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Get and set up a cloud computer

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You can get an Elastic Desktop Service (EDS) Personal cloud computer in several ways, including subscribing to a plan, redeeming a code, or using a pickup voucher. This topic describes how to get a cloud computer and complete the initial setup.

Prerequisites

  • Get the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client

    Go to the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client download page to download the latest version of the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client.

  • Complete real-name verification

    To subscribe to or redeem a cloud computer, you must complete real-name verification. If you haven't done so, you will be prompted during the process.

Get a cloud computer

Subscribe to a plan or redeem a cloud computer

You can subscribe to a cloud computer plan directly. Both auto-renewal subscriptions and one-time purchases are supported.

Windows/macOS/Web client

  1. Open the client and sign in to EDS Personal.

  2. In the left-side navigation pane, click Cloud Computers.

  3. Click Store at the top of the page, and then choose one of the following options.

    Subscribe to a plan

    If you are using the Windows client or the macOS client (V7.3 or later), you can subscribe to a plan.

    1. Click the Cloud Computer Plans tab.

    2. Select a Plan and a Subscription Type. For details about specifications and pricing, see Billing.

    3. Select a plan, click Buy Now at the bottom, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

    Note

    After the purchase is complete, you must follow the on-screen instructions to set up the cloud computer (select the setup method, operating system, specifications, and pre-installed applications) before you can use it.

    Redeem a cloud computer

    1. Click Use Code in the upper-right corner.

    2. In the Enter a redemption code text box, enter your code. Wuying codes and pickup vouchers are supported.

    3. Click OK, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

Your cloud computers appear as cards on the Cloud Computers tab. You can power off, power on, restart, and configure a cloud computer from its card.

Android/iOS client

  1. Open the client and sign in to EDS Personal.

  2. Choose one of the following options.

    Subscribe to a plan

    1. On the Home screen, tap the icon or the Store icon.

    2. In the Subscribe to a Plan section, select a Plan and a Subscription Type. For details about specifications and pricing, see Billing.

      Note

      The iOS client supports a limited selection of plans and subscription types. If the available options do not meet your requirements, use another client to complete the purchase, such as the Alipay mini program on your iOS device.

    3. Select a plan, tap Confirm Order at the bottom, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

    Note

    After the purchase is complete, you must follow the on-screen instructions to set up the cloud computer (select the setup method, operating system, specifications, and pre-installed applications) before you can use it.

    Redeem a cloud computer

    Note

    This feature is not supported on the iOS client. If needed, use another client to complete the purchase, such as the Alipay mini program on your iOS device.

    1. On the Me tab, tap Codes.

    2. In the text box, enter your code. Wuying codes and pickup vouchers are supported.

    3. Tap Confirm Redemption, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

Your cloud computers appear as cards on the Personal tab of the client's home screen. You can power off, power on, restart, and configure a cloud computer from its card.

Alipay/WeChat mini program

  1. In Alipay or WeChat, search for and open the Wuying Cloud Computer mini program.

  2. Choose one of the following options.

    Subscribe to a plan

    1. On the Home screen, tap the icon or the Store icon.

    2. In the Subscribe to a Plan section, select a Plan and a Subscription Type. For details about specifications and pricing, see Billing.

      Note

      The iOS client supports a limited selection of plans and subscription types. If the available options do not meet your requirements, use another client to complete the purchase.

    3. Select a plan, tap Confirm Order at the bottom, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

    Note

    After the purchase is complete, you must follow the on-screen instructions to set up the cloud computer (select the setup method, operating system, specifications, and pre-installed applications) before you can use it.

    Redeem a cloud computer

    1. On the Me tab, tap Codes.

    2. In the text box, enter your code. Wuying codes and pickup vouchers are supported.

    3. Tap Confirm Redemption, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

Your cloud computers appear as cards in the My Cloud Computers area on the Cloud Resources tab. You can power off, power on, restart, and configure a cloud computer from its card.

