Windows Autopilot
Device enrollmentOverview of Windows Autopilot | Microsoft Learn
In brief
The overview was rewritten for clarity, the HoloLens 2 link and image description were updated, and the Windows Autopilot auto-enrollment bullet was removed from the listed capabilities.
What Intune admins need to know
Administrators should use the updated overview and links; no required configuration or migration is stated.
This summary was assembled from the tracked documentation change. Verify important details in the full Microsoft Learn article.
Documentation change
View on Microsoft LearnThe comparison below shows only the changed extract. Use the full-page view for complete context.
permissioned-type: public
uhfHeaderId: MSDocsHeader-Windows
description: Windows Autopilot is a collection of technologies used to set up and pre-configure new devices, getting them ready for productive use.
ms.date: 2025-06-13T00:2026-10-20T00:00:00.0000000Z
ms.topic: overview
ms.collection:
- M365-modern-desktop
Overview of Windows Autopilot | Microsoft Learn
Windows Autopilot is a collection of technologies used to set up and pre-configure new devices, getting them ready for productive use. You can use Windows Autopilot can be used to deploy Windows PCs or HoloLens 2 devices. For more information about deploying HoloLens 2 with Windows Autopilot,information, see Windows Autopilot for HoloLens 2.
Windows AutopilotYou can also be useduse Windows Autopilot to reset, repurpose, and recover devices. This solution enables an IT department to achieve these goals with little to no infrastructure to manage, with a process that's easy and simple.
Windows Autopilot simplifies the Windows device lifecycle, for both IT and end users, from initial deployment to end of life. UsingBy using cloud-based services, Windows Autopilot:
- Reduces the time IT spends on deploying, managing, and retiring devices.
- Reduces the infrastructure required to maintain the devices.
Process overview
When new Windows devices are initially deployed, Windows Autopilot uses the OEM-optimized version of Windows client. This version is preinstalled on the device, so custom images and drivers for every device model don't have to be maintained. Instead of re-imaging the device, the existing Windows installation can be transformed into a "business-ready" state that can:
- Apply settings and policies.
- Install apps.
- Change the edition of Windows
being usedto support advancedfeatures. For example,features, such as upgrading from Windows Pro to Windows Enterprise.
Once deployed,After deployment, you can manage Windows devices can be managed with:by using:
- Microsoft Intune.
- Windows Update client policies.
Requirements
ATo use Windows Autopilot, you need a supported version of Windows semi-annual channel is required to use Windows Autopilot.channel. For more information, see Windows Autopilot software, networking, configuration, and licensing requirements.
Summary
Traditionally, IT pros spend significant time building and customizing images that arethey later deployeddeploy to devices. Windows Autopilot introduces a new approach.
- From the user's perspective, it takes only
takesa few simple operations to make their device ready to use. - From the IT pro's perspective, the only interaction required from the end user is to connect to a network and
toverify their credentials. Everything beyond that is automated.
Windows Autopilot enables the following functionality:
- Automatic joining of devices to Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory
(viaby using Microsoft Entra hybridjoin).join. For more information aboutthe differences betweenthese two join options, see Introduction to device management in Microsoft Entra ID. - Auto-enrollment of devices into mobile device management (MDM) services, such as Microsoft
IntuneIntune. (Requires a Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 subscription for configuration). - Creation and auto-assignment of devices to configuration groups based on a device's profile.
- Customization of the out-of-box experience (OOBE) content specific to the organization.
Existing deviceYou can also be quickly preparedprepare an existing device for a new user with Windows Autopilot Reset. The Reset capability is also useful in break/fix scenarios to quickly bring a device back to a business-ready state.
Tutorial
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ feedback_system: Standard permissioned-type: public uhfHeaderId: MSDocsHeader-Windows description: Windows Autopilot is a collection of technologies used to set up and pre-configure new devices, getting them ready for productive use.-ms.date: 2025-06-13T00:00:00.0000000Z+ms.date: 2026-10-20T00:00:00.0000000Z ms.topic: overview ms.collection: - M365-modern-desktop@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ platformId: 94722b14-4f9f-9df0-679e-19cea978ce3e # Overview of Windows Autopilot | Microsoft Learn -Windows Autopilot is a collection of technologies used to set up and pre-configure new devices, getting them ready for productive use. Windows Autopilot can be used to deploy Windows PCs or HoloLens 2 devices. For more information about deploying HoloLens 2 with Windows Autopilot, see [Windows Autopilot for HoloLens 2](/en-us/hololens/hololens2-autopilot).
+Windows Autopilot is a collection of technologies used to set up and pre-configure new devices, getting them ready for productive use. You can use Windows Autopilot to deploy Windows PCs or HoloLens 2 devices. For more information, see [Windows Autopilot for HoloLens 2](/en-us/hololens/hololens2-autopilot).
