. Windows 10 versions 1607 LTSB through 1809 (non-LTSC).
2. Desktop OS VDA versions 7.15 LTSR CU3 and greater.
3. Fix must be installed after Desktop OS VDA is installed and rebooted. 

Known issues and limitations:

1. Disconnect option will only show with power options in the Windows Start Menu. 
2. Disabling access to the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands via Windows GPO will also disable the disconnect option.
3. Users may need to click on the disconnect option more than once in some cases when using Windows 10 version 1607 LTSB.
4. Disconnect button installer will fail on Windows 10 versions 1809 LTSC. 
5. Disconnect button will not work for users who are Domain Administrators on Windows 10 version 1809. However, a Domain Admin account can be used for the installation. 

Customers who do not wish to install the fix may evaluate the options below as workarounds: 

Option #2

Leverage the Microsoft “TSDiscon.exe” utility, which is included with the operating system in the “Windows\System32” directory, for disconnecting user sessions. IT administrators can configure a shortcut to this utility to be included in the user’s desktop or as a “tile” in the Start menu (sample screenshot below).

Option #3

Use the “Disconnect” option in the Citrix Desktop Viewer menu when available, as shown in the screenshot below. 

Problem Cause

As per Microsoft’s design, the Windows 10 Start menu will only include the “Disconnect” option when the operating system detects the desktop is being accessed remotely using a remote desktop service (or RDP) connection. Citrix XenDesktop (or ICA) connections use a different approach and remote sessions are established as “console” sessions, in order to better support some of the HDX features and provide a user experience that is as close to using a physical machine. As a result, the Windows 10 operating system does not consider XenDesktop connections as being remote and fails to display the “Disconnect” option in the Start menu.