After a successful purchase, your cloud computer takes effect immediately. Your Alibaba Cloud account balance is a prepaid cash balance and is unrelated to the purchase status of your cloud computer. A zero balance does not affect the normal use of your purchased cloud computer.

Set up a cloud computer

After you get a cloud computer, you must complete the initial setup before you can start using it.

Windows/macOS/Web client

  1. Go to the configuration page in one of the following ways:

    • On the Order Successful page that appears after payment, click Configure Cloud Computer.

    • On the Cloud Computer page, find the card for the new cloud computer and click Configure Now.

    image

  2. Select a setup method, and then click Next:

    • Set Up a New Computer: Start from scratch by choosing the operating system, performance mode, and pre-installed applications. Recommended for first-time users.

    • Saved Image: Quickly create a cloud computer from an existing image. Suitable for experienced users.

  3. Follow the steps based on the setup method you selected:

    Set Up a New Computer

    1. Enter a custom Cloud Computer Name and select a usage location, then click OK.

      Important

      The usage location cannot be changed once it is configured. The system deploys your cloud computer to a data center near your selected usage location.

    2. Select the operating system to pre-install, and then click Next. The following operating systems are available:

      • Windows Server 2022: Compatible with most Windows software and suitable for general use cases such as daily office work, development, design, and video editing. It does not support other Windows desktop systems like Windows 10 or Windows 11, nor does it support the Microsoft Store. Applications distributed through the Microsoft Store (for example, Codex) cannot be installed. If you need to use Windows 10 or Windows 11, consider purchasing Wuying Workspace Enterprise Edition.

      • Ubuntu 24.04: An open-source Linux distribution suitable for technical scenarios like software development, operations, and machine learning.

      • Kylin 23.03: A Chinese domestic operating system suitable for government and enterprise scenarios that require compatibility with domestic software.

    3. Select a running mode for the cloud computer and click Next.

      Note

      The running mode determines the computing resources (vCPU, memory) used each time you start the cloud computer and acts as a performance tier. You can switch modes each time you start up, without needing to make a new purchase. Different modes consume different amounts of Wuying Lingdou per hour:

      • Economy mode (4 vCPU / 8 GiB memory): Suitable for daily office work and web browsing. Consumes 4 Lingdou per hour.

      • Smooth mode (8 vCPU / 16 GiB memory): Suitable for multitasking and light design work. Consumes 8 Lingdou per hour.

      • Performance mode (16 vCPU / 32 GiB memory): Suitable for development, design, and video editing. Consumes 16 Lingdou per hour.

      • Gaming mode (12 vCPU / 46 GiB memory / 11 GiB VRAM): Suitable for AAA games. Consumes 60 Lingdou per hour.

      For a complete list of Wuying Lingdou consumption rates, see Wuying Lingdou Rates for Cloud Computers.

      If you want to run demanding games, 3D rendering software, or large model inference tasks that require a dedicated graphics card, you must run the cloud computer in Gaming mode. Other running modes do not have a dedicated graphics card, which may cause these applications to run slowly or encounter errors.

    4. (Windows only) Select the applications to pre-install. Skip this step for other operating systems.

    5. Click Finish Setup.

    Saved Image

    1. Enter a custom Cloud Computer Name and select a usage location, then click OK.

      Important

      The usage location cannot be changed once it is configured. The system deploys your cloud computer to a data center near your selected usage location.

    2. Select an existing image or enter an image code, and then click Next.

      To get an image code, follow the instructions on the left side of the page.

    3. Select a Performance Mode for the cloud computer, and then click Finish Setup.

      Note

      The Performance Mode determines the computing resources (vCPU, memory) used each time the cloud computer starts. Think of it as selecting a "gear" for your cloud computer. You can switch between modes freely each time you power on, without repurchasing. Different modes consume different amounts of Wuying Credits per hour:

      • Economy (4 vCPUs / 8 GiB memory): Suitable for daily office work and web browsing. Consumes 4 credits per hour.

