Introducing device association for Windows Autopilot device preparation
By: Maggie Dakeva, Senior Product Manager - Microsoft Intune We’ve heard organizations want Windows deployment to be simple for employees and predictable for IT admins. But before a device enrolls, how does the organization know that the device is really one of its own - and how can IT make sure the right experience and policy reach that device regardless of who signs in? Today, we're announcing device association for Windows Autopilot device preparation, a new way to bind a physical Windows 11 device to your organization before enrollment begins. Device association uses hardware-backed attestation to create a trusted relationship between the device and your tenant at the start of the provisioning journey. That relationship helps Windows Autopilot device preparation recognize the device during the out-of-box experience (OOBE), automatically treat it as corporate-owned, and apply the experience and policy intended for that specific device. The result is a more secure, more consistent, and more device-centric onboarding flow. Start with the device, not just the user Windows Autopilot device preparation already gives IT teams a straightforward way to configure new Windows devices with the apps, scripts, and policies employees need. Device association extends that experience by allowing IT to target a device preparation policy directly to a device before it enrolls. This is especially valuable when the deployment experience needs to follow the hardware rather than the person signing in. For example, one employee can enroll multiple devices that serve different purposes, and each device can receive its own device preparation policy. When both device-based and user-based assignments are available, the device-based assignment takes precedence. That gives administrators greater confidence that the correct configuration reaches the correct device from the beginning of its lifecycle. Create a simpler out-of-box experience Because an associated device is recognized before enrollment, IT can configure more of the Windows setup experience in advance. Device association enables organizations to: Configure Language and region. Automatically configure the keyboard and skip the keyboard selection page. When the device uses a Wi-Fi network connection during OOBE, the language and keyboard selection screens aren't hidden. Hide the Microsoft Software License Terms page. Hide privacy settings during OOBE. Apply a device name template that uses the serial number or a randomized value. Hide account-change options on company sign-in and domain error pages. These controls reduce the number of decisions an employee must make while setting up a device and help create a consistent, organization-ready experience from the first screen. Strengthen trust before enrollment Device association isn't only an experience improvement. It establishes device trust earlier in the deployment process. The association uses hardware-based attestation and TPM-backed cryptographic validation to verify the device's identity. Tenant affinity is stored in the device's UEFI firmware, where it persists across a Windows reset, operating system reinstallation, or removal of enrollment. This durable, hardware-backed relationship helps ensure that the device presenting itself for preparation is the device the organization intended to onboard. Associated devices are also automatically marked as corporate-owned. If your organization blocks personally owned Windows devices with Intune enrollment restrictions, device association can be used instead of uploading a separate corporate identifier. You can continue to use corporate identifiers where they fit your process, but an associated device doesn't need both. How the device association flow works Device association is designed as a clear workflow that starts with IT and finishes automatically during OOBE: Create the device preparation policy. Configure the apps, scripts, deployment settings, OOBE experience, and optional device name template that should apply. Export the device information. During OOBE, a technician opens the Autopilot menu and exports the DeviceLink CSV with the device information required for pre-association to a USB. For an existing device, the same information can be collected from Autopilot diagnostic logs. Figure 1. The Windows Autopilot menu with Assign device association selected. ormation was exported to a removable drive. Pre-associate the device in Intune. In the Microsoft Intune admin center, go to Devices > Enrollment > Device association > Devices, upload the CSV, and optionally assign a device preparation policy directly to the device. Complete association. When the device connects to a network in OOBE, it finds the pre-association record and completes association automatically. A technician can also trigger this step manually from the Autopilot menu. Enroll and prepare the device. The device receives the applicable device-targeted policy, is marked as corporate-owned, and presents the configured OOBE experience. Monitor the deployment. Administrators can review association state and assigned policy in the Device association blade and filter devices by state, policy, manufacturer, or model. The device association lifecycle consists of the following states: Pre-associated: The device was added on the service side and is waiting to complete association in OOBE. Associated: The device completed association by writing the tenant affinity to UEFI and is ready for enrollment. This happens automatically when a pre-associated device syncs with an MDM provider. Pending removal: A request to remove the pre-association is being processed. A device's association can be removed by an administrator or partner with physical access to the device who manually runs a local script that clears the tenant affinity information stored in the device's UEFI. This action should be performed only when the device should no longer be associated with the organization, such as when it is sold, recycled, or transferred. Manage the full device lifecycle The association remains with the device through reset and reinstallation, helping preserve the organization's intended provisioning path when a device is redeployed internally. When a device permanently leaves the organization - for example, when it's sold, recycled, or transferred—the association should be removed as part of decommissioning. Because the tenant affinity is stored on the device, clearing a completed association can be performed via script locally on the physical device, without access to the service. This lifecycle model is intentional: association is durable during normal reuse inside the organization, while permanent removal can be completed by an admin or partner who has control of the physical device. Designed to work alongside your existing Windows Autopilot strategy Device association is part of Windows Autopilot device preparation and can coexist with traditional Windows Autopilot deployments in the same organization. For a device already registered with Windows Autopilot, the association state determines which deployment runs. If the device isn't associated, its Windows Autopilot registration takes precedence. If it is associated, the Windows Autopilot device preparation deployment takes precedence. This gives organizations a practical path to introduce device association while continuing to support existing Windows Autopilot investments. Get started To use device association, you'll need a supported physical Windows 11 device with TPM 2.0 enabled and in a healthy state. Virtual machines aren't supported because device association relies on hardware-backed identity verification. Start by reviewing the Windows Autopilot device association requirements, then create or update your Windows Autopilot device preparation policy. From there, export the device information, pre-associate the device in Intune, and let Windows complete the trusted association during OOBE. With device association, Windows Autopilot device preparation moves device trust, targeting, and customization earlier in the deployment journey - before enrollment and before the employee reaches the desktop. That means fewer setup decisions for users, more predictable deployments for IT, and stronger confidence that the right device is joining the right organization with the right configuration. Learn more Overview of Windows Autopilot device association Requirements for Windows Autopilot device association Set up Windows Autopilot device preparation with device associationFrom GPO to Microsoft Intune: A practical guide to cloud-first policy management
