Explore what's new in App Volumes 2506 and Dynamic Environment Manager 2506

App Volumes 2506 introduces faster app packaging, user feedback integration, and enhanced diagnostics, while DEM 2506 adds new flexibility for applying user environment settings. This release brings updates that help IT teams deliver applications more efficiently and personalize desktop experiences with greater control.

Let’s take a deeper look at what’s new in App Volumes. 

Improve app testing with in-production user feedback 

Building on the app version selection feature released in Horizon 8 2412, App Volumes now adds the ability for end users to provide direct feedback after testing an application. Users can give a quick thumbs-up or thumbs-down rating along with optional comments after closing the app. This feedback is collected in App Volumes Manager, giving admins and app owners clear insight into user sentiment and app performance. By capturing real-world feedback without requiring a separate UAT environment, teams can make faster, more informed decisions about when a package is ready for production and help teams cut costs by removing the need for a standalone UAT environment.

End users can provide real-time feedback to IT by submitting a thumbs-up or thumbs-down rating after closing an application, with the option to include comments.

Track concurrent and peak app usage for better insights  

App Volumes now adds reporting to track real-time concurrent application and historical peak usage metrics. This visibility helps admins understand which applications are being used and by how many users, supporting better license planning and app management decisions. The data is consolidated in App Volumes Manager, even across multiple deployments, making it easier to determine whether to purchase more licenses, reassign apps, or retire underused packages. This feature applies to both classic app delivery and Apps on Demand packages. 

Improve usability with standardized AppCapture CLI syntax 

As AppCapture has evolved into the go-to tool for creating, converting, and managing App Volumes packages, its command-line interface is being updated to better meet admin needs. The syntax is now standardized to a clear [action] [options] format, making commands easier to read, use, and script across workflows. This change brings consistency and clarity while keeping the previous syntax available to maintain compatibility with existing automation processes. 

Add virus scan workflows for safer App Volumes packages  

To support stronger security practices, App Volumes provides a workflow for administrators to perform virus scans on application packages using AppCapture. This capability enables IT teams to scan both newly created and existing packages to identify potential risks before deployment. By integrating security scans into app delivery workflows, organizations can maintain higher levels of trust and control across their application environments. 

Reduce configuration complexity with Writable Volumes UI off by default 

As part of efforts to reduce setup complexity for most deployments, the Writable Volumes user interface is now turned off by default and moved to advanced settings. While Writable Volumes remain an important feature for specialized use cases, like user-installed applications and personalization on non-persistent desktops, many newer deployments do not require this capability. Administrators who need Writable Volumes can easily re-enable it through advanced settings in App Volumes Manager, ensuring the feature remains available without adding unnecessary complexity for environments that do not use it. 

Greater flexibility and control for user environment management

Now let’s take a look at what’s new in DEM 2506. This release introduces features that simplify configuration, expand non-DirectFlex settings, and improve XML and version management, making it easier for IT teams to customize and manage user environments efficiently.  

Expand flexibility with non-DirectFlex user environment settings  

DEM now makes it possible for IT administrators to create, manage, and deploy application and file shortcuts, file type associations, and environment variables as non-DirectFlex configurations. Previously, these settings were only available as DirectFlex configurations under “User Environment,” limiting how they could be used. With this update, admins can now configure these settings directly from the Personalization tab without requiring DirectFlex, providing greater flexibility to apply user environment customizations across more deployment scenarios.

IT admins can directly configure shortcuts, environment variables, and other user environment settings. 

Enable in-console XML editing for No-AD deployments  

DEM introduces a built-in XML editor for No-AD Mode configurations directly within the DEM console. Previously, admins had to manually create and modify XML files outside the console to manage settings in No-AD environments, increasing the risk of errors and adding administrative overhead. With this update, admins can easily create, edit, and manage No-AD XML configuration files through a user-friendly interface.  This enhancement improves workflows and makes management more efficient for environments that do not use Active Directory integration. 

Gain granular control with per-version delete in version history  

Building on the version history feature introduced in DEM 2503, DEM adds the ability for admins to delete specific version history files. Previously, admins could only remove all version histories at once, which increased the risk of accidental deletion and limited flexibility. With this update, a delete button is added to the user interface for each configuration’s version history, allowing system admins to selectively remove specific versions as needed to meet policy requirements and keep configurations clean and manageable. 

That wraps up what’s new in the 2506 releases for App Volumes and DEM. With enhancements in App Volumes and Dynamic Environment Manager, the 2506 release gives IT teams powerful tools to deliver applications faster, respond to user needs in real time, and fine-tune desktop environments with greater precision.  

To learn more, check out the full App Volumes 2506 and DEM 2506 release notes.