How to Setup Windows Autopatch and Enable Hot Patch via Intune: A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting Up Windows Autopatch in Intune

Windows Autopatch is a cloud service that automates the process of updating Windows, Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Teams. Here's a step-by-step guide to set it up:

Prerequisites

1. Licensing: Ensure you have Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3 or E5 licenses.

2. Device Requirements: Devices must be Hybrid Azure AD joined or Azure AD joined.

3. Permissions: You need Global Administrator and Intune Administrator roles.

   
   

Steps to Set Up Windows Autopatch

1. Sign in to the Intune Admin Center: Go to the Microsoft Intune admin center and sign in with your admin credentials.

2. Enroll Your Tenant:

   • Navigate to Tenant Administration > Windows Autopatch.

   • Click on Enroll and follow the prompts to complete the enrollment process.

3. Run Readiness Assessment:

   • Use the readiness assessment tool to check for any issues that need to be resolved before enrolling devices.

4. Add Devices to Autopatch:

   • Go to Devices > Windows Autopatch > Device Registration.

   • Add devices to the Autopatch Device Registration group.

5. Assign Devices to Update Rings:

   • Navigate to Devices > Windows Autopatch > Update Rings.

   • Assign devices to the appropriate update rings based on your organization's needs.

Enabling Hotpatch via Intune

Hotpatch is a feature that allows Windows updates to be applied without requiring a system reboot, minimizing disruptions. Here's how to enable it:

Prerequisites

1. Operating System: Windows 11 Enterprise, version 24H2 or later.

2. Virtualization-Based Security (VBS): Must be enabled on the device.

3. Licensing: Available with Microsoft 365 A3+, E3+, and F3 licenses.

   
   

Steps to Enable Hotpatch

1. Sign in to the Intune Admin Center: Go to the Microsoft Intune admin center and sign in with your admin credentials.

2. Navigate to Windows Updates:

   • Select Devices > Windows updates > Quality updates.

3. Create a Quality Update Policy:

   • Click on Create and select Windows quality update policy (preview).

   • Enter a name for the policy and configure the settings.

4. Enable Hotpatch:

   • In the policy settings, enable the AllowRebootlessUpdates option to activate hotpatching.

5. Assign the Policy:

   • Assign the policy to the target groups (users or devices) within your organization.