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Windows 10/11 and Windows Holographic device settings to add VPN connections using Intune

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Note

Intune may support more settings than the settings listed in this article. Not all settings are documented, and won't be documented. To see the settings you can configure, create a device configuration policy, and select Settings Catalog. For more information, go to Settings catalog.

You can add and configure VPN connections for devices using Microsoft Intune. This article describes some of the settings and features you can configure when creating virtual private networks (VPNs). These VPN settings are used in device configuration profiles, and then pushed or deployed to devices.

As part of your mobile device management (MDM) solution, use these settings to allow or disable features, including using a specific VPN vendor, enabling always on, using DNS, adding a proxy, and more.

These settings apply to devices running:

  • Windows 10/11
  • Windows Holographic for Business

Before you begin

User scope or Device scope

  • Use this VPN profile with a user/device scope: Apply the profile to the user scope or the device scope:

    • User scope: The VPN profile is installed within the user's account on the device, such as user@contoso.com. If another user signs in to the device, the VPN profile isn't available.
    • Device scope: The VPN profile is installed in the device context, and applies to all users on the device. Windows Holographic devices only support device scope.

Existing VPN profiles apply to their existing scope. By default, new VPN profiles are installed in the user scope except for the profiles with device tunnel enabled. VPN profiles with device tunnel enabled use the device scope.

Connection type

  • Connection type: Select the VPN connection type from the following list of vendors:

    • Check Point Capsule VPN
    • Cisco AnyConnect
    • Citrix
    • F5 Access
    • Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect
    • Pulse Secure
    • SonicWall Mobile Connect
    • Automatic (Native type)
    • IKEv2 (Native type)
    • L2TP (Native type)
    • PPTP (Native type)

Base VPN

The following settings are shown depending on the connection type you select. Not all settings are available for all connection types.

  • Connection name: Enter a name for this connection. End users see this name when they browse their device for the list of available VPN connections. For example, enter Contoso VPN.

  • Servers: Add one or more VPN servers that devices connect to. When you add a server, you enter the following information:

    • Import: Browse to a comma-separated file that includes a list of servers in the format: description, IP address or FQDN, Default server. Choose OK to import these servers into the Servers list.
    • Export: Exports the existing list of servers to a comma-separated-values (csv) file.
    • Description: Enter a descriptive name for the server, such as Contoso VPN server.
    • VPN server address: Enter the IP address or fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the VPN server that devices connect to, such as 192.168.1.1 or vpn.contoso.com.
    • Default server: True enables this server as the default server that devices use to establish the connection. Set only one server as the default. False (default) doesn't use this VPN server as the default server.

  • Register IP addresses with internal DNS: Select Enable to configure the VPN profile to dynamically register the IP addresses assigned to the VPN interface with the internal DNS. Select Disable to not dynamically register the IP addresses.

  • Always On: Enable automatically connects to the VPN connection when the following events happen:

    • Users sign into their devices.
    • The network on the device changes.
    • The screen on the device turns back on after being turned off.

    To use device tunnel connections, such as IKEv2, Enable this setting.

    Disable doesn't automatically turn on the VPN connection. Users might have to turn on the VPN manually.

  • Authentication method: Select how you want users to authenticate to the VPN server. Your options:

    • Certificates: Select an existing user client certificate profile to authenticate the user. This option provides enhanced features, such as zero-touch experience, on-demand VPN, and per-app VPN.

      To create certificate profiles in Intune, see Use certificates for authentication.

    • Username and password: Require users to enter their domain username and password to authenticate, such as user@contoso.com, or contoso\user.

    • Derived credential: Use a certificate that's derived from a user's smart card. If no derived credential issuer is configured, Intune prompts you to add one. For more information, see Use derived credentials in Intune.

      Note

      Currently, derived credentials as an authentication method for VPN profiles isn't working as expected on Windows devices. This behavior only impacts VPN profiles on Windows devices and will be fixed in a future release (no ETA).

    • EAP (IKEv2 only): Select an existing Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) client certificate profile to authenticate. Enter the authentication parameters in the EAP XML setting.

      For more information on EAP authentication, see Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) for network access and EAP configuration.

    • Machine certificates (IKEv2 only): Select an existing device client certificate profile to authenticate the device.

      If you use device tunnel connections, you must select Machine certificates.

      To create certificate profiles in Intune, see Use certificates for authentication.

