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Understand Intune and Microsoft Entra device limit restrictions

  • Article

Applies to

  • Android
  • iOS
  • macOS
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 11

There are two ways to limit the number of devices an employee or student can use for work or school. You can:

  • Configure device limit restrictions in the Microsoft Intune admin center.
  • Configure a device limit in the Microsoft Entra admin center.

This article provides an overview of each limitation, and describes the device conditions and provisioning scenarios that support them.

Intune device limit restrictions

Configure Intune device limit restrictions to limit the number of devices a user can enroll in Microsoft Intune. You can allow a user to enroll up to 15 devices. To create a device limit restriction, sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center and go to Devices > Enrollment. For more information, see Create a device limit restriction.

Intune device limit restrictions don't apply to devices enrolled via:

  • Android device administrator + device enrollment manager
  • Android Enterprise dedicated device
  • Co-management with Configuration Manager
  • Automatic enrollment + group policy
  • Automatic enrollment + device enrollment manager
  • Automatic enrollment + bulk device enrollment
  • Windows Autopilot

Devices enrolled via these methods are enrolled automatically or by an Intune admin, not by an employee or student, and are considered shared devices. Instead, you can apply the Microsoft Entra limit, where supported.

Microsoft Entra device limit

Configure the maximum number of devices per user in Microsoft Entra to limit the number of devices that can join or register with Microsoft Entra. To access this setting:

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center.
  2. Go to Identity > Devices > Device settings.

The limit applies to devices that are Microsoft Entra joined or Microsoft Entra registered, with some exceptions. It isn't applicable to Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices, and devices enrolled via:

  • Android Enterprise dedicated device
  • Windows automatic enrollment + bulk device enrollment
  • Windows automatic enrollment + group policy

For more information about configuring these setting in Microsoft Entra ID, see Configure device settings.

Applicable scenarios

Use the following table to determine the type of limitations you can apply to devices.

Platform Device management solution User affinity Does Microsoft Entra limitation apply? Does Intune limitation apply?
Android Android Enterprise personally owned work profile Yes Yes Yes
Android Android Enterprise dedicated device No No No
Android Android Enterprise fully managed Yes Yes Yes
Android Android Enterprise corporate-owned work profile Yes Yes Yes
Android Android device administrator Yes Yes Yes
Android Android device administrator + device enrollment manager No Yes No
iOS and macOS BYOD: Apple User Enrollment Yes Yes Yes
iOS and macOS BYOD: Apple Device Enrollment Yes Yes Yes
iOS and macOS Apple Automated Device Enrollment Yes Yes Yes
Windows 10/11 BYOD: User enrollment Yes Yes Yes
Windows 10/11 Automatic enrollment + group policy No No No
Windows 10/11 Automatic enrollment + device enrollment manager No Yes No
Windows 10/11 Automatic enrollment + bulk device enrollment No No No
Windows 10/11 Windows Autopilot Yes Yes No
Windows 10/11 Co-management with Configuration Manager No Yes No

Android and iOS devices

Important

Microsoft Intune is ending support for Android device administrator management on devices with access to Google Mobile Services (GMS) on August 30, 2024. After that date, device enrollment, technical support, bug fixes, and security fixes will be unavailable. If you currently use device administrator management, we recommend switching to another Android management option in Intune before support ends. For more information, read Ending support for Android device administrator on GMS devices.

iOS or Android devices example 1

  • The Microsoft Entra Maximum number of devices per user setting is set to 3.
  • The Intune Device limit setting is set to 5.

Outcome: You can enroll up to 3 devices, because the Microsoft Entra ID limits users to a maximum of 3 devices. If you try to enroll more than three devices in Intune, enrollment fails because the fourth device is blocked from registering in Microsoft Entra ID.

iOS or Android devices example 2

  • The Microsoft Entra Maximum number of devices per user setting is set to 20.
  • The Intune Device limit setting is set to 2.

Outcome: You can successfully register and enroll two devices. Intune enrollment will be blocked for any additional devices. The Microsoft Entra limit only applies to Apple automated device enrollment when devices are configured with user affinity.

Windows devices

Windows 10/11 example 1

  • The Microsoft Entra Maximum number of devices per user setting is set to 5.
  • The Intune Device limit setting is set to 3.
  • The devices are Microsoft Entra hybrid joined and enrolled automatically (GPO configured).

Outcome: Because the enrollment is provisioned by GPO, the Microsoft Entra device limit doesn't apply. The Intune device limit restriction also doesn't apply.

Windows 10/11 example 2

  • The Microsoft Entra Maximum number of devices per user setting is set to 5.
  • The Intune Device limit setting is set to 2.
  • The devices are local domain joined, and enrolled in the Settings app.

Outcome: You can only enroll two devices before they're blocked. You can register up to five devices.

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