{"id":521077,"date":"2025-11-22T21:29:26","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T04:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/?p=521077"},"modified":"2026-06-15T21:34:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T04:34:31","slug":"windows-autopatch-2025-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/windows-autopatch-2025-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows Autopatch 2025 Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a long overdue update to my 2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/windows-autopatch\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"42775\">Windows Autopatch<\/a> blog post when it was just released to beta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Windows Autopatch is a cloud-based service integrated into Microsoft Intune that automates the update lifecycle for Windows, Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Teams.<sup><\/sup> By leveraging existing Intune capabilities, it transitions organizations from manual &#8220;do-it-yourself&#8221; configurations to a service-managed model designed to improve security and minimize IT administrative burden.<sup><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Core Architecture and Functionality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Autopatch Groups:<\/strong> These are logical containers used to organize devices based on criteria like department, location, or function. When you create an Autopatch group, the service automatically generates the necessary Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) groups to manage deployment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Deployment Rings:<\/strong> Devices within an Autopatch group are assigned to staged deployment rings.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Standard distribution:<\/strong> By default, devices are often split (e.g., 1% in Ring 1, 9% in Ring 2, and 90% in Ring 3).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ring types:<\/strong> Beyond these, you can utilize &#8220;Test&#8221; rings for non-critical devices to validate updates, and &#8220;Last&#8221; rings for highly critical production or VIP devices to receive updates as late as possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customization:<\/strong> While Autopatch automates the distribution, you can manually adjust ring percentages or move specific devices between rings at any time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unified Dashboard:<\/strong> Located within the Microsoft Intune admin center, the dashboard provides four primary areas: <strong>Update policies<\/strong> (defining how\/when updates occur), <strong>Update groups<\/strong> (managing your rings), <strong>Update status<\/strong> (real-time monitoring of device health), and <strong>Update reports<\/strong> (analytics on compliance and performance).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Update Capabilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Windows Autopatch supports multiple update types, each with specific logic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Windows Quality &amp; Feature Updates:<\/strong> Managed through automated policies that aim to keep a high percentage (e.g., 95%) of devices up-to-date. It supports multi-phase feature update releases, allowing you to tailor the rollout to your organization&#8217;s needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hotpatching:<\/strong> For eligible devices, this allows for the installation of monthly &#8220;B&#8221; release security updates without requiring a device restart, significantly reducing user disruption.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Driver &amp; Firmware Updates:<\/strong> You can choose to receive these automatically or self-manage them, with the ability to approve or block specific drivers across your entire tenant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Microsoft 365 Apps, Edge, &amp; Teams:<\/strong> The service manages these applications automatically, aiming to keep them on supported channels (e.g., Monthly Enterprise Channel for M365 Apps).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strategic Considerations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Automation vs. Control:<\/strong> While Autopatch simplifies operations by abstracting granular settings, some enterprise environments may still require manual Windows Update for Business (WUfB) policies for specific, highly governed deployment cadences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Health Monitoring:<\/strong> The service includes integrated telemetry that monitors for update failures or policy conflicts. If an update causes widespread issues, the service provides tools to pause, resume, or roll back updates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Licensing &amp; Prerequisites:<\/strong> Windows Autopatch is generally included with Windows Enterprise E3\/E5, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, or Education A3\/A5 licenses. Devices must be enrolled in Intune and Entra ID to participate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The table below outlines the primary differences between utilizing <strong>Windows Autopatch<\/strong> and manual <strong>Intune Update Rings<\/strong> (standard Windows Update for Business policies) for endpoint management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Windows Autopatch vs. Intune Update Rings<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"919\" height=\"591\" src=\"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-170.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-521078\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-170.png 919w, https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-170-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-170-768x494.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 919px) 100vw, 919px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Windows Autopatch<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Intune Update Rings (Manual)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Management Model<sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/td><td>Fully managed, automated service.<sup><\/sup><\/td><td>Configurable, &#8220;do-it-yourself&#8221; platform.<sup><\/sup><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Admin Control<sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/td><td>Limited; Microsoft manages timing and approval.<sup><\/sup><\/td><td>Full; admins control scheduling, deferrals, and approval.<sup><\/sup><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Ring Deployment<sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/td><td>Automatic; distributes devices into predefined rings.<sup><\/sup><\/td><td>Manual; admins must configure and assign rings.<sup><\/sup><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Rollback Capability<sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/td><td>Built-in; automatic pausing for detected issues.<sup><\/sup><\/td><td>Limited; requires manual intervention to pause updates.<sup><\/sup><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Update Scope<sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/td><td>Windows, M365 Apps, Edge, Teams, Drivers.<sup><\/sup><\/td><td>Windows and Drivers (via policies).<sup><\/sup><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Best For<sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/td><td>Hands-off, automated workstation patching.<sup><\/sup><\/td><td>Environments requiring granular, manual control.<sup><\/sup><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Considerations<sup><\/sup><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Automation:<\/strong> Windows Autopatch removes the &#8220;faff&#8221; of manual ring and policy management by automating the distribution of devices and handling update health.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Operational Control:<\/strong> With standard Intune policies, you maintain full control over the exact dates, times, and cadence of patch deployments, which may be preferred for highly sensitive or complex environments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integration:<\/strong> Both services utilize the same backend (Windows Update for Business) and are managed through the Microsoft Intune admin center. Windows Autopatch essentially layers intelligent automation and service-managed health monitoring on top of these core capabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This shift toward &#8220;set it and forget it&#8221; management is intended to free up IT teams to focus on more strategic initiatives by removing the &#8220;faff&#8221; of manually maintaining update rings and schedules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is a long overdue update to my 2022 Windows Autopatch blog post when it was just released to beta. Windows Autopatch is a cloud-based service integrated into Microsoft Intune that automates the update lifecycle for Windows, Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Teams. By leveraging existing Intune capabilities, it transitions organizations&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":368732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[681,441],"tags":[726,13,742,769],"class_list":["post-521077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-moderneuc2","category-tech-talk","tag-mdm","tag-microsoft","tag-moderneuc1","tag-uem"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":681,"label":"ModernEUC"},{"value":441,"label":"Tech Talk"}],"post_tag":[{"value":726,"label":"MDM"},{"value":13,"label":"Microsoft"},{"value":742,"label":"ModernEUC"},{"value":769,"label":"UEM"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindowsAutoPatch-featuredImage-730x430-1.jpg",730,430,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Jorge Pereira","author_link":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/author\/jorge\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":681,"name":"ModernEUC","slug":"moderneuc2","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":691,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":274,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":681,"category_count":274,"category_description":"","cat_name":"ModernEUC","category_nicename":"moderneuc2","category_parent":0},{"term_id":441,"name":"Tech Talk","slug":"tech-talk","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":451,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":728,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":441,"category_count":728,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Tech Talk","category_nicename":"tech-talk","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":726,"name":"MDM","slug":"mdm","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":736,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":31,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":13,"name":"Microsoft","slug":"microsoft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":112,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":49,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":742,"name":"ModernEUC","slug":"moderneuc1","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":752,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":298,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":769,"name":"UEM","slug":"uem","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":779,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":49,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=521077"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521077\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":521079,"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521077\/revisions\/521079"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/368732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=521077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=521077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=521077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}