Pre-provision Microsoft Entra join: Register devices as Autopilot devices
Windows Autopilot for pre-provisioned deployment Microsoft Entra join steps:
- Step 1: Set up Windows automatic Intune enrollment
- Step 2: Allow users to join devices to Microsoft Entra ID
- Step 3: Register devices as Autopilot devices
- Step 4: Create a device group
- Step 5: Configure and assign Autopilot Enrollment Status Page (ESP)
- Step 6: Create and assign Autopilot profile
- Step 7: Assign Autopilot device to a user (optional)
- Step 8: Technician flow
- Step 9: User flow
For an overview of the Windows Autopilot for pre-provisioned deployment Microsoft Entra join workflow, see Windows Autopilot for pre-provisioned deployment Microsoft Entra join overview.
Note
If devices are already registered as Autopilot devices, skip this step and move on to Step 4: Create a device group.
Register devices as Autopilot devices
Before a device can use Autopilot, the device must be registered as an Autopilot device. Registering a device as an Autopilot device can be thought of as importing the device into Autopilot so that Autopilot service can be used on the device. Registering a device as an Autopilot device doesn't mean that the device has used the Autopilot service. It just makes the Autopilot service available to the device.
Also note that a device registered in Autopilot doesn't mean the device is enrolled in Intune. A device might be registered as an Autopilot device but might not exist in Intune. It's not until an Autopilot registered device goes through the Autopilot process for the first time that it becomes enrolled in Intune. After the Autopilot device undergoes the Autopilot process and enrolls in Intune, the Autopilot device appears as a device in both Microsoft Entra ID and Intune.
There are several methods to register a device as an Autopilot device in Intune:
Manually registering devices into Intune as an Autopilot device via the hardware hash. The hardware hash of a device can be collected via one of the following methods:
These methods of obtaining the hardware hash of a device are well documented. The corresponding documentation can be viewed by selecting the appropriate link from the above list.
Automatically registering device via:
- An OEM, including Microsoft Surface devices.
- A partner.
Registering a device via an OEM or partner is also well documented. The corresponding documentation can be viewed by selecting the appropriate link from the above list.
For most organizations, using an OEM or partner to register devices as Autopilot devices is the preferred, most common, and most secure method. However for smaller organizations, for testing/lab scenarios, and for emergency scenarios, manually registering devices as Autopilot devices via the hardware hash is also used.
Important
The following type of devices shouldn't be registered as a Windows Autopilot device:
- Microsoft Entra registered devices, also known as "workplace joined" devices.
- Intune MDM-only enrollment devices.
These options are intended for users to join personally owned devices to their organization's network. Windows Autopilot registered devices are registered as corporate owned devices.
If a device is already one of these two types of devices, to register is as a Windows Autopilot device, first remove it from Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID. For more information, see Why is the join type for a device showing as "Microsoft Entra registered" instead of "Microsoft Entra joined"? and Deregister a device.
Note
Assuming that a device isn't currently enrolled Intune, remember that registering a device in Autopilot doesn't make it an Intune enrolled device. That device doesn't enroll into Intune until Autopilot runs on the device for the first time.
Importing the hardware hash CSV file for devices into Intune
Several of the methods in the previous section on obtaining the hardware hash when manually registering devices as Autopilot devices produces a CSV file that contains the hardware hash of the device. This CSV file with the hardware hash needs to be imported into Intune to register the device as an Autopilot device.
After the CSV file is created, it can be imported into Intune via the following steps:
Sign into the Microsoft Intune admin center.
In the Home screen, select Devices in the left hand pane.
In the Devices | Overview screen, under By platform, select Windows.
In the Windows | Windows devices screen, under Device onboarding, select Enrollment.
In the Windows | Windows enrollment screen, under Windows Autopilot, select Devices.
In the Windows Autopilot devices screen that opens, select Import.
In the Add Autopilot devices window that opens:
Under Specify the path to the list you want to import., select the blue file folder.
Browse to the CSV file obtained using one of the above methods to obtain the hardware hash of a device.
After selecting the CSV file, verify that the correct CSV file is selected under Specify the path to the list you want to import., and then select Import. Selecting Import closes the Add Autopilot devices window. Importing can take several minutes.
After the import is complete, select Sync.
A message displays saying that the sync is in progress. The sync process might take a few minutes to complete, depending on how many devices are being synchronized.
Note
If another sync is attempted within 10 minutes after initiating a sync, an error will be displayed. Syncs can only occur once every 10 minutes. To attempt a sync again, wait at least 10 minutes before trying again.
Select Refresh to refresh the view. The newly imported devices should display within a few minutes. If the devices aren't yet displayed, wait a few minutes, and then select Refresh again.
Next step: Create a device group
Related content
For more information on registering devices as Autopilot devices, see the following articles: