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| title | description | ms.date | ms.prod | ms.technology | ms.topic | ms.localizationpriority | author | ms.author | manager | ms.reviewer | ms.collection | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Register your devices | This article details how to register devices in Autopatch | 05/01/2023 | windows-client | itpro-updates | how-to | medium | tiaraquan | tiaraquan | dougeby | andredm7 |
|
Register your devices
Before Microsoft can manage your devices in Windows Autopatch, you must have devices registered with the service.
Before you begin
Windows Autopatch can take over software update management control of devices that meet software-based prerequisites as soon as an IT admin decides to have their tenant managed by the service. The Windows Autopatch software update management scope includes the following software update workloads:
- Windows quality updates
- Windows feature updates
- The following software update workloads use the Classic experience:
About the use of an Azure AD group to register devices
Windows Autopatch provides two methods of registering devices with its service, the Classic and the Autopatch groups device registration method.
Classic device registration method
This method is intended to help organizations that don’t require the use of Custom Autopatch groups or additional customizations to the Default Autopatch group to register devices.
You must choose what devices to manage with Windows Autopatch by adding them to the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD assigned group. Devices can be added using the following methods:
- Direct membership
- Nesting other Azure AD dynamic/assigned groups
- Bulk add/import group members
Windows Autopatch automatically runs its discover devices function every hour to discover new devices added to this group. Once new devices are discovered, Windows Autopatch attempts to register these devices.
You can also use the Discover devices button in either the Registered or Not ready tab to register devices on demand. The Discover devices button scans for devices to be registered in the Windows Autopatch Device Registration or any other Azure AD group used with either the Default or Custom Autopatch groups.
Windows Autopatch groups device registration method
Important
Windows Autopatch groups is in public preview. This feature is being actively developed and might not be complete. You can test and use these features in production environments and provide feedback.
The Windows Autopatch group experience only applies if you’ve opted-in to use Windows Autopatch groups.
To opt-in to use Windows Autopatch groups:
- Go to the Microsoft Intune admin center and select Devices from the left navigation menu.
- Under Windows Autopatch, select Release Management, then select Autopatch groups (preview).
- Review the Microsoft Privacy Statement and the Autopatch groups Public Preview Addendum. If you agree, select the I have reviewed and agree to the Autopatch groups Public Preview Addendum checkbox. Then, select Use preview to test out Windows Autopatch groups and its bundled feature set. If the Use preview option is greyed out, ensure you meet all the Autopatch group prerequisites.
This method is intended to help organizations that require the use of Custom Autopatch groups or additional customizations to the Default Autopatch group.
When you either create/edit a Custom Autopatch group or edit the Default Autopatch group to add or remove deployment rings, the device-based Azure AD groups you use when setting up your deployment rings are scanned to see if devices need to be registered with the Windows Autopatch service.
If devices aren’t registered, Autopatch groups starts the device registration process by using your existing device-based Azure AD groups instead of the Windows Autopatch Device Registration group.
For more information, see create Custom Autopatch groups and edit Autopatch group to register devices using the Autopatch groups device registration method.
Supported scenarios when nesting other Azure AD groups
Windows Autopatch also supports the following Azure AD nested group scenarios:
Azure AD groups synced up from:
- On-premises Active Directory groups (Windows Server AD)
- Configuration Manager collections
The Azure AD groups apply to both the Classic and the Autopatch group device registration methods.
Warning
It isn't recommended to sync Configuration Manager collections straight to the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group. Use a different Azure AD group when syncing Configuration Manager collections to Azure AD groups then you can nest this or these groups into the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group.
Important
The Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group only supports one level of Azure AD nested groups.
Clean up dual state of Hybrid Azure AD joined and Azure registered devices in your Azure AD tenant
An Azure AD dual state occurs when a device is initially connected to Azure AD as an Azure AD Registered device. However, when you enable Hybrid Azure AD join, the same device is connected twice to Azure AD but as a Hybrid Azure AD device.
