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Manage licenses for devices

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If you have Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (device) or Microsoft 365 Apps for Education (device), you can assign licenses to devices by using Azure AD groups. When a device has a license, anyone who uses that device can use Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For example, let's say you have 20 laptops and tablets that are used by people in your organization. When you assign a license to each device, each person who logs in to one of the devices uses Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise without the need for their own license.

Important

Device-based licensing for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise is available only as an add-on license for some commercial customers and some education customers. For commercial customers, the license is Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (device) and is available only through Enterprise Agreement/Enterprise Agreement Subscription. For education customers, the license is Microsoft 365 Apps for Education (device) and is available only through Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES). For more information, read the blog post on education availability. For commercial availability, contact your Microsoft account representative.

To begin, you create a group in the Azure Active Directory admin center, and then assign devices to the group. To learn more about device licensing, including device requirements, what types of groups you can use, and how to configure Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise to use device licensing, see Device-based licensing for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise.

Important

You must be a Global admin to complete the tasks in this article.

Assign licenses to devices

When you assign licenses to a group, you assign licenses to all devices within the group. You can only assign one subscription to any single group.

  1. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to the Billing > Licenses page.
  2. On the Licenses page, choose Microsoft 365 Apps for Education (device) or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (device).
  3. On the next page, choose a subscription, then choose Assign licenses.
  4. In the Assign licenses to a group pane, begin typing a group name, and then choose it from the results to add it to the list.
  5. Choose Assign, then choose Close.

Unassign licenses from devices

When you unassign licenses from a group, you remove the licenses from all devices within the group. All apps and their associated data are then read-only.

  1. In the admin center, go to the Billing > Licenses page.
  2. On the Licenses page, choose Microsoft 365 Apps for Education (device) or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (device).
  3. On the next page, choose a subscription, select the three dots (more actions), and then choose Unassign licenses.
  4. In the Unassign licenses dialog box, choose Unassign.