Enable PIN reset from the login screen

This week I’m going for an end-user experience focused blog post. This week is all about the PIN reset option on the login screen. In other words, the I forgot my PIN option. Starting with Windows 10, version 1709, it’s now possible to enable the I forgot my PIN option from the login screen. When using Windows Hello for Business, which can be configured during the Windows enrollment, by using Microsoft Intune, the PIN is the fallback mechanism when it’s not possible to authenticate with biometrics. In other words, the PIN is really important. In this post I’ll provide the required configuration to provide the user with the I forgot my PIN option from the login screen. I’ll do that by assuming that the user …

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Deep dive ingesting third-party ADMX-files

A bit more than a week ago I got the suggestion to do a blog post about the ingestion of custom and/or third-party ADMX-files. Not without a reason. The suggestion was triggered by the latest Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities and the ability to manage site isolation via policies for Google Chrome. That was enough motivation for me to look into it. In this post I’ll provide an introduction to ingesting ADMX-files, followed by a step-by-step overview of how to ingest custom and/or third-party ADMX-files and how to configure the related settings. As a configuration example I’ll use the manage site isolation setting for Google Chrome. I’ll end this post with showing the configuration result. Introduction Starting with Windows 10, version 1703, it’s possible to ingest …

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Using the Intune Management Extension, on a 64-bit platform, for a very happy New Year!

Let’s start the New Year with a quick tip about the Intune Management Extension, which is used for running PowerShell scripts, in combination with a 64-bit platform. The Intune Management Extension is 32-bit and will run PowerShell scripts in a 32-bit environment. This is not always the desired behavior. Actually, many activities and/or cmdlets, require a 64-bit environment. In this blog post I’ll provide a simple workaround, to run the PowerShell scripts in a 64-bit environment, and I’ll show the behavior of that simple workaround. The (example) script Now let’s start by looking at that simple workaround. That workaround is actually a simple addition to a script that starts the same script, by using the 64-bit environment of PowerShell. This is achieved by starting with …

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Auto-enroll Windows 10 devices using Group Policy

This week is all about creating awareness for the automatic MDM enrollment feature, using ‘Group Policy, that is introduced in Windows 10, version 1709. In some scenarios that might not sounds very interesting. Especially when looking at cloud only scenarios. However, this feature is very interesting in scenarios when organizations want to move to the cloud. Think about co-management. Co-management helps organizations to slowly move their device management capabilities to the cloud, by allowing multiple device management agents on a single device. Microsoft just released co-management in Microsoft Intune and co-management is also available in the latest Technical Preview releases of Configuration Manager. So, imagine a scenario in which a currently Configuration Manager managed device can receive a Group Policy setting to also auto-enroll the …

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MDM Migration Analysis Tool

This week something completely different compared to the last few weeks, maybe even months. This week is all about creating awareness for the MDM Migration Analysis Tool (MMAT). MMAT is created to make the transition to MDM easier. At Ignite it also got some attention and I thought it would be good to add some more attention to it. Even though it already exists for a while. I’ll start this post with an introduction to MMAT, followed by the usage of MMAT. I’ll end this post with example results of MMAT. Introduction to MMAT Before looking at the technical transition to MDM policies, via Microsoft Intune (hybrid or standalone), or any third-party MDM, start with MMAT. MMAT is a tool created by Microsoft to help …

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Managing User Account Control settings via Windows 10 MDM

This blog post uses the LocalPoliciesSecurityOptions area of the Policy configuration service provider (CSP), to manage User Account Control (UAC) settings on Windows 10 devices. This area was added in Windows 10, version 1709, which is currently available as Insider Preview build. This week a blog post about managing User Account Control (UAC) settings via Windows 10 MDM. The ability to manage UAC-settings is new in Windows 10 MDM. Windows 10, version 1709, introduces the LocalPoliciesSecurityOptions area in the Policy CSP, which also contains settings to manage UAC. This is the same area, in the Policy CSP, as my last post, but this time a different group of settings. The frequent readers of my blog might recognize some bits and pieces, but that’s simply because …

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Managing local policies security options for accounts via Windows 10 MDM

This blog post uses the LocalPoliciesSecurityOptions area of the Policy configuration service provider (CSP) to manage local policies security options on Windows 10 devices. This area was added in Windows 10, version 1709, which is currently available as Insider Preview build. This week a blog post about managing local policies security options via Windows 10 MDM. More specifically, local policies security options settings related to accounts. For example, to block the usage of Microsoft accounts. I might address the other areas of the local policies security options in later blog posts, but that will be more of the same. The ability to manage local policies security options is something new in Windows 10 MDM. Windows 10, version 1709, introduces the LocalPoliciesSecurityOptions area in the Policy …

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Block personally-owned devices

My last blog post just before a short vacation, is about using the differentiation between corporate-owned devices and personally-owned devices. The best scenario for this differentiation is preventing the MDM enrollment of personally-owned devices. In that scenario it’s still possible to use MAM-WE with personally-owned devices, as only the MDM enrollment will be blocked. In other words, it’s still possible to enable the end-users to securely access their corporate data on their personally-owned device. The ability to block personally-owned devices is introduced with Configuration Manager 1706 and was already available for a while in Microsoft Intune standalone. In this post I’ll walk through the configuration steps for Microsoft Intune hybrid and standalone. I’ll end this post with the end-user experience. Configuration Before starting with the …

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Easily configuring Windows Update for Business via Windows 10 MDM

This week a blog post about easily configuring Windows Update for Business (WUfB). I call it easily, as I did a post about something similar about a year ago. That time It was required to configure everything with custom OMA-URI settings. Starting with Configuration Manager 1706, an easier configuration option is available for the most important settings, by using the Configuration Manager administration console. For Microsoft Intune standalone this was already available for a while. In this post I’ll walk through the easy configuration options for Microsoft Intune hybrid and standalone and I’ll end this post with the end-user experience. Configuration Now let’s start by walking through the configuration steps for Microsoft Intune hybrid and standalone. However, before doing that it’s good to mention that …

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Super easy Office 365 ProPlus deployment via Windows 10 MDM

This week a blog post about a very nice new app type in Microsoft Intune standalone. The Office 365 Pro Plus Suite (Windows 10) app type. This app type makes it very easy to assign Office 365 ProPlus apps to managed Windows 10 by utilizing the Office CSP. Additionally, it also allows the installation of the Microsoft Project Online desktop client, and Microsoft Visio Pro for Office 365. I know, I’m not the first to write about this app type, nor will I be the last, but this app type needs all the attention it can get. It’s that nice. I’ll start this post with some prerequisites and important information, followed by the configuration. I’ll end this post with the administrator experience. Good to know …

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