Techniques are described for enabling a client device having an established virtual desktop session to seamlessly handoff the virtual desktop session to other nearby client devices without the need for the user to manually disconnect the client and re-enter authentication information. The session transfer may be performed using a short-range wireless connectivity protocol, such as BTLE, where the client device having an established virtual desktop session operates in sender mode and broadcasts session handoff messages to nearby receiver devices within a valid range. Another client device operating in receiver mode may accept the session handoff message including session information associated with the virtual desktop session and initiate the transfer of the virtual desktop session without the need for the user to re-authenticate to the server.