Microsoft closes free trials of Windows 365 after 'unbelievable response'

Cloud PC offering launched on Monday and vendor claims capacity for free trials has already been reached

Microsoft has halted free trials for Windows 365 following its launch earlier this week, telling customers it has reached capacity due to "significant demand".

People looking to buy a Windows 365 plan will still be able to, however, while those interested in a free trial can sign up to receive a notification for when they resume.

In a tweet, Microsoft's Windows 365 director of program management, Scott Manchester, said: "We have seen an unbelievable response to Windows 365 and need to pause our free trial program while we provision additional capacity."

Windows 365 allows users to stream Windows 10, and Windows 11 when it launches later this year, to any device and has created a "new hybrid personal computing category called cloud PC", according to the vendor.

It has been built in response to the rise in hybrid working and will allow employees to work away from the office more easily, Microsoft claims.

Windows 365 is currently only available to businesses, with prices starting at $20 per month for a basic membership and rising to $158 per month for a premium plan.

And partners involved in the testing of the product believe it will bring new opportunities to the channel.