By: Per Larsen - Senior Product Manager | Microsoft Intune For many organizations, Group Policy Objects (GPOs) remain an important part of Windows configuration. As device strategies expand to include cloud-native management, Microsoft Intune provides the policy platform for devices that are Microsoft Entra joined and managed from the cloud. The goal isn’t to force every organization through the same migration, it’s to choose the right management path for each device population and each setting. This guide explains three common paths: starting fresh for new cloud-native devices, selectively transitioning required settings to Intune, and coordinating GPO with Intune for hybrid Microsoft Entra joined or co-managed devices. Across all three paths, the recommended principle is the same: assess and rationalize existing policy before deciding what to retain, re-create, redesign, or retire. 1. Choose the right path for each device population GPO was designed primarily for domain-joined, on-premises devices. Intune, in contrast, is designed for cloud-based management of devices whether they are on or off prem. The right path will depend on the scenario in which the devices are joined and managed. Scenario 1: Start fresh for new cloud-native devices This is the recommended approach for new Microsoft Entra joined devices. Invest in the cloud-first configuration you need today rather than reproducing every historical GPO. Begin with mandatory security requirements, Microsoft-recommended security baselines, and essential settings for services such as OneDrive and Microsoft Edge. Add other settings only when there’s business, security, or operational requirement. Scenario 2: Selectively transition required settings Organizations that need to preserve specific behavior can assess and rationalize existing GPOs, then re-create only the settings that are supported and necessary in Intune. Treat this as a deliberate replatforming effort, not a one-to-one copy. Test each new profile with a pilot group before broad deployment. Scenario 3: Coordinate GPO and Intune for hybrid devices Hybrid Microsoft Entra joined devices may receive settings from both GPO and Intune, including common scenarios where Intune-managed workloads or Windows Autopatch are used for existing hybrid domain-joined devices. Use of both group policy and Intune policy enforcement can continue for an extended period, but you should plan carefully to avoid conflicting settings. Organizations can either leave existing GPOs in place until devices are rebuilt as cloud-native, or actively shift selected policy areas to Intune while the devices remain hybrid joined. Figure 1. A cloud-first policy workflow begins with assessment and rationalization, then applies the appropriate path for each device population. 2. Assess and rationalize before you transition Before changing policy source, understand what’s actually in use. Many environments contain GPOs that are old, undocumented, duplicated, or applied more broadly than intended. A direct lift-and-shift carries that technical debt into Intune. Key assessment actions Export all GPOs from Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). Use Gpresult and operational knowledge to identify which GPOs are still applied and functional. Remove or archive unused, legacy, or duplicated policies instead of transitioning them. Categorize required settings by security, update management, device restrictions, application control, and legacy or unsupported scenarios. Record the device populations and business requirements associated with each policy. 3. Use Group Policy Analytics as an assessment input Microsoft Intune includes Group Policy Analytics, a built-in tool that imports on-premises GPOs and reports their mapped support in mobile device management. It can help identify settings with Intune equivalents, deprecated settings, and configurations that may require another implementation approach. Use the report as one source of evidence rather than as a complete transition engine. Its mappings may not reflect every setting currently available in the Settings Catalog, especially settings added after the analytics mapping was last updated. Validate important settings directly in Intune and against current Microsoft documentation. Useful outcomes Highlights settings with documented Intune mappings. Surfaces GPO settings that no longer make sense for cloud-native devices. Helps identify GPOs that should be retired rather than re-created. Supports, but does not replace, business validation and pilot testing. 4. Don't lift and shift: Re-design for cloud-first management A direct copy of GPOs into Intune can reproduce policy sprawl and create new conflicts. Instead, use the assessment to determine the intended outcome of each setting. Some settings will be unnecessary, some will have a direct Intune settings catalog equivalent, and others will need a cloud-appropriate redesign. Retire settings that are no longer required. Re-create settings that are supported and necessary. Rethink and redesign legacy dependencies such as drive mappings, printers, or vendor-specific prioritizing or considering cloud-first solutions and configurations. Document the owner, target population, and validation method for each resulting Intune profile. Figure 2. Decide whether to retain, re-create, redesign, or retire each GPO based on device type and current business need. 5. Start with security baselines Security baselines in Intune are curated collections of Microsoft-recommended settings for Windows, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Defender. They provide a controlled foundation that can reduce policy sprawl and align devices with current security guidance. Review baseline settings with security stakeholders rather than applying them without evaluation. Identify overlaps with existing policies before deployment. Pilot the baseline with representative devices and users. Layer additional configuration policies only for documented requirements. 6. Create equivalent Intune configuration profiles where needed After assessment and baseline planning: Configure supported and necessary settings in the settings catalog. Use Administrative Templates or imported ADMX policies for applicable settings. Use custom configuration, scripts, or remediations only when a built-in option doesn’t meet the requirement. Use standard or organizational safe rollout practices to assign policies before broad rollout, and monitor deployment and conflict reports. 