Understanding the “Desktop Virtualisation Power On/Off Contributor” Role in Azure Virtual Desktop

What Is the “Desktop Virtualisation Power On/Off Contributor”?

The Desktop Virtualisation Power On/Off Contributor is a built-in Azure role designed to grant users permission to start or stop session hosts within a host pool in AVD — without giving them full administrative access.

Key Use Case:

This role is perfect for IT support staff, Helpdesk teams, or automation systems that need to manage VM power states without compromising broader resource access or security.

What Can This Role Do?

This role provides limited, specific permissions to perform power operations:

Allowed Actions:

• Start session host VMs

• Stop session host VMs (including deallocation)

• Restart VMs (optional, depending on scope)

Not Allowed:

• No access to modify host pool settings

• No permissions to create/delete virtual machines

• No access to user session management