In the dual state, you end up having two Azure AD device records with different join types for the same device. In this case, the Hybrid Azure AD device record takes precedence over the Azure AD registered device record for any type of authentication in Azure AD, which makes the Azure AD registered device record stale.
It's recommended to detect and clean up stale devices in Azure AD before registering devices with Windows Autopatch, see How To: Manage state devices in Azure AD.
Warning
If you don't clean up stale devices in Azure AD before registering devices with Windows Autopatch, you might end up seeing devices failing to meet the Intune or Cloud-Attached (Device must be either Intune-managed or Co-managed) pre-requisite check in the Not ready tab because it's expected that these stale Azure AD devices aren't enrolled into the Intune service anymore.
Prerequisites for device registration
Important
The following prerequisites apply to both the Classic and the Autopatch groups device registration methods.
To be eligible for Windows Autopatch management, devices must meet a minimum set of required software-based prerequisites:
- Windows 10 (1809+)/11 Enterprise or Professional editions (only x64 architecture).
- Either Hybrid Azure AD-Joined or Azure AD-joined only (personal devices aren't supported).
- Managed by Microsoft Intune.
- Already enrolled into Microsoft Intune and/or Configuration Manager co-management.
- Must switch the following Microsoft Configuration Manager co-management workloads to Microsoft Intune (either set to Pilot Intune or Intune):
- Windows updates policies
- Device configuration
- Office Click-to-run
- Must switch the following Microsoft Configuration Manager co-management workloads to Microsoft Intune (either set to Pilot Intune or Intune):
- Already enrolled into Microsoft Intune and/or Configuration Manager co-management.
- Last Intune device check in completed within the last 28 days.
- Devices must have Serial Number, Model and Manufacturer.
Note
Windows Autopatch doesn't support device emulators that don't generate the serial number, model and manufacturer information. Devices that use a non-supported device emulator fail the Intune or Cloud-Attached prerequisite check. Additionally, devices with duplicated serial numbers will fail to register with Windows Autopatch.
Important
Windows Autopatch supports registering Windows 10 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) devices that are being currently serviced by the Windows LTSC. The service only supports managing the Windows quality updates workload for devices currently serviced by the LTSC. Windows Update for Business service and Windows Autopatch don't offer Windows feature updates for devices that are part of the LTSC. You must either use LTSC media or the Configuration Manager Operating System Deployment capabilities to perform an in-place upgrade for Windows devices that are part of the LTSC.
For more information, see Windows Autopatch Prerequisites.
About the Registered, Not ready and Not registered tabs
Important
Devices registered through either the Classic or the Autopatch groups device registration method can appear in the Registered, Not ready, or Not registered tabs. When devices successfully register with the service, the devices are listed in the Registered tab. However, even if the device(s)is successfully registered, they can be part of Not ready tab. If devices fail to register, the devices are listed in the Not registered tab.
Windows Autopatch has three tabs within its device blade. Each tab is designed to provide a different set of device readiness statuses so the IT admin knows where to go to monitor, and fix potential device health issues.
| Device blade tab | Purpose | Expected device readiness status |
|---|---|---|
| Registered | The purpose of this tab is to show devices that were successfully registered with the Windows Autopatch service. | Active |
| Not ready | The purpose of this tab is to help you identify and remediate devices that failed to pass one or more post-device registration readiness checks. Devices showing up in this tab were successfully registered with Windows Autopatch. However, these devices aren't ready to have one or more software update workloads managed by the service. | Readiness failed and/or Inactive |
| Not registered | The purpose of this tab is to help you identify and remediate devices that don't meet one or more prerequisite checks to successfully register with the Windows Autopatch service. | Prerequisites failed |
Device readiness statuses
The following are the possible device readiness statuses in Windows Autopatch:
| Readiness status | Description | Device blade tab |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Devices with this status successfully passed all prerequisite checks and then successfully registered with Windows Autopatch. Additionally, devices with this status successfully passed all post-device registration readiness checks. | Registered |
| Readiness failed | Devices with this status haven't passed one or more post-device registration readiness checks. These devices aren't ready to have one or more software update workloads managed by Windows Autopatch. | Not ready |
| Inactive | Devices with this status haven't communicated with Microsoft Intune in the last 28 days. | Not ready |
| Prerequisites failed | Devices with this status haven't passed one or more prerequisite checks and haven't successfully registered with Windows Autopatch | Not registered |
Built-in roles required for device registration
A role defines the set of permissions granted to users assigned to that role. You can use one of the following built-in roles in Windows Autopatch to register devices:
- Azure AD Global Administrator
- Intune Service Administrator
For more information, see Azure AD built-in roles and Role-based access control (RBAC) with Microsoft Intune.