      • Standard (8 vCPUs / 16 GiB memory): Suitable for multitasking and light design work. Consumes 8 credits per hour.

      • High Performance (16 vCPUs / 32 GiB memory): Suitable for development, design, and video editing. Consumes 16 credits per hour.

      • Gaming (12 vCPUs / 46 GiB memory / 11 GiB GPU memory): Suitable for AAA games. Consumes 60 credits per hour.

      For a full breakdown of credit consumption, see Cloud computer rates.

      If you want to run GPU-intensive workloads such as AAA games, 3D rendering, or large model inference, you must use Gaming mode, which provides a dedicated GPU. Other modes do not include a dedicated GPU and may cause these applications to run slowly or abnormally.

Android/iOS client

  1. Open the setup page by using one of the following methods:

    • On the Order Successful page after payment, tap Set Up Cloud Computer.

    • On the Cloud Resources tab, find the newly purchased cloud computer card and tap Set Up Now.

  2. Select a setup method, and then tap Next:

    • Set Up a New Computer: Start from scratch by choosing the operating system, performance mode, and pre-installed applications. Recommended for first-time users.

    • Import Image: Quickly create a cloud computer from an existing image. Suitable for experienced users.

  3. Follow the steps based on the setup method you selected:

    Set Up a New Computer

    1. Enter a custom Cloud Computer Name and select a usage location, then click OK.

      Important

      The usage location cannot be changed once it is configured. The system deploys your cloud computer to a data center near your selected usage location.

    2. Select the operating system to pre-install, and then tap Next. The following operating systems are available:

      • Windows Server 2022: Compatible with most Windows software and suitable for general use cases such as daily office work, development, design, and video editing. It does not support other Windows desktop systems like Windows 10 or Windows 11, nor does it support the Microsoft Store. Applications distributed through the Microsoft Store (for example, Codex) cannot be installed. If you need to use Windows 10 or Windows 11, consider purchasing Wuying Workspace Enterprise Edition.

      • Ubuntu 24.04: An open-source Linux distribution suitable for technical scenarios like software development, operations, and machine learning.

      • Kylin 23.03: A Chinese domestic operating system suitable for government and enterprise scenarios that require compatibility with domestic software.

    3. Select a running mode for the cloud computer and click Next.

      Note

      The running mode determines the computing resources (vCPU, memory) used each time you start the cloud computer and acts as a performance tier. You can switch modes each time you start up, without needing to make a new purchase. Different modes consume different amounts of Wuying Lingdou per hour:

      • Economy mode (4 vCPU / 8 GiB memory): Suitable for daily office work and web browsing. Consumes 4 Lingdou per hour.

      • Smooth mode (8 vCPU / 16 GiB memory): Suitable for multitasking and light design work. Consumes 8 Lingdou per hour.

      • Performance mode (16 vCPU / 32 GiB memory): Suitable for development, design, and video editing. Consumes 16 Lingdou per hour.

      • Gaming mode (12 vCPU / 46 GiB memory / 11 GiB VRAM): Suitable for AAA games. Consumes 60 Lingdou per hour.

      For a complete list of Wuying Lingdou consumption rates, see Wuying Lingdou Rates for Cloud Computers.

      If you want to run demanding games, 3D rendering software, or large model inference tasks that require a dedicated graphics card, you must run the cloud computer in Gaming mode. Other running modes do not have a dedicated graphics card, which may cause these applications to run slowly or encounter errors.

    4. (Windows only) Select the applications to pre-install. Skip this step for other operating systems.

    5. Tap Finish Setup.

    Import Image

    1. Enter a custom Cloud Computer Name and select a usage location, then click OK.

      Important

      The usage location cannot be changed once it is configured. The system deploys your cloud computer to a data center near your selected usage location.