7. Coordinate GPO and Intune during a hybrid period Customers often expect GPOWinsOverMDM to act as a universal precedence switch: whenever Group Policy and Intune configure the same setting, GPO should win. In reality, conflict control applies only to the subset of settings exposed through the Windows Policy CSP with corresponding Group Policy mappings. Additionally, it doesn’t govern settings delivered through other CSPs, such as Defender or Windows Update. Those policy areas can have different precedence, merging, or conflict behavior. Consequently, using GPOWinsOverMDM as a coexistence strategy can produce inconsistent and difficult-to-predict results. The safer approach is to avoid configuring the same setting through both management planes. Use targeted groups, assignment filters, GPO security filtering, and Organizational Units (OU) scoping to establish one authoritative source for each setting and device population. Use selective targeting to move policy areas in controlled stages: In Group Policy, use appropriate OU link placement, security group filtering, and carefully validated Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) filters to stop selected GPOs from applying to devices that will receive the Intune equivalent. In Intune, use Microsoft Entra groups, dynamic membership rules, assignment filters, and exclusions to target the intended device population. For each policy area, document the authoritative management plane and the date or condition for changing ownership. Validate effective configuration with Gpresult, Intune reports, Event Viewer, and representative pilot devices. For example, an organization might leave most existing GPOs in place for hybrid joined devices while excluding a pilot group from the Windows Update GPO. The same group can then receive the corresponding Intune update policy. After validation, you can expand the targeting changes in stages in alignment with your organizational safe-rollout standards. 8. Common Pitfalls Enforcing GPO and Intune side by side without coordinated targeting Uncoordinated configuration can create conflicts, inconsistent results, and difficult troubleshooting. Define an authoritative management plane for each setting and device population. Transitioning everything as is You should rationalize old, unused, or duplicated settings rather than reproducing or recreating them in Intune. Supporting legacy or non-cloud-first settings. Some requirements don’t have a direct built-in Intune equivalent. Evaluate whether the requirement is still necessary, then use a supported alternative, redesign the process, or retain the setting in GPO for the applicable hybrid devices. Skipping the pilot phase Pilot groups reveal assignment, compatibility, and user-impact issues before a broad deployment. 10. Retire old GPOs gradually Retire a GPO only after its replacement or removal has been validated for the affected device population. Exclude a pilot population from the original GPO and assign the intended Intune configuration. Validate effective settings, Intune deployment status, device events, and user impact. Expand the targeting change in controlled stages. Disable and archive the GPO after dependencies are removed and rollback is no longer required. Keep GPOs that remain necessary for hybrid joined devices, with clear ownership and targeting. Conclusion Moving to Intune policy management isn’t a one-size-fits-all migration or a copy-and-paste exercise. For new cloud-native devices, start with a clean, cloud-first configuration. When existing behavior must be preserved, assess and rationalize the requirement before re-creating it in Intune. During a period of parallel Group Policy and Intune management, coordinate targeting so GPO and Intune do not compete for the same settings. The key principles are: Choose the management path by device population. Assess and rationalize before making changes. Start with security requirements and validated baselines. Use Group Policy Analytics as an input, not as the sole source of truth. Transition only supported and necessary settings. Coordinate GPO and Intune targeting throughout any transition period.Advanced Windows Firewall
If you administer Windows, you’re already aware of Windows Firewall. You might use it to allow an application, open a port, or block unwanted inbound traffic. But those familiar tasks only scratch the surface of what it can do. The Microsoft Learn module Understand advanced Windows Firewall takes you beyond basic rules and introduces Windows Firewall as a powerful platform for host-based segmentation, authenticated access, traffic protection, operational evidence, and incident response. In the module you'll learn about the following: Rule creation and management View effective, enabled rules in the ActiveStore . Inspect the port, address, application, and service filters associated with a rule. Create precisely scoped inbound rules for services such as HTTPS, WinRM, Remote Desktop, and WMI. Enable, disable, modify, and remove existing rules with PowerShell. Define a traffic contract before creating a rule. Correctly distinguish local and remote ports and addresses. Scope rules by protocol, port, address, application, service, profile, user, and computer. Restrict rules to stable executable paths, Windows services, or packaged application identities. Limit access to management subnets, jump hosts, privileged workstations, application tiers, and collectors. Create consistent rule names and groups for ownership and automation. Firewall profiles Apply different policies to Domain, Private, and Public networks. Enable the firewall and block unmatched inbound traffic on every profile. Restrict administrative exceptions to the profiles that require them. Inspect active network profiles and their default actions. Design policies that remain secure during DNS, routing, domain-controller, or network-adapter failures. Test how network failure states affect profile selection. Host segmentation Build a traffic matrix describing permitted communication between device and application tiers. Implement default-deny inbound segmentation. Block unnecessary workstation-to-workstation communication. Preserve approved management, monitoring, application, recovery, and domain-member traffic. Reduce lateral movement through controlled management paths. Deliver firewall policy centrally through Group Policy. Disable local firewall-rule merging. Disable local connection-security-rule merging. Stage enforcement through logging, discovery, pilots, and role-based deployment. Define success criteria and maintain a tested rollback path. IPsec and identity-based access Design IPsec connection security rules for peer authentication. Provide packet integrity, replay protection, and optional encryption. Select Kerberos or certificate-based authentication for different trust scenarios. Protect legacy plaintext applications without changing the application. Coordinate secure firewall rules with compatible connection security rules. Use request authentication during deployment before enforcing required authentication. Correctly define IPsec endpoints and traffic selectors. Require authenticated traffic before allowing access. Authorize traffic by Active Directory user-group membership. Require both an authorized user and an authorized managed computer. Combine identity with network, service, application, and profile restrictions. Create narrowly scoped authenticated bypass rules. Design governed identity exceptions. Validate both successful and denied authorization scenarios. Outbound traffic control Understand how stateful inspection permits response traffic. Avoid unnecessary inbound rules for dynamic client ports. Identify the dependencies required before introducing outbound default-deny. Restrict administrative tools, service accounts, high-risk applications, and servers to approved destinations. Account for dynamic cloud services, proxies, certificate endpoints, and content delivery networks. Introduce outbound restrictions gradually through discovery, narrow allow rules, pilots, and