Using Windows Universal Installer for VDI plugins

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Zoom provides a single installer to install VDI plugins for all of the virtual desktop platforms supported by Zoom. The new universal plugin installer combines all previous individual installers into a single installer with the option to choose which products to install during installation.

For users downloading and installing a VDI plugin for personal use, the user interface supports both a Default and a Custom option.

This article covers:

Prerequisites for using Windows Universal Installer for VDI plugins

  • Organizations using Citrix XenDesktop or VMware Horizon server published desktop, or Windows Remote Desktop
  • Citrix Workspace, VMWare Horizons, AVD client, or Windows remote desktop client
    Note: Citrix Workspace app from the Microsoft store is not supported.

How to understand the Windows Universal Installer user interface

Understand the Default option

The Default option installs a VDI plugin for every platform detected. When installing a VDI plugin for Citrix, the installer checks for an installation of the Citrix Workspace client. When installing a VDI plugin for VMware, the installer checks for an installation of the VMware Horizon client. If those client installations are detected, the installer will add the VDI plugin for those platforms.

VDI plugins for Microsoft Windows 365/Azure and Amazon Workspaces do not require a specific client and a VDI plugin will be installed automatically when using the Default option.

Understand the Custom option

To only install plugins for a specific platform, the Custom option can be used to check which platform to install for. The option to install for Citrix or VMware can be selected if require a corresponding Citrix Workspace or VMware Horizon client installed.

If the Custom option is selected, the choices selected during installation are saved for future reference. When running the installer for a newer release, the Custom option will be reselected and the same VDI plugins will also be checked (provided the requirements are met).

How to understand Windows Universal Installer command line options

For administrators, the new Windows Universal Installer supports many command line options. The following table provides more information about the options and the syntax required.

Note: To apply a custom installation for specific vendor platforms using a command line, the additional command line option “CUSTOMINSTALL=2” must be included before adding the various specific platform switches such as INSTALLFORCITRIX=1, INSTALLFORAVD…etc.

Name Value
CUSTOMINSTALL 1 - (default) installs all plugins possible

2 = required to choose custom install options

INSTALLFORCITRIX Property for choosing to install Zoom VDI Plugin for Citrix Workspace:

0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2)

1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for Citrix Workspace (will fail install if Citrix Workspace is not installed)

INSTALLFORVMWARE Property for choosing to install Zoom VDI Plugin for VMWare Horizon:

0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2)

1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for VMware Horizon (will fail install if Vmware Horizon Client is not installed)

INSTALLFORAVD Property for choosing to install Zoom VDI Plugin for Remote Desktop and Azure Virtual Desktop:

0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2)

1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for AVD

INSTALLFORAWS AWS Workspace Plugin

0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2)

1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for AWS

During upgrades of the Windows Universal Installer, the previous install choices are used by default. These choices are saved under the registry at the path below.

Name Type Value
CUSTOMINSTALL REG_DWORD 1 = Set to Default

2 = Set to Custom

INSTALLFORCITRIX REG_DWORD 0 = Not installed

1 = Installed

INSTALLFORVMWARE REG_DWORD 0 = Not installed

1 = Installed

INSTALLFORAVD REG_DWORD 0 = Not installed

1 = Installed

INSTALLFORAWS REG_DWORD 0 = Not installed

1 = Installed

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