Deactivate Windows Autopatch
Important
The information in this article or section only applies if you have Windows Enterprise E3+ or F3 licenses (included in Microsoft 365 F3, E3, or E5) licenses and have activated Windows Autopatch features.
Feature activation is optional and at no additional cost to you if you have Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3 or E5 (included in Microsoft 365 F3, E3, or E5) licenses.
For more information, see Licenses and entitlements. If you choose not to go through feature activation, you can still use the Windows Autopatch service for the features included in Business premium and A3+ licenses.
If you're looking to deactivate Windows Autopatch features, this article details what deactivation means for your organization and what actions you must take.
Important
You must be a Global Administrator to deactivate Windows Autopatch features.
Deactivating from Windows Autopatch requires manual actions from both you and from the Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team. The Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team:
- Removes Windows Autopatch access to your tenant.
- We remove the Modern Workplace Management application from your tenant that is used to run the Windows Autopatch service on your tenant
- Excludes your devices from the Windows Autopatch service. Excluding your devices from Windows Autopatch doesn't remove your devices from Intune, Microsoft Entra ID or Configuration Manager. The Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team follows the same process and principles as laid out in Exclude a device.
- Deletes all data that we stored in the Windows Autopatch data storage.
Note
We will not delete any of your customer or Intune data.
Microsoft's responsibilities during deactivation
| Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Windows Autopatch data | Windows Autopatch deletes user data that is within the Windows Autopatch service. We don't make changes to any other data. For more information about how data is used in Windows Autopatch, see Privacy. |
| Excluding devices | Windows Autopatch excludes all devices previously registered with the service. Only the Windows Autopatch device record is deleted. We don't delete Microsoft Intune and/or Microsoft Entra device records. For more information, see Exclude a device. |
Your responsibilities after deactivating Windows Autopatch features
| Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Updates | After the Windows Autopatch service is deactivated, we'll no longer provide updates to your devices. You must ensure that your devices continue to receive updates through your own policies to ensure they're secure and up to date. |
| Optional Windows Autopatch configuration | Windows Autopatch doesn't remove the configuration policies or groups used to enable updates on your devices. You're responsible for these policies following tenant deactivation. If you don't wish to use these policies for your devices after deactivation, you can safely delete them. For more information, see Changes made at feature activation. |
| Microsoft Intune roles | After deactivation, you can safely remove the Modern Workplace Intune Admin role. |
To Deactivate Windows Autopatch features
To deactivate Windows Autopatch features:
- Submit a support request and request to deactivate Windows Autopatch features.
- The Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team communicates with your IT Administrator to confirm your intent to deactivate Windows Autopatch features.
- You have 14 days to review and confirm the communication sent by the Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team.
- The Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team can proceed sooner than 14 days if your confirmation arrives sooner.
- The Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team proceeds with the removal of all items listed under Microsoft's responsibilities during deactivation.
- The Windows Autopatch Service Engineering Team informs you when deactivation is complete.
- You're responsible for the items listed under Your responsibilities after deactivating Windows Autopatch features.