monitoring. Logging and evidence Enable logging for dropped packets and successful connections. Configure the log location and maximum size for every profile. Verify effective logging settings. Interpret firewall log fields such as action, protocol, address, port, interface, and direction. Use observed traffic to discover application dependencies. Distinguish observed traffic from authorized traffic. Use dropped-packet records to confirm that traffic reached the host firewall. Use successful-connection records to confirm firewall admission. Forward firewall evidence to protected central storage. Correlate firewall data with process, authentication, application, and network telemetry. Troubleshooting Follow a structured diagnostic sequence from the application listener through firewall and IPsec state. Inspect the merged runtime policy rather than only an individual policy source. Trace an effective rule back to Group Policy or another originating store. Identify conflicting or overriding block rules. Inspect active IPsec rules and main-mode and quick-mode security associations. Diagnose authentication, trust, time, name-resolution, selector, and cryptographic mismatches. Capture and interpret IPsec negotiation traffic on UDP ports 500 and 4500. Differentiate firewall admission failures from application or identity failures. Make controlled policy changes without disabling the firewall or creating unrestricted exceptions. Windows Firewall might already be a familiar part of your Windows environment. This module will help you appreciate just how much security and diagnostic functionality is built into it—and how to apply that functionality with greater precision. Start learning: Understand advanced Windows FirewallRegistry Inventory in Microsoft Intune: Verifying What’s on Your Devices
By: Madison Cooks, Product Manager | Microsoft Intune IT admins need a reliable way to confirm how Windows devices are configured, especially when troubleshooting, validating compliance, or investigating security posture. Policy assignment alone doesn’t always show what’s present on the device and getting registry visibility at scale has often required custom discovery or remediation scripts that take time to build, test, and maintain. With Microsoft Intune’s July (2607) release, device inventory will include Windows registry data, helping IT admins verify a device’s actual configuration, not just the policy assigned. With a new Device inventory property for registry keys, you define the keys you care about in the properties catalog, and Intune collects them for you. There’s no collection logic to build or keep running. This makes registry-based configuration checks easier to operationalize across managed Windows devices, so teams can spend less time maintaining scripts and more time acting on the data. Figure 1: Microsoft Intune device inventory profile creation screen showing the Properties picker with the Registry category selected for inventory data collection. What registry data you collect Registry data collection is configured through the existing properties catalog. For each entry, provide a registry key path and, when needed, a value name. For every targeted device, the device agent attempts collection and reports: Registry key path Value name Value type Value data Microsoft Intune device inventory profile configuration page showing registry key collection settings, including registry path, collection pattern options, and value name fields. The initial release supports the following collection patterns designed for common admin scenarios that use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) paths. Single value Specify a registry path and value name to collect one value from that path. For example, collect Secure Boot certificate servicing status from HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecureBoot by using values such as UEFICA2023Status, UEFICA2023Error, or UEFICA2023ErrorEvent. All values under a path, non-recursive Specify a registry path to collect all values directly under that path. This pattern doesn't include subkeys. For example, collect values directly under a Windows Update configuration path to help validate expected settings. Same value across subkeys Specify a base registry key path and a value name to collect that value from each immediate subkey. For example, collect DHCP status across network interface subkeys under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces. Where registry inventory data appears After collection, registry inventory data will be available in Device inventory at initial release. We’ll expand access to registry data in the coming months, including support in additional reporting and exploration experiences. Microsoft Intune Device Inventory page displaying collected Windows registry data for a device, including registry key paths, values, collection status, and timestamps. This makes registry data available alongside other inventory signals, so admins can use familiar tools to investigate configuration, validate device state, and support troubleshooting without building separate collection scripts. How admins use this You can collect registry data and view it per device in Device inventory - a verified record of each endpoint’s actual configuration and a key source of settings data on each endpoint. This helps answer questions like: Is a setting actually enabled on the device? Which app, version, or configuration is installed? Did a policy apply correctly? Why is this device behaving differently from the rest? Registry data collection in Device inventory is included with Microsoft Intune Plan 1. Collection results and limits If a registry value exists but doesn’t contain data, collection succeeds and the value appears as empty. If the registry path or value name doesn’t exist on a device, that device reports Not found for the collection result. Collection continues for all other devices, so one missing value won’t block results from devices where the value exists. Registry inventory includes safeguards to keep collection focused and manageable. Each collected registry value is capped at 6 KB, and each device can collect up to 100 registry keys. If a value or device exceeds these limits, collection skips the excess data and reports the applicable result for that device. These limits help manage data volume, maintain service performance, and reduce the risk of over-collection. Registry inventory is designed for configuration visibility and troubleshooting, not for collecting sensitive or confidential data. Built-in heuristic detection helps identify and prevent ingestion of values that may contain secrets, credentials, authentication tokens, certificates, private keys, connection strings, or other data that could grant access if exposed. If a value is flagged as potentially sensitive, it isn’t collected. Collection is limited to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) paths. This keeps inventory focused on device-level configuration and avoids user-specific registry contexts. Summary Registry inventory in Microsoft Intune helps admins collect Windows registry data in a native, declarative way. Instead of maintaining custom scripts for common inventory scenarios, admins can configure registry collection in the properties catalog and query the results through familiar Intune reporting experiences. Use registry inventory for configuration visibility and troubleshooting across managed Windows devices. As you plan your collection strategy, focus on device-level HKLM data, avoid sensitive values, and remember collection limits to keep inventory targeted and manageable. If you have any feedback or questions, leave a comment below or reach out to us on X @IntuneSuppTeam.
