Logging into Windows using Azure AD (Office 365 account)

[Brad Holt]

Hi all... new to Azure AD here, so bear with me a little. We are moving away from a traditional server / domain. We all have Office 365 licenses and by default (I gather) Azure profiles. We are using Windows 10 Pro on our desktops are connected to a server/domain. Our laptops our Windows 10 Home using standard local user accounts.

What I am wanting to do it log into our computers using the Office 365 / Azure profile (we are currently logging into our server/domain). I understand that we can access work or school accounts using settings and connect it there (which we have done), but the computer is still logged in as a domain user (or, on our laptops, as a local user). From what research I have done, it appears that during a fresh install of Windows 10 Pro, one is given the option to set the computer up under an organization. I assume this is where we could achieve what I am wanting, but there doesn't seem to be anyway to do it if the computer is already set up. 

I also see where we can add a user, but if use an office 365 email for an employee, it just states that they don't have a Microsoft account. 

I'm just very confused on this. Do I have to have every employee set up a Microsoft account in order for them to be able to login to Windows using their office 365 account? This just seems like a nightmare, as they are two separate things with two credentials to keep up with -- correct? Or, is there a way to do it that I am just not seeing? If I did a fresh install, would I be given the opportunity to set the computer up under an organization?

Any insight / help with this would be greatly appreciated!

[#2]

I have this exact challenge right now. I see there's no replies on how to achieve this. Did you ever figure out if this was possible? I cannot even figure out how to use the Azure accounts to login to a computer during a fresh install of Windows.

[#3]

I'm researching how to do this since we are looking to upgrade the office computers and they will all be Win11 pro which requires a Microsoft account... I presume something needs to be set up in the Azure AD setting to allow this maybe but no idea where.

[#4]

I think this might have something to do with it.
https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_AAD_Devices/DevicesMenuBlade/~/DeviceSettings
Which states
"Users may register their devices with Azure AD" With All or None as options.

Which according to the info popup says we need to configure InTune or Mobile Device Management for Office365
I'll keep looking but maybe this will help where to look.

[#5]

Some of the benefits of having your Windows 10 devices in your Azure AD is that your users can join the computer to your Azure AD without any extra administrator privileges, assuming you have configured this in your Azure AD. They can also login to the computer without the need of being connected to a specific company network the first time, as long as they have internet connection. You can also manage your Windows 10 devices wherever it may be in the world.

We will start by showing you how to join an Azure AD when you install Windows 10 for the first time.

Start the Windows 10 installation as usual.
Choose Set up for an organization.
Enter your your mail address, on the next page you will enter your password.
In this case the administrator has decided that we need to use Windows Hello/Two-Factor Authentication, therefore we will set up a PIN that is used to logon to the computer. Once this is done we will finish the installation and login to Windows using the PIN-code.

Once we have logged in using our newly created PIN-code we can open Settings and verify that we are connected to the Azure AD.

If you want to join a computer that already has Windows 10 installed onto it see the steps below.
Open Settings, go to Accounts and Access work or school and press Connect.

Press Join this device to Azure Active Directory.

Enter your mail address and press Next, on next screen you have to enter your password.

Once you are done with the wizard you should restart your computer. It should now work to logon with your company credentials.

Things to consider

The Azure administrator have to accept that users can join their devices to the Azure AD.

The process to join Azure AD may look different depending on your Windows 10 version.
Make sure you have an internet connection while joining the computer to Azure AD.

Regards,

Rachel Gomez

[#6]

Thank you for your time Rachel.

The issue appears to be (for my situation only, I can't speak for others) that Microsoft365 users who have their services provided by partner organisations don't necessarily have the ability to enable the ability in Azure AD. It is difficult to find the correct place to do this and the instructions to enable it in Azure AD assume some level of familiarity / training with Azure AD.

This seems to leave users who have Microsoft365 in a situation where they don't know why it is not working or even if they are able to get it to work.

Some simple instructions as to how to Activate it under Azure AD and the implications of doing so would be really helpful.

Thank you for your time.

Matthew