-Windows Autopilot can also be used to reset, repurpose, and recover devices. This solution enables an IT department to achieve these goals with little to no infrastructure to manage, with a process that's easy and simple.
+You can also use Windows Autopilot to reset, repurpose, and recover devices. This solution enables an IT department to achieve these goals with little to no infrastructure to manage, with a process that's easy and simple.
-Windows Autopilot simplifies the Windows device lifecycle, for both IT and end users, from initial deployment to end of life. Using cloud-based services, Windows Autopilot:
+Windows Autopilot simplifies the Windows device lifecycle, for both IT and end users, from initial deployment to end of life. By using cloud-based services, Windows Autopilot:
- Reduces the time IT spends on deploying, managing, and retiring devices.
- Reduces the infrastructure required to maintain the devices.
@@ -65,15 +65,15 @@ This article is for **Windows Autopilot**. For **Windows Autopilot device prepar
## Process overview
-When new Windows devices are initially deployed, Windows Autopilot uses the OEM-optimized version of Windows client. This version is preinstalled on the device, so custom images and drivers for every device model don't have to be maintained. Instead of re-imaging the device, the existing Windows installation can be transformed into a "business-ready" state that can:
+When new Windows devices are initially deployed, Windows Autopilot uses the OEM-optimized version of Windows client. This version is preinstalled on the device, so custom images and drivers for every device model don't have to be maintained. Instead of re-imaging the device, the existing Windows installation can be transformed into a *business-ready* state that can:
- Apply settings and policies.
- Install apps.
-- Change the edition of Windows being used to support advanced features. For example, from Windows Pro to Windows Enterprise.
+- Change the edition of Windows to support advanced features, such as upgrading from Windows Pro to Windows Enterprise.
-
+
-Once deployed, Windows devices can be managed with:
+After deployment, you can manage Windows devices by using:
- Microsoft Intune.
- Windows Update client policies.
@@ -82,23 +82,23 @@ Once deployed, Windows devices can be managed with:
## Requirements
-A [supported version](/en-us/windows/release-information/) of Windows semi-annual channel is required to use Windows Autopilot. For more information, see [Windows Autopilot software](requirements?tabs=software), [networking](requirements?tabs=networking), [configuration](requirements?tabs=configuration), and [licensing](requirements?tabs=licensing) requirements.
+To use Windows Autopilot, you need a [supported version](/en-us/windows/release-information/) of Windows semi-annual channel. For more information, see [Windows Autopilot software](requirements?tabs=software), [networking](requirements?tabs=networking), [configuration](requirements?tabs=configuration), and [licensing](requirements?tabs=licensing) requirements.
## Summary
-Traditionally, IT pros spend significant time building and customizing images that are later deployed to devices. Windows Autopilot introduces a new approach.
+Traditionally, IT pros spend significant time building and customizing images that they later deploy to devices. Windows Autopilot introduces a new approach.
-- From the user's perspective, it only takes a few simple operations to make their device ready to use.
-- From the IT pro's perspective, the only interaction required from the end user is to connect to a network and to verify their credentials. Everything beyond that is automated.
+- From the user's perspective, it takes only a few simple operations to make their device ready to use.
+- From the IT pro's perspective, the only interaction required from the end user is to connect to a network and verify their credentials. Everything beyond that is automated.
Windows Autopilot enables the following functionality:
-- Automatic joining of devices to Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory (via Microsoft Entra hybrid join). For more information about the differences between these two join options, see [Introduction to device management in Microsoft Entra ID](/en-us/azure/active-directory/device-management-introduction).
-- Auto-enrollment of devices into mobile device management (MDM) services, such as Microsoft Intune ([*Requires a Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 subscription for configuration*](/en-us/windows/client-management/mdm/azure-ad-and-microsoft-intune-automatic-mdm-enrollment-in-the-new-portal)).
+- Automatic joining of devices to Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory by using Microsoft Entra hybrid join. For more information about these two join options, see [Introduction to device management in Microsoft Entra ID](/en-us/azure/active-directory/device-management-introduction).
+- Auto-enrollment of devices into mobile device management (MDM) services, such as Microsoft Intune. ([*Requires a Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 subscription for configuration*](/en-us/windows/client-management/mdm/azure-ad-and-microsoft-intune-automatic-mdm-enrollment-in-the-new-portal)).
- Creation and auto-assignment of devices to configuration groups based on a device's profile.
- Customization of the out-of-box experience (OOBE) content specific to the organization.
-Existing device can also be quickly prepared for a new user with [Windows Autopilot Reset](windows-autopilot-reset). The Reset capability is also useful in break/fix scenarios to quickly bring a device back to a business-ready state.
+You can also quickly prepare an existing device for a new user with [Windows Autopilot Reset](windows-autopilot-reset). The Reset capability is also useful in break/fix scenarios to quickly bring a device back to a business-ready state.
## Tutorial