Citrix Workspace app for Mac 2503 - Preview

You can download Citrix Workspace app for Mac 2503 preview version from the Downloads page.

For information on installation, see Install page.

Note:

This is an Early Access Build shared for the purpose of testing or validation with the intent to make organizations ready for the upcoming release and is NOT advised to be deployed in production environments.

You can give the EAR feedback using the Early Access Release Feedback form.

What’s new

• Support for automatic installation of deviceTRUST plug-in with Citrix Workspace app
• Quit background processes with Quick Access menu
• Managing display of app shortcuts on Mac Launchpad
• Enhanced desktop launch experience
• Enhanced structure for Help menu
• Hybrid launch support for GACS
• Improved session timeout experience
• Enhanced keyboard settings for VDA OS and session type
• Optimized graphics performance for Selective Thinwire
• UCSDK deviceID enhancement
• Clipboard support for copying files and folders
• Enhanced Multi-Monitor Management for desktop sessions
• Loss tolerant mode for graphics
• USB Redirection of mass storage devices
• HDX direct support
• Enable Audio Quality Enhancer to improve audio performance
• Deprecation announcement of macOS Monterey 12

Support for automatic installation of deviceTRUST plug-in with Citrix Workspace app

Starting with version 2503, Citrix Workspace app for Mac includes deviceTRUST, enhancing security through continuous device posture checks within the session. deviceTRUST is packaged with Citrix Workspace app for unified deployment, ensuring seamless integration and management. For more information, see deviceTRUST.

Quit background processes with Quick Access menu

Starting with version 2503, Citrix Workspace app for Mac ensures that all background processes, including the Citrix Workspace Helper, quit when user exits the main application through the Quick Access menu. This enhancement addresses common concerns where certain apps, like Citrix Workspace Helper, remained active after users closed the main workspace application. To provide a better user experience, this functionality ensures that:

• When users select the Quit option from the Quick Access menu of the Citrix Workspace app, all associated background processes are closed.
• If the Citrix Workspace app is exited through other methods, such as Command+Q or quitting from the dock, the background processes remain running. This behavior ensures that necessary background functionalities remain operational unless explicitly exited.

Managing display of app shortcuts on Mac Launchpad

Starting with version 2503, admins now have greater control over the visibility of favorite app shortcuts on the Mac Launchpad.

Key enhancements:

• Admins can prevent subscribed applications from appearing on the Launchpad of Mac end users.
• Greater flexibility for admins to manage the visibility of app shortcuts on Mac devices.

You can configure this feature using Global App Configuration service (GACS) and Mobile Device Management (MDM):

Using MDM:

<key>AddShortcutsToLaunchPad</key>

 

Using GACS:

1. Navigate to Workspace Configuration > App Configuration > Configure in Citrix Cloud.
2. In Citrix Workspace app page, click App Experience > Desktop Shortcuts.
3. Click Shortcuts In Startup Menu and select the Mac checkbox to enable the shortcut.

Enhanced desktop launch experience

Starting with version 2503, Citrix Workspace app for Mac enhances the desktop launch experience by removing the retry timeout setting and improving status messaging. This enhancement is enabled by default.

This update ensures that:

• Users no longer experience premature failures during the launch process, even if it takes a longer time to complete.
• Retry messages, such as Powering On and Waiting for registration, are now displayed, making it more intuitive for end users to check the status of the Virtual Delivery Agent.

Enhanced structure for Help menu

Starting with version 2503, Citrix Workspace app for Mac introduces a restructured Help menu to improve usability. Troubleshooting options, such as Open Log Settings and Reset Citrix Workspace, have been moved to a dedicated Troubleshoot submenu. This change makes the Help menu cleaner and easier for users to navigate.

Hybrid launch support for GACS (Technical Preview)

Starting with version 2503, Citrix Workspace app for Mac supports Global App Configuration Service (GACS) in Hybrid mode for both Cloud stores and StoreFront, using the Protocol Handler. This includes support for a single hybrid store, applying GACS app configuration policies to hybrid launches. Administrators can configure GACS settings through stores added using the browser, streamlining the management of client experiences.

If a user has a store added in both native and hybrid modes, native settings take precedence. In such cases, the hybrid store does not fetch any GACS policies. The hybrid store fetches app configuration policies only if the native settings are unavailable.

If an admin updates settings after they’ve been fetched, the new settings are not applied until 6 hours have passed. After 6 hours, when the user launches a Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops application, the app fetches the updated settings and applies them.

For example:

If a user initially launches a session from the first store, the app fetches GACS policies for that store and applies its settings. Later, if the user switches to another store and launches a session, the app fetches and applies GACS policies for the newly used store.

At any given time, the most recently used store in a hybrid environment determines the settings being applied.

