Getting Started with Microsoft Intune — Device Management Guide (2026)

Microsoft Intune has become the primary mobile device and application management solution for modern Windows environments. This guide covers how to get started with Intune in 2026 — enrolling devices, deploying applications and configuring compliance policies.

What is Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that allows you to manage Windows, iOS, Android and macOS devices from a single console. It integrates with Azure Active Directory (Entra ID) and Microsoft 365 and is the cloud-native replacement for on-premises SCCM for many organisations — though many use both together in a co-management configuration.

Intune Licensing

Intune is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Microsoft 365 E3 and E5, and Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) E3 and E5. It is also available as a standalone licence. Check your Microsoft 365 admin centre to confirm whether Intune is included in your existing subscription.

Enrol a Windows Device into Intune

Method 1 — Auto-enrolment via Azure AD Join

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Access work or school → Connect
2. Enter the user’s work email address
3. Sign in with their Microsoft 365 credentials
4. Select Join this device to Azure Active Directory
5. The device will join Azure AD and automatically enrol in Intune

Method 2 — Windows Autopilot (New Devices)

Windows Autopilot allows new devices to be configured and enrolled automatically when a user signs in for the first time — no IT imaging required. The device ships directly from the manufacturer or reseller, the user powers it on, signs in with their work account and Autopilot configures everything automatically.

Deploy an Application via Intune

1. In the Intune admin centre go to Apps → Windows → Add
2. Select the app type — Microsoft 365 Apps for Office, Windows app (Win32) for MSI/EXE packages, or Microsoft Store app
3. For Win32 apps, package the installer using the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool to create an .intunewin file
4. Upload the .intunewin file and configure install and uninstall commands
5. Set detection rules — registry key, file or MSI product code
6. Assign to user or device groups

Create a Compliance Policy

1. In the Intune admin centre go to Devices → Compliance policies → Create policy
2. Select Windows 10 and later
3. Configure compliance settings — minimum OS version, BitLocker required, antivirus required, firewall required
4. Set actions for non-compliance — mark as non-compliant after grace period, send email notification, block access
5. Assign to device groups

Useful Intune PowerShell Commands

# Install Microsoft Graph PowerShell module for Intune management
Install-Module -Name Microsoft.Graph -Scope CurrentUser

# Connect to Microsoft Graph
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "DeviceManagementManagedDevices.ReadWrite.All"

# Get all Intune managed devices
Get-MgDeviceManagementManagedDevice | Select-Object DeviceName, OperatingSystem, ComplianceState, LastSyncDateTime

# Get non-compliant devices
Get-MgDeviceManagementManagedDevice -Filter "complianceState eq 'noncompliant'" | Select-Object DeviceName, UserPrincipalName

Frequently Asked Questions