  • Remember credentials at each logon: Enable caches the authentication credentials. When set to Not configured, Intune doesn't change or update this setting. By default, the OS might not cache the authentication credentials.

  • Custom XML: Enter any custom XML commands that configure the VPN connection.

  • EAP XML: Enter any EAP XML commands that configure the VPN connection.

    For more information, including creating custom EAP XML, see EAP configuration.

  • Device tunnel (IKEv2 only): Enable connects the device to the VPN automatically without any user interaction or sign in. This setting applies to devices joined to Microsoft Entra ID.

    To use this feature, you must configure the following settings:

    • Connection type: Set to IKEv2.
    • Always On: Set to Enable.
    • Authentication method: Set to Machine certificates.

    Only assign one profile per device with Device Tunnel enabled.

IKE Security Association Parameters (IKEv2 only)

Important

Windows 11 requires that:

These cryptography settings are used during IKE security association negotiations (also known as main mode or phase 1) for IKEv2 connections. These settings must match the VPN server settings. If the settings don't match, the VPN profile won't connect.

  • Encryption algorithm: Select the encryption algorithm used on the VPN server. For example, if your VPN server uses AES 128 bit, then select AES-128 from the list.

    When set to Not configured, Intune doesn't change or update this setting.

  • Integrity check algorithm: Select the integrity algorithm used on the VPN server. For example, if your VPN server uses SHA1-96, then select SHA1-96 from the list.

    When set to Not configured, Intune doesn't change or update this setting.

  • Diffie-Hellman group: Select the Diffie-Hellman computation group used on the VPN server. For example, if your VPN server uses Group2 (1024 bits), then select 2 from the list.

    When set to Not configured, Intune doesn't change or update this setting.

Child Security Association Parameters (IKEv2 only)

Important

Windows 11 requires that:

These cryptography settings are used during child security association negotiations (also known as quick mode or phase 2) for IKEv2 connections. These settings must match the VPN server settings. If the settings don't match, the VPN profile won't connect.

  • Cipher transform algorithm: Select the algorithm used on the VPN server. For example, if your VPN server uses AES-CBC 128 bit, then select CBC-AES-128 from the list.

    When set to Not configured, Intune doesn't change or update this setting.

  • Authentication transform algorithm: Select the algorithm used on the VPN server. For example, if your VPN server uses AES-GCM 128 bit, then select GCM-AES-128 from the list.

    When set to Not configured, Intune doesn't change or update this setting.

  • Perfect forward secrecy (PFS) group: Select the Diffie-Hellman computation group used for perfect forward secrecy (PFS) on the VPN server. For example, if your VPN server uses Group2 (1024 bits), then select 2 from the list.

    When set to Not configured, Intune doesn't change or update this setting.

Pulse Secure example

<pulse-schema><isSingleSignOnCredential>true</isSingleSignOnCredential></pulse-schema>

F5 Edge Client example

<f5-vpn-conf><single-sign-on-credential /></f5-vpn-conf>

SonicWALL Mobile Connect example

Login group or domain: This property can't be set in the VPN profile. Instead, Mobile Connect parses this value when the user name and domain are entered in the username@domain or DOMAIN\username formats.

Example:

<MobileConnect><Compression>false</Compression><debugLogging>True</debugLogging><packetCapture>False</packetCapture></MobileConnect>

CheckPoint Mobile VPN example

<CheckPointVPN port="443" name="CheckPointSelfhost" sso="true" debug="3" />

Tip

For more information about writing custom XML commands, see the manufacturer's VPN documentation.

Apps and Traffic Rules

  • Associate WIP or apps with this VPN: Enable this setting if you only want some apps to use the VPN connection. Your options:

    • Not configured (default): Intune doesn't change or update this setting.
    • Associate a WIP with this connection: All apps in the Windows Identity Protection domain automatically use the VPN connection.
      • WIP domain for this connection: Enter a Windows Identity Protection (WIP) domain. For example, enter contoso.com.
    • Associate apps with this connection: The apps you enter automatically use the VPN connection.

      • Restrict VPN connection to these apps: Disable (default) allows all apps to use the VPN connection. Enable restricts the VPN connection to the apps you enter (per-app VPN). Traffic rules for the apps you add are automatically added to the Network traffic rules for this VPN connection setting.

        When you select Enable, the app identifier list becomes read-only. Before you enable this setting, add your associated apps.