Rethinking “Allow my organization to manage my device” Why opt‑in enrollment works better for Intune
By: Ramya B Sharma – Senior Software Engineer | Microsoft Intune A new public preview feature in Microsoft Intune, we’ve introduced a toggle that allows admins to block automatic mobile device management (MDM) enrollment during the modern app sign-in flow on Windows. This enhancement directly responds to frequent customer requests for greater control over device enrollment, specifically the ability to prevent automatic MDM enrollment on Windows devices during app sign-in. While Microsoft Entra generally recommends automatic enrollment by default, most Intune customers - especially those supporting bring your own device (BYOD), mixed ownership, or multi-tenant access scenarios - benefit from an opt-in enrollment model instead. Recommended best practice Keep “MDM user scope” set to All so enrollment is available when needed, but configure the new toggle “Disable MDM enrollment when adding a work or school account on Windows” to Yes so MDM enrollment is not automatically selected by default during app sign in. This ensures devices are enrolled into Intune only through intentional enrollment flows, reducing accidental enrollments, support burden, and difficult recovery scenarios. Learn more: Automatic MDM enrollment in the Intune admin center. Why this matters For years, Windows users signing into work or school apps have been presented with: “Allow my organization to manage my device.” In most environments, this option was selected by default or clicked through without full understanding. That single action could result in: Microsoft Entra device registration Automatic Intune MDM enrollment Immediate policy application to the device For IT teams, this often led to: Unintended device enrollments Personal or BYOD devices becoming fully managed Difficult unenrollment and recovery experiences The new public preview toggle directly addresses these long‑standing issues. How the modern app sign in enrollment flow works When a user signs into a Microsoft work or school app on Windows, Windows may start a device registration flow. Historically, if: Automatic enrollment was enabled, and The user was in the MDM user scope Then registration could immediately turn into full MDM enrollment, even though the user only intended to sign into an app. What the new toggle changes The new setting“Disable MDM enrollment when adding a work or school account on Windows”: Allows account registration Stops the flow before MDM enrollment Removes the “Allow my organization to manage my device” screen from the app sign-in flow Preserves intentional enrollment paths Important: This setting applies to modern app sign in flows, not Windows settings–based enrollment. Allowing enrollment versus forcing enrollment This distinction is critical. Allowing enrollment: MDM user scope is configured to “All” or “Some” Enrollment is available when needed Devices enroll through deliberate flows Forcing enrollment Enrollment triggered implicitly App sign in becomes an enrollment decision Users may not realize the device is managed Recovery is harder later The new toggle lets organizations separate these behaviors. Impact across common Windows enrollment scenarios Scenario Default behavior Opt-in recommended behavior BYOD / personal devices High risk of accidental enrollment App access without device takeover Microsoft Office / Teams sign in May initiate MDM enrollment No MDM enrollment unless user chooses Microsoft Entra hybrid join (corporate) Microsoft Entra joined Microsoft Entra joined Windows settings enrollment MDM enrollment MDM enrollment Windows Autopilot / provisioning MDM enrollment MDM enrollment Security and governance benefits Opt-in enrollment supports: Least surprise Explicit consent Cleaner BYOD posture Safer break glass scenarios Reduced support escalations It also aligns well with Conditional Access and app level protection strategies. When to use the default behavior Default automatic enrollment may still be appropriate for: Fully corporate owned device fleets Locked down environments Dedicated provisioning scenarios The key is that it should be a conscious decision, not an accidental one. Summary In conclusion, for most organizations, the modern best practice is: Allow enrollment everywhere - require intent. Using the new Intune toggle to make enrollment opt-in during app sign in reduces risk, improves user trust, and simplifies the device lifecycle - without sacrificing Intune’s management capabilities. Recommended reading: For a concrete example of the end‑user experience with this model, see Step 6: Understand Microsoft Edge for Business End User Experience for Windows, which walks through how opt‑in enrollment and app‑level management are presented to users in Microsoft Edge for Business. Understand Microsoft Edge for Business End User Experience for Windows. If you have any questions, leave a comment below or reach out to us on X @IntuneSuppTeam!Configure Delivery Optimization for Windows to save bandwidth and speed up deployments
By: Carlos Diaz - Sr. Product Manager and Jason Sandys - Principal Product Manager | Microsoft Intune Delivery Optimization is built into Windows and can help reduce bandwidth usage during app and update deployments. Instead of downloading content from the internet every time, devices can download it from nearby devices or a local cache when available. Many organizations leave Delivery Optimization at its default settings or disable it entirely. As a result, they may miss opportunities to reduce network traffic, improve deployment performance, and make better use of existing network resources. This article focuses on the Delivery Optimization scenarios and the common configurations that Intune admins use most often: large-scale patching, Windows Autopilot provisioning, branch office bandwidth management, and Microsoft Connected Cache for scenarios where peer-to-peer sharing alone isn't enough. How Delivery Optimization works Delivery Optimization is an HTTP downloader with built-in peer-to-peer capabilities available in supported versions of Windows. It helps distribute Windows updates, Microsoft 365 Apps updates, Microsoft Defender definition updates, Microsoft