Improved session timeout experience (Technical Preview)

Starting with version 2503, this initiative improves the end-user experience during session timeouts caused by inactivity or network interruptions. The solution provides users with an option to reconnect directly from the timeout screen, eliminating the need to relaunch sessions from the client UI.

Prerequisites:

• For hybrid launch, StoreFront requires version 2411 or higher.
• For Citrix Workspace app launch, the desktop must be added to favorites first.

Key features include:

• Displaying specific reasons for session timeouts, such as Device went to sleep, or Network disruption.
• Allowing seamless reconnection to the session, whether it’s a new or persisting session, based on the administrator’s configuration.
• Supporting scenarios where auto reconnect might fail, such as network switches (for example Wi-Fi to LAN).

To enable this feature, use the following command:

defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableReconnectionExperience YES

 

Optimized graphics performance for selective Thinwire

Starting with version 2503, these enhancements optimize text display performance, providing a smoother and more efficient user experience. Graphic performance improvements for Thinwire with Selective H.264, or H.265, significantly reduce CPU and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) usage in scenarios such as rapidly scrolling through text scenes. Users also benefit from improved frame rates and reduced memory usage. This feature is enabled by default.

Use the following command to disable the feature:

defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableBitBltOptimization NO
 

Limitation:

The performance enhancement only works when Selective Thinwire is used as the graphic profile.

UCSDK deviceID enhancement

The Unified Communications SDK (UCSDK) extends support to WebRTC-based applications, enabling Contact Center and Unified Communications providers to optimize real-time voice and video calls in Citrix Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments by offloading media processing to the user’s device. This feature is enabled by default.

With this feature, you can:

• Control calls using Web Human Interface Device (HID) support, allowing mute, unmute, hold, and pickup directly from headsets, with real-time status updates in the application.
• Enable screen recording beyond VDI by configuring policies to record endpoint screens, allowing retrieval and playback of recorded sessions.
• Use UCSDK in browser applications to achieve full feature parity with desktop applications for a seamless experience.

Audio and video device identification and grouping are enhanced, providing more precise control over built-in and peripheral devices. UCSDK partners receive clear, user-friendly information about user devices.

For more information, see Support for WebHID API in UCSDK.

Clipboard support for copying files and folders

Starting with version 2503, this enhancement enables clipboard support for seamless copying of files and folders between HDX sessions. Users can copy files and folders as permitted by their Citrix administrators, enhancing flexibility and productivity.

With this feature, you can do the following:

• Copy files and folders between the HDX sessions seamlessly.
• Ensure files, folders, and content remain intact with no corruption during transfer.
• Admins can define and enforce policies to regulate and secure copy-paste operations, tailoring functionality to organizational needs.

This feature is enabled by default through the clipboard redirection policy, allowing seamless copy and paste of files and folders. For more information, see Client clipboard redirection.

Loss tolerant mode for graphics

Starting with Version 2503, this feature enables Citrix Workspace app for Mac to use the loss tolerant mode for graphics in Citrix sessions, improving the video experience, particularly in poor network conditions.

Loss Tolerant Mode for graphics improves performance by allowing Citrix applications to handle video and graphics better, even when the network connection isn’t strong. For users who work remotely or in areas with unreliable networks, this feature ensures that graphics-heavy applications remain usable without major performance issues like lag or pixelation. This feature is enabled by default.

With this feature, you can do the following:

• Access and use applications seamlessly, even in unstable network conditions, without major interruptions.
• Enjoy smoother visuals and quicker response times, leading to a more productive and less frustrating work environment.
• Work from anywhere without sacrificing application quality, regardless of network conditions.

Use the following command to disable the feature:

defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableThinwireLossy NO
 

HDX direct support

Starting with version 2503, HDX Direct allows direct connections from external client devices to Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA), bypassing the Citrix Gateway service. This feature improves performance and reduces latency for both internal and external users through a direct path to the session host, resulting in fewer network hops and improved in-session performance. Also, the decreased load on the Citrix Gateway service enhances the overall system efficiency. This feature is enabled by default.

Prerequisites:

• Access to the internal network or configuration for direct connections.
• Network infrastructure that supports direct VDA connections.
• Configuration of Session Traversal Utilities for NAT (STUN) and Traversal Using Relay around NAT (TURN) servers.

To disable the feature, use the following commands:

defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableHDXDirectV2 NO
 

Limitation:

• Requires ownership of STUN and TURN servers.
• This feature does not support service continuity. It only functions without service continuity.

For more information, see HDX Direct.

USB Redirection of mass storage devices

Starting with version 2503, USB redirection enables you to access USB mass storage devices connected to a local computer from your virtual apps and desktops, allowing you to use USB drives seamlessly within virtual sessions. This feature is enabled by default.

