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What Is Microsoft Intune Used For: Features, Reviews & Alternatives

Cloud-based endpoint management.

Editorially updated Oct 25, 2025

The overview

What Microsoft Intune is for

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management service within the Microsoft Endpoint Manager suite. It provides a unified web portal, accessible via endpoint.microsoft.com, for IT administrators to manage and secure corporate and user-owned devices across various platforms. The primary web workflow involves configuring device enrollment, compliance, and application deployment policies, assigning them to user groups, and monitoring endpoint health and security posture through a browser-first interface. This enables organizations to enforce security standards, deploy applications, and manage device lifecycles remotely without requiring on-premises infrastructure.

Key features

1Core Capabilitie

Device enrollment profile configuration (Windows Autopilot, Apple DEP, Android Enterprise)
Compliance policy definition and assignment (OS version, security settings, encryption)
Application deployment and lifecycle management (Win32, LOB, store apps)
Conditional Access policy integration with Azure AD
Endpoint security policy management (antivirus, firewall, attack surface reduction)

2Specialized Workflow

Custom OMA-URI policy creation for unsupported setting
Remote device actions (wipe, retire, restart, remote lock)
PowerShell script deployment and execution for Windows device
Windows Update for Business ring management
Endpoint analytics dashboard for device performance and startup metric

Who it helps

Useful ways to use Microsoft Intune

Secure Corporate Device Provisioning

IT operations teams utilize the Intune web console to define and deploy standardized device enrollment profiles, ensuring new corporate-owned devices are automatically configured with required security policies, applications, and network settings upon first boot, minimizing manual setup time and enforcing compliance from day one

Enforcing Endpoint Security Baseline

Security engineers leverage Intune's policy management interface to establish and enforce security baselines across all managed endpoints. This includes configuring antivirus settings, firewall rules, disk encryption, and attack surface reduction rules, then monitoring compliance reports to identify and remediate non-compliant device

Remote Device Troubleshooting and Remediation

Help desk personnel access the Intune portal to perform remote actions on user devices, such as initiating a remote restart, locking a lost device, or selectively wiping corporate data from a retired employee's personal device, streamlining support operations and enhancing data security

A practical path

How to use Microsoft Intune

Sign in to Endpoint Manager Admin Center

Navigate to endpoint.microsoft.com in your browser and sign in with your Azure AD administrator credentials to access the Intune management portal

External signals

Reviews & reputation

AI aggregated

4.0/ 5

Aggregated review score

IT administrators praise Microsoft Intune for its robust cloud-based endpoint management capabilities, deep integration with Azure AD and the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, and its ability to manage a diverse range of devices. While the learning curve can be steep for new users and some advanced configurations require custom scripting, its comprehensive policy enforcement, application deployment, and security features are critical for modern enterprise environments.

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Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

1What licensing is required to use Microsoft Intune?⌄

Intune is typically included with Microsoft 365 E3, E5, F1, F3, and Business Premium subscriptions, or available as a standalone license. Each user or device managed by Intune requires an appropriate license.

2Can Intune manage non-Windows devices, such as macOS, iOS, or Android?⌄

Yes, Intune provides comprehensive management capabilities for a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS, and Android, allowing for a unified endpoint management strategy across diverse device types.

3How does Intune integrate with other Microsoft services like Azure AD and Configuration Manager?⌄

Intune is deeply integrated with Azure Active Directory for identity and access management, enabling Conditional Access. It also integrates with Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM) via co-management, allowing organizations to leverage both cloud and on-premises management capabilities.

4What are the primary differences between Intune and traditional on-premises MDM solutions?⌄

Intune is a cloud-native solution, offering global accessibility, automatic updates, and scalability without requiring on-premises infrastructure. Traditional MDM often requires dedicated servers, manual updates, and is typically limited to the corporate network. Intune also emphasizes mobile application management (MAM) without full device enrollment.

5Is it possible to deploy custom PowerShell scripts or shell scripts to devices via Intune?⌄

Yes, Intune supports deploying custom PowerShell scripts to Windows devices and shell scripts to macOS devices. These scripts can be used to automate tasks, configure settings not available through standard policies, or deploy specific applications.

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