Store apps, Intune Win32 apps package and other supported content. Delivery Optimization checks local sources before falling back to internet content caches. The most important Delivery Optimization policy setting is Download Mode, which determines how devices discover peers. Mode Description Mode 1 (LAN) Devices share content with peers behind the same IP/NAT boundary. Mode 2 (Group) Devices share content within a defined group, such as an Active Directory site, domain, or custom group ID. Recommended for environments with multiple VLANs or segmented networks. Mode 3 (Internet) Devices can share content with internet peers outside the organization. This mode is rarely used in enterprise environments. Delivery Optimization checks sources in this order: LAN or group peers and, if configured, Microsoft Connected Cache in parallel. Internet peers, if allowed in the Download Mode setting Internet content caches, which are always available as the final fallback Regardless of the mode you choose, the goal is to keep content download traffic local whenever possible. Common misconceptions Before configuring Delivery Optimization, it's worth addressing a few common misunderstandings we’ve heard from customers. "Does Delivery Optimization use my bandwidth to upload content to the internet?" In Mode 1 (LAN), peer sharing is restricted to your local subnet. Content is only shared with other devices on the same network segment, and no content leaves your LAN. Additionally, you have full control over upload usage through the Monthly upload data cap setting. "Is Delivery Optimization the same as BranchCache?" While both technologies help reduce bandwidth usage, they are built on different architectures and support different scenarios. BranchCache relies on BranchCache-enabled content servers to cache and distribute content, whereas Delivery Optimization is built directly into Windows and is designed to work natively with cloud-delivered content, including Windows updates, Microsoft Store apps, and Microsoft 365 Apps. "We disabled Delivery Optimization years ago. Is there any reason to revisit it?" Yes. Delivery Optimization has evolved significantly and now offers extensive management capabilities through the Intune Settings Catalog. Administrators can configure download modes, define group boundaries, control bandwidth usage, set cache sizes, and limit uploads. If Delivery Optimization was disabled in the past, it may be worth reevaluating your configuration. When properly configured, it can help reduce bandwidth consumption, improve content distribution efficiency, and accelerate update and application deployments. Essential policies The following settings, available in the settings catalog under Delivery Optimization, provide you a strong starting point: Setting Default Value* Recommended Value What It Does DODownloadMode 1 (LAN) 1 (LAN) Keeps peer-to-peer sharing within your subnet or Delivery Optimization group. DORestrictPeerSelectionBy 1 1 Devices discover and peer with others on the same subnet. DOMaxCacheSize 20% 20% to 30% Amount of local disk space allocated to the Delivery Optimization cache. DOMinFileSizeToCache 50 MB 5 MB Minimum file size eligible for caching and peer-to-peer distribution. DOMaxCacheAge 259,200 seconds (3 days) 1,209,600 seconds (14 days) Determines how long cached content remains available before cleanup. DOMonthlyUploadDataCap 20 GB 20 GB Limits the total amount of data a device can upload to peers each month. *The default values in this table are for Windows 11. The table above lists common Delivery Optimization settings, their default values, and recommended starting values. However, the best configuration depends on your network topology, device count, update cadence, and whether you’re using Microsoft Connected Cache. Use the scenario guidance below to tune from the baseline. for the full policy reference review: Configure Delivery Optimization (DO) for Windows. The defaults provide some immediate value, but organizations often achieve better results by: Defining peer groups Increasing cache size Increasing retention periods Lowering the minimum file-size threshold when appropriate When configuring Delivery Optimization, avoid managing the same setting from multiple locations, such as settings catalog and custom policy. Using the settings catalog as your primary management location can help reduce conflicts and simplify troubleshooting. Windows quality updates, feature updates, and Office updates are typically the largest bandwidth consuming events most organizations face. A 1 GB cumulative update pushed to 10,000 devices means 10 TB of traffic from the internet unless Delivery Optimization lets devices share locally. This is where properly configured Delivery Optimization pays for itself immediately. Coordinate Delivery Optimization with deployment rings. Start with a small seeder ring, typically 5 to 10 percent of devices, so those devices populate peer caches before broader rings begin hours or days later. If Microsoft Connected Cache is deployed, the same seeder ring also populates the cache node, creating a persistent local source for later rings. Scenario 1. Large-scale update deployments Large scale deployments vary greatly in complexity and challenges. Device count isn’t the only factor to consider. Network infrastructure and configuration can also play a role in your configuration and deployment of Delivery Optimization. How you tune Delivery Optimization for large-scale updates depends heavily on your WAN topology. The two most common designs call for different approaches: Star (hub-and-spoke) topology Branches connect to a central hub; internet traffic may be backhauled. Every update byte a branch device pulls from the internet crosses the internal link between the hub and spoke. Group boundaries: Identify local LAN configurations at branch locations. If all devices at a branch location are on a single subnet, use DODownloadMode = 1 with DORestrictPeerSelectionBy=1 to restrict peers to that subnet. If a branch site has multiple subnets, DODownloadMode = 2 with a branch-specific DOGroupID is more effective because devices can discover peers throughout the branch instead of being limited to their local subnet. Tip: Delivery