    2. Select an existing image or enter an image code, and then tap Next.

    3. Select a Performance Mode for the cloud computer, and then click Finish Setup.

      Note

      The Performance Mode determines the computing resources (vCPU, memory) used each time the cloud computer starts. Think of it as selecting a "gear" for your cloud computer. You can switch between modes freely each time you power on, without repurchasing. Different modes consume different amounts of Wuying Credits per hour:

      • Economy (4 vCPUs / 8 GiB memory): Suitable for daily office work and web browsing. Consumes 4 credits per hour.

      • Standard (8 vCPUs / 16 GiB memory): Suitable for multitasking and light design work. Consumes 8 credits per hour.

      • High Performance (16 vCPUs / 32 GiB memory): Suitable for development, design, and video editing. Consumes 16 credits per hour.

      • Gaming (12 vCPUs / 46 GiB memory / 11 GiB GPU memory): Suitable for AAA games. Consumes 60 credits per hour.

      For a full breakdown of credit consumption, see Cloud computer rates.

      If you want to run GPU-intensive workloads such as AAA games, 3D rendering, or large model inference, you must use Gaming mode, which provides a dedicated GPU. Other modes do not include a dedicated GPU and may cause these applications to run slowly or abnormally.

Alipay/WeChat mini program

    1. Open the setup page by using one of the following methods:

      • On the Order Successful page after payment, tap Set Up Cloud Computer.

      • On the Cloud Resources tab, find the newly purchased cloud computer card and tap Set Up Now.

    2. Select a setup method, and then tap Next:

      • Set Up a New Computer: Start from scratch by choosing the operating system, performance mode, and pre-installed applications. Recommended for first-time users.

      • Import Image: Quickly create a cloud computer from an existing image. Suitable for experienced users.

    3. Follow the steps based on the setup method you selected:

      Set Up a New Computer

      1. Enter a custom Cloud Computer Name and select a usage location, then click OK.

        Important

        The usage location cannot be changed once it is configured. The system deploys your cloud computer to a data center near your selected usage location.

      2. Select the operating system to pre-install, and then tap Next. The following operating systems are available:

        • Windows Server 2022: Compatible with most Windows software and suitable for general use cases such as daily office work, development, design, and video editing. It does not support other Windows desktop systems like Windows 10 or Windows 11, nor does it support the Microsoft Store. Applications distributed through the Microsoft Store (for example, Codex) cannot be installed. If you need to use Windows 10 or Windows 11, consider purchasing Wuying Workspace Enterprise Edition.

        • Ubuntu 24.04: An open-source Linux distribution suitable for technical scenarios like software development, operations, and machine learning.

        • Kylin 23.03: A Chinese domestic operating system suitable for government and enterprise scenarios that require compatibility with domestic software.

      3. Select a running mode for the cloud computer and click Next.

        Note

        The running mode determines the computing resources (vCPU, memory) used each time you start the cloud computer and acts as a performance tier. You can switch modes each time you start up, without needing to make a new purchase. Different modes consume different amounts of Wuying Lingdou per hour:

        • Economy mode (4 vCPU / 8 GiB memory): Suitable for daily office work and web browsing. Consumes 4 Lingdou per hour.

        • Smooth mode (8 vCPU / 16 GiB memory): Suitable for multitasking and light design work. Consumes 8 Lingdou per hour.

        • Performance mode (16 vCPU / 32 GiB memory): Suitable for development, design, and video editing. Consumes 16 Lingdou per hour.

        • Gaming mode (12 vCPU / 46 GiB memory / 11 GiB VRAM): Suitable for AAA games. Consumes 60 Lingdou per hour.

        For a complete list of Wuying Lingdou consumption rates, see Wuying Lingdou Rates for Cloud Computers.

        If you want to run demanding games, 3D rendering software, or large model inference tasks that require a dedicated graphics card, you must run the cloud computer in Gaming mode. Other running modes do not have a dedicated graphics card, which may cause these applications to run slowly or encounter errors.

      4. (Windows only) Select the applications to pre-install. Skip this step for other operating systems.