      • Associated Apps: Select Import to import a .csv file with your list of apps. Your .csv looks similar to the following file:

        %windir%\system32\notepad.exe,desktop Microsoft.Office.OneNote_8wekyb3d8bbwe,universal

        The type of app determines the app identifier. For a universal app, enter the package family name, such as Microsoft.Office.OneNote_8wekyb3d8bbwe. For a desktop app, enter the file path of the app, such as %windir%\system32\notepad.exe.

        To get the package family name, you can use the Get-AppxPackage Windows PowerShell cmdlet. For example, to get the OneNote package family name, open Windows PowerShell, and enter Get-AppxPackage *OneNote. For more information, see Find a PFN for an app that's installed on a Windows client computer and Get-AppxPackage cmdlet.

    Important

    We recommend that you secure all app lists created for per-app VPNs. If an unauthorized user changes this list, and you import it into the per-app VPN app list, then you potentially authorize VPN access to apps that shouldn't have access. One way you can secure app lists is using an access control list (ACL).

  • Network traffic rules for this VPN connection: You can add network rules that apply to this VPN connection. Use this feature to filter network traffic to this VPN connection.

    • If you do create a network traffic rule, then the VPN only uses the protocols, ports, and IP address ranges that you enter in this rule.
    • If you don't create a network traffic rule, then all protocols, ports, and address ranges are enabled for this VPN connection.

    When adding traffic rules, to avoid VPN issues, it's recommended to add a catch-all rule that is least restrictive.

    Select Add to create a rule and enter the following information. You can also Import a .csv file with this information.

    • Name: Enter a name for the network traffic rule.

    • Rule type: Enter the tunnel method for this rule. This setting only applies when this rule is associated with an app. Your options:

      • None (default)
      • Split tunnel: This option gives client devices two connections simultaneously. One connection is secure and is designed to keep the network traffic private. The second connection is open to the network and lets Internet traffic go through.
      • Force tunnel: All network traffic in this rule goes through the VPN. No network traffic in this rule goes directly to the Internet.

    • Direction: Select the flow of network traffic your VPN connection allows. Your options:

      • Inbound: Only allows traffic from external sites through the VPN. Outbound traffic is blocked from entering the VPN.
      • Outbound (default): Only allows traffic to external sites through the VPN. Inbound traffic is blocked from entering the VPN.

      To allow inbound and outbound, create two separate rules. Create one rule for inbound, and another rule for outbound.

    • Protocol: Enter the port number of the network protocol you want the VPN to use, from 0-255. For example, enter 6 for TCP, or 17 for UDP.

      When you enter a protocol, you're connecting two networks over this same protocol. If you use the TPC (6) or UDP (17) protocols, you also need to enter the allowed local & remote port ranges and the allowed local & remote IP address ranges.

      You can also Import a .csv file with this information.

    • Local port ranges: If you use the TPC (6) or UDP (17) protocols, then enter the allowed local network port ranges. For example, enter 100 for the lower port and 120 for the upper port.

      You can create a list of allowed port ranges, such as 100-120, 200, 300-320. For a single port, enter the same port number in both fields.

      You can also Import a .csv file with this information.

    • Remote port ranges: If you use the TPC (6) or UDP (17) protocols, then enter the allowed remote network port ranges. For example, enter 100 for the lower port and 120 for the upper port.

      You can create a list of allowed port ranges, such as 100-120, 200, 300-320. For a single port, enter the same port number in both fields.

      You can also Import a .csv file with this information.

    • Local address ranges: Enter the allowed local network IPv4 address ranges that can use the VPN. Only client device IP addresses in this range use this VPN.

      For example, enter 10.0.0.22 for the lower port and 10.0.0.122 for the upper port.

      You can create a list of allowed IP addresses. For a single IP address, enter the same IP address in both fields.

      You can also Import a .csv file with this information.

    • Remote address ranges: Enter the allowed remote network IPv4 address ranges that can use the VPN. Only IP addresses in this range use this VPN.

      For example, enter 10.0.0.22 for the lower port and 10.0.0.122 for the upper port.

      You can create a list of allowed IP addresses. For a single IP address, enter the same IP address in both fields.

      You can also Import a .csv file with this information.

Conditional Access

  • Conditional Access for this VPN connection: Enables device compliance flow from the client. When enabled, the VPN client communicates with Microsoft Entra ID to get a certificate to use for authentication. The VPN should be set up to use certificate authentication, and the VPN server must trust the server returned by Microsoft Entra ID.