If you want to assign less-privileged user accounts to perform specific tasks in the Windows Autopatch portal, such as register devices with the service, you can add these user accounts into one of the two Azure AD groups created during the tenant enrollment process:
| Azure AD Group name | Discover devices | Modify columns | Refresh device list | Export to .CSV | Device actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern Workplace Roles - Service Administrator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Modern Workplace Roles - Service Reader | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Tip
If you're adding less-privileged user accounts into the Modern Workplace Roles - Service Administrator Azure AD group, it's recommended to add the same users as owners of the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group. Owners of the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group can add new devices as members of the group for registration purposes.
For more information, see assign an owner of member of a group in Azure AD.
Details about the device registration process
Registering your devices with Windows Autopatch does the following:
- Makes a record of devices in the service.
- Assign devices to the two deployment ring sets and other groups required for software update management.
For more information, see Device registration overview.
Steps to register devices using the classic method
Important
For more information, see Create Custom Autopatch groups and Edit Autopatch groups on how to register devices using the Autopatch groups device registration method.
Any device (either physical or virtual) that contains an Azure AD device ID, can be added into the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group through either direct membership or by being part of another Azure AD group (either dynamic or assigned) that's nested to this group, so it can be registered with Windows Autopatch. The only exception is new Windows 365 Cloud PCs, as these virtual devices should be registered with Windows Autopatch from the Windows 365 provisioning policy.
For more information, see Windows Autopatch on Windows 365 Enterprise Workloads.
Since existing Windows 365 Cloud PCs already have an existing Azure AD device ID, these devices can be added into the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure group through either direct membership or by being part of another Azure AD group (either dynamic or assigned) that's nested to this group.
To register devices with Windows Autopatch using the classic method:
- Go to the Intune admin center.
- Select Devices from the left navigation menu.
- Under the Windows Autopatch section, select Devices.
- Select either the Registered or the Not registered tab, then select the Windows Autopatch Device Registration hyperlink. The Azure Active Directory group blade opens.
- Add either devices through direct membership, or other Azure AD dynamic or assigned groups as nested groups in the Windows Autopatch Device Registration group.
Note
The Windows Autopatch Device Registration hyperlink is in the center of the Registered tab when there's no devices registered with the Windows Autopatch service. Once you have one or more devices registered with the Windows Autopatch service, the Windows Autopatch Device registration hyperlink is at the top of both Registered and Not registered tabs.
Once devices or other Azure AD groups (either dynamic or assigned) containing devices are added to the Windows Autopatch Device Registration group, Windows Autopatch's device discovery hourly function discovers these devices, and runs software-based prerequisite checks to try to register them with its service.
Tip
You can also use the Discover Devices button in either one of the Registered, Not ready, or Not registered device blade tabs to discover devices from the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group on demand. On demand means you don't have to wait for Windows Autopatch to discover devices from the Azure AD group on your behalf.
Windows Autopatch on Windows 365 Enterprise Workloads
Windows 365 Enterprise gives IT admins the option to register devices with the Windows Autopatch service as part of the Windows 365 provisioning policy creation. This option provides a seamless experience for admins and users to ensure your Cloud PCs are always up to date. When IT admins decide to manage their Windows 365 Cloud PCs with Windows Autopatch, the Windows 365 provisioning policy creation process calls Windows Autopatch device registration APIs to register devices on behalf of the IT admin.
To register new Windows 365 Cloud PC devices with Windows Autopatch from the Windows 365 Provisioning Policy:
- Go to the Intune admin center.
- In the left pane, select Devices.
- Navigate to Provisioning > Windows 365.
- Select Provisioning policies > Create policy.
- Provide a policy name and select Join Type. For more information, see Device join types.
- Select Next.
- Choose the desired image and select Next.
- Under the Microsoft managed services section, select Windows Autopatch. Then, select Next. If the Windows Autopatch (preview) can't manage your Cloud PCs until a Global Admin has finished setting it up. message appears, you must enroll your tenant to continue.
- Assign your policy accordingly and select Next.
- Select Create. Now your newly provisioned Windows 365 Enterprise Cloud PCs will automatically be enrolled and managed by Windows Autopatch.
For more information, see Create a Windows 365 Provisioning Policy.
Important
Starting in May 2023, Windows 365 Cloud PC devices are assigned to two deployment ring sets, the service-based and the software-based deployment rings. Additionally, once registered with Windows Autopatch, Windows 365 Cloud PC devices are automatically added to the Default Autopatch group. For more information, see service-based versus software update-based deployment ring sets.
Windows Autopatch on Azure Virtual Desktop workloads
Windows Autopatch is available for your Azure Virtual Desktop workloads. Enterprise admins can provision their Azure Virtual Desktop workloads to be managed by Windows Autopatch using the existing device registration process.
Windows Autopatch provides the same scope of service with virtual machines as it does with physical devices. However, Windows Autopatch defers any Azure Virtual Desktop specific support to Azure support, unless otherwise specified.
Prerequisites
Windows Autopatch for Azure Virtual Desktop follows the same prerequisites as Windows Autopatch, and the Azure Virtual Desktop prerequisites.
The service supports:
- Personal persistent virtual machines
The following Azure Virtual Desktop features aren’t supported:
- Multi-session hosts
- Pooled non persistent virtual machines
- Remote app streaming
Deploy Autopatch on Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure Virtual Desktop workloads can be registered into Windows Autopatch by using the same method as your physical devices.
For ease of deployment, we recommend nesting a dynamic device group in your Autopatch device registration group. The dynamic device group would target the Name prefix defined in your session host, but exclude any Multi-Session Session Hosts. For example:
| Group name | Dynamic membership name |
|---|---|
| Windows Autopatch - Host Pool Session Hosts |
|
Contact support for device registration-related incidents
Support is available either through Windows 365, or the Windows Autopatch Service Engineering team for device registration-related incidents.
- For Windows 365 support, see Get support.
- For Azure Virtual Desktop support, see Get support.
- For Windows Autopatch support, see Submit a support request.
Device management lifecycle scenarios
There's a few more device management lifecycle scenarios to consider when planning to register devices in Windows Autopatch.
Device refresh
If a device was previously registered into the Windows Autopatch service, but it needs to be reimaged, you must run one of the device provisioning processes available in Microsoft Intune to reimage the device.
The device will be rejoined to Azure AD (either Hybrid or Azure AD-only). Then, re-enrolled into Intune as well. No further action is required from you or the Windows Autopatch service, because the Azure AD device ID record of that device remains the same.
Device repair and hardware replacement
If you need to repair a device that was previously registered into the Windows Autopatch service, by replacing the motherboard, non-removable network interface cards (NIC) or hard drive, you must re-register the device into the Windows Autopatch service, because a new hardware ID is generated when there are major hardware changes, such as:
- SMBIOS UUID (motherboard)
- MAC address (non-removable NICs)
- OS hard drive's serial, model, manufacturer information
When one of these hardware changes occurs, Azure AD creates a new device ID record for that device, even if it's technically the same device.
Important
If a new Azure AD device ID is generated for a device that was previously registered into the Windows Autopatch service, even if it's technically same device, the new Azure AD device ID must be added either through device direct membership or through nested Azure AD dynamic/assigned group into the Windows Autopatch Device Registration Azure AD group. This process guarantees that the newly generated Azure AD device ID is registered with Windows Autopatch and that the device continues to have its software updates managed by the service.