      5. Tap Finish Setup.

      Import Image

      1. Enter a custom Cloud Computer Name and select a usage location, then click OK.

        Important

        The usage location cannot be changed once it is configured. The system deploys your cloud computer to a data center near your selected usage location.

      2. Select an existing image or enter an image code, and then tap Next.

      3. Select a Performance Mode for the cloud computer, and then click Finish Setup.

        Note

        The Performance Mode determines the computing resources (vCPU, memory) used each time the cloud computer starts. Think of it as selecting a "gear" for your cloud computer. You can switch between modes freely each time you power on, without repurchasing. Different modes consume different amounts of Wuying Credits per hour:

        • Economy (4 vCPUs / 8 GiB memory): Suitable for daily office work and web browsing. Consumes 4 credits per hour.

        • Standard (8 vCPUs / 16 GiB memory): Suitable for multitasking and light design work. Consumes 8 credits per hour.

        • High Performance (16 vCPUs / 32 GiB memory): Suitable for development, design, and video editing. Consumes 16 credits per hour.

        • Gaming (12 vCPUs / 46 GiB memory / 11 GiB GPU memory): Suitable for AAA games. Consumes 60 credits per hour.

        For a full breakdown of credit consumption, see Cloud computer rates.

        If you want to run GPU-intensive workloads such as AAA games, 3D rendering, or large model inference, you must use Gaming mode, which provides a dedicated GPU. Other modes do not include a dedicated GPU and may cause these applications to run slowly or abnormally.

FAQ

Purchase and setup

I accidentally quit during pickup voucher redemption, and now the voucher cannot be redeemed. What should I do?

If you enter a Taobao/Tmall pickup voucher in the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client and click Buy Now but quit midway, the order enters a pending payment state. To complete the payment, follow these steps:

  1. Log on to the Alibaba Cloud User Center.

  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Purchase Orders > My Orders.

  3. On the Product Orders tab, find the Elastic Desktop Service (EDS) Personal order with a Pending Payment status, click Pay in the Actions column, and then follow the prompts to complete the payment.

    Note

    The order amount is CNY 0. No actual charges will be incurred.

What are Wuying Credits?

Key concepts

  • Lingdou is the standard unit of measurement for resource consumption of cloud computers and cloud games over time.

  • Lingdou is consumed only when a cloud computer is running. No Lingdou is consumed during hibernation or when the cloud computer is shut down.

  • The Lingdou consumption rate varies depending on the cloud computer's running mode or the type of cloud game.

In some scenarios, historical versions, or SMS notifications, Lingdou is also referred to as “core hour”, “core hour compute package”, or “monthly duration package”. These terms are essentially the same: they all refer to the unit of measurement for cloud computer runtime.

When you see a prompt such as “no available core hours” or “no available core hour compute”, it means that your Lingdou balance is insufficient. Purchase a Lingdou package to top up.

When your Lingdou usage exceeds a certain threshold (for example, 83%), the system sends an “almost used up” alert by SMS or email. This alert does not mean that your cloud computer will shut down immediately. It is a reminder to top up your Lingdou in time to avoid affecting your usage.

Cloud computer rates

When starting your plan-based cloud computer, you can select a running mode. Each mode provides different computing resources and has a corresponding hourly Lingdou consumption rate.

The rates are as follows:

  • For standard specifications (without video memory), the hourly Lingdou consumption is equal to the number of vCPU cores:

    Note

    The term core in running modes refers to a vCPU core.

    • Economy mode: 4-core CPU/8 GiB memory, rate: 4 Lingdou/hour.

    • Smooth mode: 8-core CPU/16 GiB memory, rate: 8 Lingdou/hour.

    • Performance mode: 16-core CPU/32 GiB memory, rate: 16 Lingdou/hour.

  • For graphics-optimized specifications (with video memory), the hourly Lingdou consumption is greater than the number of vCPU cores because video memory is also a billable factor:

    • Gaming mode: 12-core CPU/46 GiB memory/11 GiB video memory, rate: 60 Lingdou/hour.

