Global client restriction settings can restrict launching of virtual desktops, published desktops, and published applications to specific clients and versions, and also provide warning messages to clients.

In Horizon Console, you can configure global client restriction settings by navigating to Settings > Global Settings > Client Restriction Settings.

Client restrictions are available for Horizon Client versions 4.5.0 or later, except Horizon Client for Chrome, which must be version 4.8.0 or later. Either specific or earlier versions of Horizon Client for the client type are prevented from connecting to remote desktops and published applications when this feature is configured. The capability to show warning messages to specific client versions is available for Horizon Client 5.5 and 2006 or later.

Note: Client restriction settings only prevent end users from launching remote desktops and published applications. This feature does not prevent end users from logging in to VMware Horizon.
Table 1. Global Client Restriction Settings for Client Sessions
Setting Description
Horizon Client for Windows For the Block Connections from Client Version(s) setting, select one of these options:
  • Earlier than: specify the earliest client version to block all clients earlier than that version.
  • Specific: enter specific versions (separated by commas) that block users when they connect with those client versions.

For the Warn Users Connecting from Specific Client Version(s) setting, enter comma separated versions to warn users connecting from those client versions. The warning for Horizon Client version 5.5.0 is enabled by default. You can remove this version to disable the warning.

Horizon Client for Linux For the Block Connections from Client Version(s) setting, select one of these options:
  • Earlier than: specify the earliest client version to block all clients earlier than that version.
  • Specific: enter specific versions (separated by commas) that block users when they connect with those client versions.

For the Warn Users Connecting from Specific Client Version(s) setting, enter comma separated versions to warn users connecting from those client versions. The warning for Horizon Client version 5.5.0 is enabled by default. You can remove this version to disable the warning.

Horizon Client for Mac For the Block Connections from Client Version(s) setting, select one of these options:
  • Earlier than: specify the earliest client version to block all clients earlier than that version.
  • Specific: enter specific versions (separated by commas) that block users when they connect with those client versions.

For the Warn Users Connecting from Specific Client Version(s) setting, enter comma separated versions to warn users connecting from those client versions. The warning for Horizon Client version 5.5.0 is enabled by default. You can remove this version to disable the warning.

Horizon Client for iOS For the Block Connections from Client Version(s) setting, select one of these options:
  • Earlier than: specify the earliest client version to block all clients earlier than that version.
  • Specific: enter specific versions (separated by commas) that block users when they connect with those client versions.

For the Warn Users Connecting from Specific Client Version(s) setting, enter comma separated versions to warn users connecting from those client versions. The warning for Horizon Client version 5.5.0 is enabled by default. You can remove this version to disable the warning.
Horizon Client for Android For the Block Connections from Client Version(s) setting, select one of these options:
  • Earlier than: specify the earliest client version to block all clients earlier than that version.
  • Specific: enter specific versions (separated by commas) that block users when they connect with those client versions.

For the Warn Users Connecting from Specific Client Version(s) setting, enter comma separated versions to warn users connecting from those client versions. The warning for Horizon Client version 5.5.0 is enabled by default. You can remove this version to disable the warning.
Horizon Client for UWP Enter a Horizon Client version number to block all clients earlier than that version.
Horizon Client for Chrome For the Block Connections from Client Version(s) setting, select one of these options:
  • Earlier than: specify the earliest client version to block all clients earlier than that version.
  • Specific: enter specific versions (separated by commas) that block users when they connect with those client versions.

For the Warn Users Connecting from Specific Client Version(s) setting, enter comma separated versions to warn users connecting from those client versions. The warning for Horizon Client version 5.5.0 is enabled by default. You can remove this version to disable the warning.
Horizon Client for HTML Access Enter a Horizon Client version number to block all clients earlier than that version.
Block Additional Clients When you select this option, all other clients types except the whitelisted Horizon Clients will be blocked from launching any desktops or published applications.

However, if you want your end users to use other client types to launch desktops and published applications, you must add the client type to the pae-AdditionalClientTypes LDAP attribute to bypass the block settings for that client type.

You can use the ADSI Edit utility to edit LDAP attributes on the Connection Server.

In the ADSI Edit utility, the pae-AdditionalClientTypes LDAP attribute is available under CN=Common, OU=Global, OU=Properties, DC=vdi, DC=vmware, DC=int.

If a pod federation is present, the attribute is DC=vdiglobal. If a pod federation is not present, the attribute is DC=vdi.

Message for Blocked Client Versions Enter the message to display to users that try to connect using a blocked Horizon Client version. Character length limit for the message is 1024.
Warning Message Enter the warning message to display to users that connect using a restricted Horizon Client version. Character length limit for the message is 1024.