  • Single sign-on (SSO) with alternate certificate: For device compliance, use a certificate different from the VPN authentication certificate for Kerberos authentication. Enter the certificate with the following settings:

    • Name: Name for extended key usage (EKU)
    • Object Identifier: Object identifier for EKU
    • Issuer hash: Thumbprint for SSO certificate

DNS Settings

  • DNS suffix search list: In DNS suffixes, enter a DNS suffix, and Add. You can add many suffixes.

    When using DNS suffixes, you can search for a network resource using its short name, instead of the fully qualified domain name (FQDN). When you search using the short name, the suffix is automatically determined by the DNS server. For example, utah.contoso.com is in the DNS suffix list. You ping DEV-comp. In this scenario, it resolves to DEV-comp.utah.contoso.com.

    DNS suffixes are resolved in the order listed, and the order can be changed. For example, colorado.contoso.com and utah.contoso.com are in the DNS suffix list, and both have a resource called DEV-comp. Since colorado.contoso.com is first in the list, it resolves as DEV-comp.colorado.contoso.com.

    To change the order, select the dots to the left of the DNS suffix, and then drag the suffix to the top:

    Select the three dots, and click-and-drag to move the dns suffix

  • Name Resolution Policy table (NRPT) rules: Name Resolution Policy table (NRPT) rules define how DNS resolves names when connected to the VPN. After the VPN connection is established, you choose which DNS servers the VPN connection uses.

    You can add rules that include the domain, DNS server, proxy, and other details. These rules resolve the domain you enter. The VPN connection uses these rules when users connect to the domains you enter.

    Select Add to add a new rule. For each server, enter:

    • Domain: Enter the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) or a DNS suffix to apply the rule. You can also enter a period (.) at the beginning for a DNS suffix. For example, enter contoso.com or .allcontososubdomains.com.
    • DNS servers: Enter the IP address or DNS server that resolves the domain. For example, enter 10.0.0.3 or vpn.contoso.com.
    • Proxy: Enter the web proxy server that resolves the domain. For example, enter http://proxy.com.
    • Automatically connect: When Enabled, the device automatically connects to the VPN when a device connects to a domain you enter, such as contoso.com. When Not configured (default), the device doesn't automatically connect to the VPN
    • Persistent: When set to Enabled, the rule stays in the Name Resolution Policy table (NRPT) until the rule is manually removed from the device, even after the VPN disconnects. When set to Not configured (default), NRPT rules in the VPN profile are removed from the device when the VPN disconnects.

Proxy

  • Automatic configuration script: Use a file to configure the proxy server. Enter the proxy server URL that includes the configuration file. For example, enter http://proxy.contoso.com/pac.
  • Address: Enter the IP address or fully qualified host name of the proxy server. For example, enter 10.0.0.3 or vpn.contoso.com.
  • Port number: Enter the port number used by your proxy server. For example, enter 8080.
  • Bypass proxy for local addresses: This setting applies if your VPN server requires a proxy server for the connection. If you don't want to use a proxy server for local addresses, then choose Enable.

Split Tunneling

  • Split tunneling: Enable or Disable to let devices decide which connection to use depending on the traffic. For example, a user in a hotel uses the VPN connection to access work files, but uses the hotel's standard network for regular web browsing.
  • Split tunneling routes for this VPN connection: Add optional routes for third-party VPN providers. Enter a destination prefix, and a prefix size for each connection.

Trusted Network Detection

Trusted network DNS suffixes: When users are already connected to a trusted network, you can prevent devices from automatically connecting to other VPN connections.

In DNS suffixes, enter a DNS suffix that you want to trust, such as contoso.com, and select Add. You can add as many suffixes as you want.

If a user is connected to a DNS suffix in the list, then the user won't automatically connect to another VPN connection. The user continues to use the trusted list of DNS suffixes you enter. The trusted network is still used, even if any autotriggers are set.

For example, if the user is already connected to a trusted DNS suffix, then the following autotriggers are ignored. Specifically, the DNS suffixes in the list cancel all other connection autotriggers, including:

  • Always on
  • App-based trigger
  • DNS autotrigger

Next steps

The profile is created, but may not be doing anything yet. Be sure to assign the profile, and monitor its status.

Configure VPN settings on Android, iOS/iPadOS, and macOS devices.