For example, if you select Economy mode and run it for 5.2 hours, the total Lingdou consumed is 5.2 × 4 = 20.8 Lingdou.

Why can't I purchase more cloud computers?

Possible reasons include:

  • You have reached the purchase limit. You can own a maximum of five Personal Edition cloud computers. If you previously redeemed a cloud computer with Yingzuan, this limit also includes deleted cloud computers in the mini program's recycle bin.

  • You have unpaid orders. Please pay for these orders before you can purchase more computers.

How do I renew a cloud computer plan?

Windows/macOS/Web client

  1. Open the client and sign in to the Personal Edition.

  2. In the left-side navigation pane, click Cloud Computers.

  3. On the card of the cloud computer you want to renew, click Manage.

  4. In the Plan panel, go to the Billing section and click Renew Plan. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the renewal.

Android client

Note

This feature is not supported on the iOS client. If needed, use another client to complete the purchase, such as the Alipay mini program on your iOS device.

  1. Open the client and sign in to the Personal Edition.

  2. On the Cloud Resources tab, find the cloud computer card you want to renew and tap Manage.

  3. On the Plan tab, go to the Billing section and tap Renew Plan. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the renewal.

Alipay/WeChat mini program

  1. Open the client and sign in to the Personal Edition.

  2. On the Cloud Resources tab, find the cloud computer card you want to renew and tap Manage.

  3. On the Plan tab, go to the Billing section and tap Renew Plan. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the renewal.

How do I cancel auto-renewal for a cloud computer?

To cancel auto-renewal, complete the following two steps: first cancel the subscription in the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client or mini program, then revoke the automatic payment agreement on the payment platform.

Step 1: Cancel the subscription

Windows/macOS/Web client

  1. Open the client and sign in to EDS Personal.

  2. In the left-side navigation pane, hover over your profile picture and select Order Management.

  3. On the Order Management page, find the cloud computer order with an Auto-Renewal payment method, click Subscription Management in the Actions column, and then click Cancel Auto-Renewal.

Android/iOS client

  1. Open the client and sign in to EDS Personal.

  2. On the Me tab, tap Subscription Management.

  3. Find the cloud computer you want to cancel and tap Cancel Subscription.

Alipay/WeChat mini program

  1. Open the client and sign in to EDS Personal.

  2. On the Me tab, tap Subscription Management.

  3. Find the cloud computer you want to cancel and tap Cancel Subscription.

Step 2: Revoke the automatic payment agreement

Revoke the automatic payment agreement on the payment platform. The exact steps may vary by platform.

  • Alipay: Open the Alipay app and go to Me > Settings > Payment Settings > Auto-Debit. Find the Alibaba Cloud EDS auto-renewal entry and tap Cancel or Disable.

  • WeChat: Open the WeChat app and go to Me > Services > Wallet > Payment Settings. Go to Auto-Debit, find the entry, and disable it.

Client

Can I sign in to the same cloud computer from multiple clients?

You can connect to and use your cloud computer through Wuying clients and mini programs, including the following:

  • Windows client

  • macOS client

  • Web client

  • Android client

  • iOS client

  • Alipay mini program

  • WeChat mini program

To download a client, go to the Wuying client download page. To use a mini program, search for it within Alipay or WeChat.

How do I use a cloud computer after I get one?

You connect to and use a cloud computer through the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client. EDS Personal supports the following clients: the Windows client (V6.6 or later), the macOS client (V6.6 or later), the Web client, the Android client (V6.1 or later), the iOS client (V6.1 or later), the Alipay mini program, and the WeChat mini program.

The following steps use the Windows client as an example.

  1. Open the client and use the edition selector at the top to switch to the EDS Personal sign-in page.

  2. On the EDS Personal sign-in page, sign in with your phone number or by scanning a QR code.
    After you sign in, the client displays your cloud computers as cards.

  3. On the cloud computer card, click the power-on icon.

  4. After the cloud computer starts, click the connect button on the card to open it.

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