Deploying Software with Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune (part of Microsoft Endpoint Manager) enables organizations to remotely deploy and manage software across user devices seamlessly.

Steps to Deploy Software

Prepare your app

1. Confirm how your app installation should occur
   • Check your installation arguments.
   • Check your uninstallation arguments
   • Test locally to confirm methods
   • Create your IntuneWin file
2. Plan out your app installation
   • Be mindful of how you target your application deployment. The recommended method is using user targeting, but this will depend on the nature of your business/use case
   • See the table Here to see how targeting works and is resolved when mapped with different intents.
3. Consider piloting your app deployment to test devices
   • For any large/Major application, consider doing a few test deployments.
   • Check Intune’s logs for success/error reports, and investigate the causes of errors.

Not familiar with .Intunewin files? Use the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool to package `.exe` installers into `.intunewin`.

Upload your app

1. Accessing the upload option

   • From the intune portal, click the apps icon on the far left side bar
   • Click windows (Or all apps) in the Apps sidebar
   • Select the create option
   • Choose Windows app (Win32) under the “Other” Section in app type and select next

2. Configure App Information

   • Enter details such as Name, Description, and Publisher.
   • Provide information in the notes section for other IT staff. This should include the location of installer files or script information if it’s setup this way.

3. Set Installation and Uninstallation Commands

   • Example .exe installation command:

     installer.exe /silent

   • Example MSI installation command:

     msiexec /i "app.msi" /qn

Note

Other methods can be used outside of Intunewin files, but most are not recommended. You should however, use the Microsoft 365 apps where possible. The best use for this is to manage your Microsoft office installation.

4. Define Detection Rules

   • Configure how Intune detects if the app is installed. Commonly used methods include checking files, registry settings, or version numbers. Use a method that suits the deploying app.

5. Assign the App

   • Available: Users install manually via Company Portal.
   • Required: Installs automatically on targeted devices.
   • Uninstall: Removes the app from assigned devices.

6. Review and Create

   • Confirm settings and click Create to finalize the deployment.

Working with the company portal

For apps where you’d like to have users have access to self-service on personal devices, assign the application as “Available” and use user based targeting. This allows your end users to install the app without needing IT services to assist with installation.

Monitoring Deployment

• Navigate to Apps → Monitor to check deployment statuses.
• Resolve any issues indicated by deployment logs.
• This can also be achieved by visiting your app, and viewing the install status from there.

Deployment Best Practices

Deploy to a pilot group first to validate the deployment before a broad rollout.

Further reading

Best practice for Intunewin files

When using the content prep tool, you should keep the sources folder you’ve setup in a team wide accessible area, alongside any custom scripts in the package if one was created. This is to assist with troubleshooting or updating packages further down the line where customization had to be done to install an application.

For example, your folder directory may look like the following

• Directoryfileshare01

  • Directoryshr$

    • DirectorySoftware

      • DirectoryApplicationName

        • Directorysources This folder would contain all the apps required files

          • installer.exe
          • license.lic
          • config.cof
      • Applicationname.intunewin

Author’s notes

Monitoring and troubleshooting app deployment should (And maybe will be) Migrated to a new section and cover common errors during app deployment.

references

• Microsoft Docs - Intune Application Deployment
• Microsoft Docs - Group filtering
• Microsoft Docs - Windows App Deployment