Prerequisites:

• USB mass storage devices must be connected to the local device.
• The USB redirection policy must be enable in store.

Note:

The system triggers a Disk Not Ejected Properly message for users. This is a controlled behavior, designed to gain control of the device when existing drivers do not respond to seize requests.

Use the following command to disable the feature:

defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableUSBMassStorage NO
 

Limitations:

Users cannot redirect two USB mass storage devices that share the same Product ID and Vendor ID simultaneously.

Enhanced Multi-Monitor Management for desktop sessions

Starting with version 2503, the Multi-Monitor Selector (MMS) enables users to select which displays to use in full-screen mode for desktop sessions exclusively, not for seamless sessions. A new Multi-Monitor button appears in the toolbar only when multiple screens are connected, offering a more customized and efficient user experience. This feature is enabled by default.

If the new toolbar is OFF, the Multi-Monitor Selector feature is also turned OFF.

The toolbar button includes three drop-down menu options for desktop sessions in full-screen mode:

• Extend to All Displays: The session switches to full-screen mode on all connected screens. The previous checkbox Use All Displays In Fullscreen Mode in the menu bar is removed if this feature is enabled.
• Custom Layout: This option opens a custom monitor selector displaying the layout of the macOS system. Users can click on the rectangles in the selector to choose which screens to use and then click Apply. The session then uses the selected screens in full-screen mode.
• Fullscreen: The session enters full screen following the legacy behavior, using screens that intersect with the session window.

Use the following command to disable the feature:

defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableNewCustomMonitorSelector NO
 

When a new monitor is plugged in, a notification appears for the user to make a selection. Users can check Remember my preference to mute this notification for the current session.

Enhanced keyboard settings for VDA OS and session type

Starting with version 2503, Citrix Workspace app for Mac provides default keyboard settings tailored to the Virtual Desktop Agent (VDA) OS, ensuring an optimal input experience and simplifying configuration for end users. This feature is enabled by default.

Key features and updates:

• Dynamic sync enhancements:
  • Application sessions: The default setting is now Dynamic Sync, allowing seamless input synchronization and simplifying the configuration process.
  • Desktop sessions: The default is also set to Dynamic Sync to ensure consistency and balance flexibility with stability.
• Automatic Keyboard Input Mode: A new option Automatic is added as the default for the Keyboard Input Mode. This feature ensures:
  • Scancode is automatically selected for Mac VDAs.
  • Unicode is automatically selected for Windows and Linux VDAs.
  • Users can manually select either Scancode or Unicode for all sessions, depending on their needs.

Limitation:

When upgrading from earlier versions of Citrix Workspace app for Mac with pre-defined local configuration files for the preceding settings, your previous configurations are retained. To use different options, you must manually select them.

Enable Audio Quality Enhancer to improve audio performance

Starting with the 2503 version, Audio Quality Enhancer (v2) is added for Adaptive Audio.

Audio Quality Enhancer effectively manages short periods of packet loss and disruptions by intelligently reconstructing audio from previous samples in real-time, thus preventing noticeable degradation in quality. Furthermore, it intelligently and adaptively recovers lost audio packets, if and only when needed. It enables and disables itself adaptively when packet loss increases and decreases for a sustained period. Audio Quality Enhancer optimizes audio playback and recording quality in both good and poor network conditions.

To enable Audio Quality Enhancer, complete the following steps on the client:

1. Enable Adaptive Audio.
2. Enable Loss Tolerant Mode for Audio.

3. Enable the feature:

   • defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas PacketLossConcealmentEnabled -bool YES
   • defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableNetStat -bool YES
4. Enable Audio Quality Enhancer on the Virtual Delivery Agent as well, which is required to fully enable the feature. That is, Audio Quality Enhancer must be enabled on both the Virtual Delivery Agent and Citrix Workspace app sides to function end-to-end for audio playback and recording.

To disable Audio Quality Enhancer, complete the following steps on the client:

1. Disable the feature:
   • defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas PacketLossConcealmentEnabled -bool NO
   • defaults write com.citrix.receiver.nomas EnableNetStat -bool NO
2. Disable Audio Quality Enhancer on the Virtual Delivery Agent as well, which is required to fully disable the feature.

Deprecation announcement of macOS Monterey 12

Starting with the 2503 version, support for macOS Monterey 12 is deprecated. As an alternative, you can upgrade to the latest available version of Mac. For more information, see Deprecation.

Citrix Enterprise Browser

This release includes Citrix Enterprise Browser version 133.1.1.8, based on Chromium version 133. For more information, see Citrix Enterprise Browser documentation.

Fixed issues

Citrix Viewer might become unresponsive after the Mac display automatically powers off. [CVADHELP-27606]

Known issues

There are no new known issues in the release.