How to Deploy Microsoft 365 Apps via Intune

Deploying Microsoft 365 Apps (formerly Office 365 ProPlus) through Intune is one of the first things you should set up when building out a managed Windows environment. It means new devices get Office automatically during Autopilot, existing devices get it pushed silently, and you get central control over update channels without touching each machine individually.

Intune has a dedicated app type specifically for Microsoft 365 Apps that makes this much easier than using a custom Win32 app. Here's the full process.

Add the App in Intune

📋 App Setup

intune.microsoft.com› Apps› Windows› Add› Microsoft 365 Apps (Windows 10 and later)

From the app type dropdown, select Microsoft 365 Apps (Windows 10 and later). This gives you the built-in wizard rather than having to build an Office Deployment Tool XML file manually.

Configure the App Suite

⚙️ Configuration

The configuration suite lets you choose which apps to include and how they're deployed.

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Suite Configuration

Apps, architecture, and update channel

Select Office apps to includeChoose the apps that will be deployed

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Teams

Architecture32-bit or 64-bit

64-bit

Update ChannelHow often Office updates are released to devices

Monthly Enterprise Channel

Remove other versions of OfficeUninstall any pre-existing Office installs before deploying

Yes

Accept the Microsoft Software License Terms on behalf of usersSuppresses the EULA prompt during install

Yes

ℹ️

Update Channel choice

Monthly Enterprise Channel gives you updates once a month on a predictable schedule with a one-month delay after release. This gives time for Microsoft to catch any major issues before updates reach your fleet. Current Channel gets updates as soon as they're released, which is faster but occasionally bumpy.

Should you include Teams?

This depends on your setup. If you are deploying Teams via a separate policy or if you're on a Teams licencing plan that includes the new Teams client, skip Teams from the M365 Apps suite to avoid conflicts. For most SMBs deploying via M365 Business Premium, including Teams here is fine.

Properties

Give the app a name and description that will appear in the Company Portal if you're using it. Something like Microsoft 365 Apps with a description of what's included keeps it clear for users.

Assignments

👥 Assignments

Under Assignments, add the app as Required for your device group. This pushes the installation automatically without any user action.

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Assignment Type

How the app is pushed to devices

RequiredInstalls automatically on all targeted devices, no user action needed

Use this for corporate devices

Available for enrolled devicesShows in Company Portal for users to install themselves

Optional for BYOD

Assign the Required deployment to All Devices or a specific device group. If you use Autopilot, Office will begin installing during the Enrollment Status Page phase, so devices arrive at the desktop with Office already present.

Monitor the Deployment

intune.microsoft.com› Apps› Windows› Microsoft 365 Apps› Device Install Status

The Device Install Status report shows each device's installation state. You'll see Installed, Not Installed, Failed, or Pending Restart. Failed installs usually have an error code you can look up in the Intune Error Codes tool.

Common Issues

Activation not working after install

If Office installs but shows as unlicensed, check the user has an M365 licence assigned in Entra ID admin centre and that the device has been able to reach Microsoft's activation servers. Run cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus in an admin command prompt to see the current licence state.

Install showing as Pending

Devices in a pending state haven't yet checked in with Intune to receive the deployment. Trigger a manual sync from the Intune Company Portal app or run Start-Process "deviceenroller.exe" -ArgumentList "/o /d /c" in PowerShell to force a policy refresh.

✅

Use update rings to manage Office updates separately

Once M365 Apps is deployed, create an Update Rings policy in Intune under Apps to control how and when Office updates push to different device groups. Useful for running a pilot group on Current Channel before rolling to the rest of the fleet.