Optimization Has Evolved Many organizations disabled Delivery Optimization during early Windows 10 deployments after experiencing unexpected WAN traffic. At that time, peer sharing controls were far less granular, making it difficult to limit content sharing to devices within the same network or site. As a result, some organizations chose to disable Delivery Optimization entirely and missed potential bandwidth savings from peer-to-peer content distribution. Today, modern Delivery Optimization policies provide significantly more control through features such as Group mode, Group IDs, subnet-based peer restrictions, bandwidth management settings, and integration with Microsoft Connected Cache. These capabilities help organizations realize the benefits of peer caching while maintaining tighter control over network traffic. Bandwidth throttling: Spoke links are often the bottleneck. Use DOPercentageMaxBackgroundBandwidth to limit Delivery Optimization background downloads to 10% to 25% of available bandwidth during business hours. Configure DOSetHoursToLimitBackgroundDownloadBandwidth to define the hours when those limits apply, then relax or remove the limits outside business hours. Cache retention: Set DOMaxCacheSize to 40% to 50% and DOMaxCacheAge to match your final deployment ring so cached content survives all ring phase days at branches. Branch peers are the only local sources. They need to hold content long enough for the full ring cycle. Hub site: Devices at the hub have direct internet access and also typically have more bandwidth available. Standard cache settings (20% to 30%, 3 days) are usually sufficient. Tip: Combine Peer Caching and Microsoft Connected Cache In star (hub-and-spoke) network topologies, Microsoft Connected Cache (MCC) can deliver the greatest bandwidth savings at central hubs and larger branch offices. By caching frequently requested updates and applications locally, MCC helps reduce the amount of content that must traverse upstream WAN links. You can configure an MCC server directly in your Delivery Optimization policy by specifying: DOCacheHost=<MCC FQDN> When configured, Delivery Optimization continues to prioritize content from nearby peers. If the requested content isn't available from peers, devices will attempt to download it from Microsoft Connected Cache. If the content isn't present in the cache, devices automatically fall back to Microsoft's internet content source. Think of the content retrieval process as a layered approach: Peers → Microsoft Connected Cache → Internet. This hierarchy helps optimize bandwidth usage while maintaining reliable access to updates and applications. Distributed topology With a distributed topology, all locations have their own local internet access. Each site reaches the internet directly, so the WAN penalty for a cache miss is lower. Group boundaries: Set DODownloadMode=2 and set a DOGroupID. The key is that each physical site is its own peer group. DORestrictPeerSelectionBy = 1 (Subnet) is still recommended but less critical because cross-site peer-to-peer traffic is less likely. Bandwidth limits: More relaxed than star. 25% to 50% during business hours is typical since each site has its own internet cache path. Tip: With local internet connectivity and Delivery Optimization Group mode, many locations achieve excellent bandwidth savings with no additional infrastructure. Microsoft Connected Cache adds value primarily at the largest locations (more than 100 devices). Scenario 2. Branch offices with limited WAN Branch offices often see the biggest Delivery Optimization savings. Instead of every device pulling the same update over the WAN, one device can download from the internet and share locally with peers on the subnet. Use DODownloadMode = 2 and assign a unique DOGroupID per branch location to keep peer-to-peer traffic within the branch. Set aggressive background limits (15% to 25% of link speed) to protect line-of-business applications. For very small branches with fewer than 10 devices, or locations where devices are frequently reimaged, consider adding a Microsoft Connected Cache node. A small cache server with a 100 GB drive provides a persistent local source that doesn't depend on any single peer being online. Scenario 3. Mass provisioning and Windows Autopilot During Windows Autopilot bulk provisioning or mass reimaging, many devices request identical content at the same time. Without Delivery Optimization, every device downloads independently from the internet cache, often saturating internet links and extending provisioning times. For environments with repeated content consumption, such as shared devices, labs, and kiosks that get reimaged frequently, peer-to-peer distribution has a structural limitation. After a mass reimage, no device has cached content available to share. This is where Microsoft Connected Cache provides the greatest value. Because the cache node retains content on-premises independent of device state, the first device after a wipe can download from the local cache rather than the internet cache. If you're using peer-to-peer alone, consider staggering reimage schedules so that some devices always have content available to share. Intune already uses Delivery Optimization to distribute Win32 and Microsoft Store apps, so no extra setup is needed beyond the core Delivery Optimization policies. The main tuning is around thresholds and retention. Lower DOMinFileSizeToCache from 10 MB to 5 MB so snaller app installers qualify for peer-to-peer sharing and extend DOMaxCacheAge to 7 days (604800 seconds) to accommodate app deployments that often span a full week. During large provisioning events, be generous with cache resources. Increase DOMaxCacheSize to 50 percent or higher to ensure early devices have room to cache and share content. Set DOMonthlyUploadDataCap to 0 (unlimited) so the first-wave of devices can serve a larger number of peers. Finally, provision devices in stages whenever possible. Even a 15-minute delay between groups gives Delivery Optimization time to build peer availability before the next wave starts. Scenario 4. Devices that move between locations In environments where employees frequently move between locations, isolating peer traffic can be challenging. For example, a device assigned to the Group ID for Branch A may be physically connected at Branch B, causing it to search for peers across the WAN. In this scenario, use DHCP to provide the appropriate DOGroupID and, when applicable, DOCacheHost source for the device’s current location. DOCacheHostSource=1 and set the DHCP Option 235 at the site to the FQDN of the Microsoft Connected Cache. DOGroupIdSource=3 and set the DHCP Option 234 to the GUID for the GroupID. Go further with Microsoft Connected Cache Microsoft Connected Cache is an optional on-premises content cache. It complements Delivery Optimization by providing a persistent local source when peers are unavailable. Tip: Start with Peer-to-Peer Caching First Before deploying Microsoft Connected Cache (MCC), consider optimizing Delivery Optimization peer-to-peer caching. Many organizations achieve substantial bandwidth savings through properly configured download modes, peer groups, cache settings, and deployment rings without introducing additional infrastructure. Peer-to-peer caching is often the simplest and most cost-effective first step because devices can share content directly with one another, reducing internet downloads and WAN utilization across the organization. Microsoft Connected Cache becomes particularly valuable when peer sharing alone cannot fully meet business requirements, such as locations with few devices, frequent device reimaging, limited peer availability, or a need for a persistent on-premises content source. In these scenarios, MCC can complement Delivery Optimization to further reduce bandwidth consumption and improve content availability. Microsoft Connected Cache is most valuable at small locations with few peers, in environments with frequent device resets, or anywhere large content volumes need a guaranteed local source. Devices can find the cache node in two ways: Static (Intune policy): Set DOCacheHost to the FQDN of your Microsoft Connected Cache server in the Intune Settings catalog. Simple, static, works well for single-site deployments. Dynamic (DHCP Option 235): Set DOCacheHostSource = 1 and configure DHCP Option 235 with the MCC server FQDN. Devices discover the correct cache node automatically based on network location. This is the preferred approach for multi-site deployments. When using Microsoft Connected Cache, configure DODelayForegroundDownloadFromHttp to 30 seconds and DODelayBackgroundDownloadFromHttp to 60 seconds. These timeouts control how long Delivery Optimization waits for a local source before falling back to the internet cache; they don’t control download speed. For setup details and hardware requirements, refer to: Release Notes for Microsoft Connected Cache for Enterprise and Education. Troubleshooting tips Slow downloads: The fallback timeout is the most misunderstood Delivery Optimization setting. It controls how long a device waits for a local source before requesting from the internet cache, not download speed. If downloads are slow, check network routing, DNS, and firewall rules. Cache misses: Internet cache Vary headers can prevent content from being cached on the first request. Microsoft Connected Cache respects these headers, which can cause initial cache misses. The product team is actively working on a fix. Diagnostics: Run the Delivery Optimization troubleshooter at aka.ms/DO-Fix for automated diagnostics. PowerShell: Use Get-DeliveryOptimizationStatus in PowerShell to see real-time download source, peer count, and bytes per source for each active download. Delivery Optimization reporting: Centralized reporting is available in the Windows Update for Business Delivery Optimization report or through PowerShell cmdlets. Monitor Delivery Optimization. Get started Delivery Optimization is already available on supported Windows devices you manage. The configurations in this post take minutes to deploy through the Intune settings catalog and can save significant bandwidth with every update cycle and application deployment. Start with the essential policies table, pilot the profile with a small device group, and review Windows Update for Business reports after a couple of patch cycles to measure the impact. Many organizations achieve their goals using Delivery Optimization peer-to-peer caching alone. For scenarios where peer caching is insufficient or a persistent local cache is required, Microsoft Connected Cache is available as an additional option. The product team is active in the Connected Cache Community at aka.ms/ConnectedCacheCommunity, and feature ideas can be submitted through the Intune feedback portal at aka.ms/IntuneFeedback. Resource Link Configure Delivery Optimization Configure Delivery Optimization Delivery Optimization Troubleshooter Run the Delivery Optimization Troubleshooter Microsoft Connected Cache Release Notes View MCC Release Notes Connected Cache Community Join the Community DO + MCC AMA Recording Watch the AMA Recording Intune Feedback Submit Product Feedback If you have any feedback or questions, leave a comment below or reach out to us on X @IntuneSuppTeam.
Issues around our administratio email on school.onmiscrosoft.com
This page collects the issues (and related solutions/workarounds) linked to the administration account of the Microsoft 365 tenant http://school.onmicrosoft.com/. Context Tenant: my.name@myhttp://school.onmicrosoft.com/ Involved account: admin email address (specify which one, if needed) me and my administrator cannot access since jan 2026 Issues encountered Problem description Symptoms: my email amd my administrator email does not access the domani anymore Error message (if any): When it happens (frequency/time): no wayy to access other theachers have not this issue with the same domain Impact Who is blocked / which services are affected (Outlook, Teams, Entra ID, etc.) Urgency: Attempts already made [no way ] Password reset [ no way] Check MFA / sign-in methods [no way ] Try signing in from another browser / incognito [ ] Check Microsoft service status Next steps [ ] Collect screenshots and error codes see upper image [ ] Check sign-in logs (Entra ID) and any blocks (Conditional Access) [ ] Open a Microsoft support ticket (if needed) Notes / references Useful links: Last updated date:
