A Tale of Two Autopilots

Windows Autopilot (v1): A Versatile Enrollment Engine

The original Windows Autopilot is designed to cater to a wide range of deployment scenarios. When enrolling new devices with Autopilot v1, organizations benefit from:

• Multiple Deployment Modes:
  • User-Driven Enrollment: The most common scenario, where the end user connects to a network, signs in, and the device automatically applies policies, apps, and settings during the out-of-box experience (OOBE).
  • Pre-Provisioned Deployment: IT, OEM partners, or administrators can preconfigure most of the settings (apps, policies, configuration profiles) on the device before it reaches the end user. This means that when the device is handed over, users experience a near-instant “ready-to-go” environment.
  • Self-Deploying Mode & Existing Devices: These additional modes allow for zero-touch enrollment and for reassigning devices without extensive reimaging.
• Platform Flexibility:
  • Autopilot v1 supports both Windows 10 and Windows 11, making it a broadly applicable solution for many organizations.
• Enhanced Customization & Monitoring:
  • With features such as the Enrollment Status Page (ESP), administrators can ensure that all necessary configurations (including apps and policies) are applied before the user gains full access to the desktop. However, depending on the policy configuration, users may reach the desktop even if some noncritical settings are still being applied.

(Learn more about the overall Windows Autopilot approach in Microsoft’s overview .)

Windows Autopilot Device Preparation (v2): A Streamlined, Windows 11–Only Approach

The re-architected Windows Autopilot device preparation (sometimes informally called “Autopilot v2”) shifts the focus to a simplified, cloud-centric enrollment process optimized primarily for Windows 11 devices and for certain government scenarios. Key characteristics include:

• Single Enrollment Scenario:
  • Device preparation supports only a user-driven enrollment mode. Unlike Autopilot v1, it does not yet support pre-provisioned, self-deploying, or existing device scenarios. This singular focus makes the process less flexible but easier to manage.
• Simplified Provisioning:
  • The device preparation experience limits configuration during OOBE to device-based settings. For example, it allows up to 10 essential apps (which can include line-of-business, Win32, Microsoft Store, or Microsoft 365 apps) and up to 10 PowerShell scripts. This cap is intended to improve stability and success rates during enrollment.
• Enrollment Time Grouping:
  • A new mechanism that automatically places devices into a static security group as soon as they enroll. This avoids the delays associated with dynamic group evaluations and can lead to faster, more efficient policy delivery.
• Targeted Platform & Use Case:
  • Windows Autopilot device preparation is available only for Windows 11 (with specific build requirements) and is particularly attractive for environments such as Government Community Cloud High (GCCH) and Department of Defense (DoD) customers.

(For a detailed comparison between Windows Autopilot device preparation and the original Windows Autopilot, see the comparison guide learn.microsoft.com.)

Key Differences in New Device Enrollment

When it comes to enrolling new devices, here’s how the two approaches diverge:

1. Deployment Options:
   • Autopilot v1: Offers multiple enrollment modes—including user-driven, pre-provisioned, and self-deploying—which allow IT to tailor the device rollout to different scenarios and device types.
   • Autopilot v2 (Device Preparation): Focuses solely on the user-driven scenario. It is designed to simplify the process by reducing the number of configurable options, making it particularly well suited for environments that need a fast, consistent enrollment for Windows 11.
2. Configuration Scope:
   • Autopilot v1: Supports both device- and user-based configurations. This flexibility means that devices can be pre-imaged or set up with rich, dynamic policies that may allow users to access the desktop even if some configurations are still pending.
   • Autopilot v2: Applies only device-based configurations during OOBE, and uses mechanisms such as blocking desktop access until essential settings are in place. This ensures a “business-ready” device before the end user can start working but limits the number of apps and scripts that can be applied during enrollment.
3. Platform Support:
   • Autopilot v1: Compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 11, catering to a wider range of devices within an organization.
   • Autopilot v2: Limited to Windows 11 devices, which may streamline the enrollment experience by leveraging the latest OS capabilities.
4. Monitoring and Troubleshooting:
   • Autopilot v1: Comes with robust monitoring via the Enrollment Status Page (ESP) and various reporting tools in Microsoft Intune.
   • Autopilot v2: While it also offers an enrollment status interface, its simplicity and limited configuration options can make troubleshooting more straightforward since there are fewer variables in play.

Conclusion

Both versions of Windows Autopilot share the goal of reducing the time and complexity involved in deploying and configuring new devices. However, when it comes to the enrollment of new devices:

• Autopilot v1 offers a versatile, multi-scenario approach that can support various deployment methods (including pre-provisioned and self-deploying modes) and works across Windows 10 and Windows 11. This flexibility makes it ideal for organizations with mixed device environments and complex rollout requirements.
• Autopilot v2 (Device Preparation) streamlines the process for Windows 11 devices by focusing solely on a simplified, user-driven enrollment. Its emphasis on a controlled OOBE, enforced device-based configurations, and rapid enrollment through features like Enrollment Time Grouping makes it particularly appealing for environments that demand consistency and speed over extensive customization.

Choosing between these two approaches depends on your organization’s needs, the diversity of your device fleet, and the balance between flexibility and simplicity that you require for your enrollment process.(For further details, please refer to Microsoft’s official documentation  and the Windows Autopilot comparison guide learn.microsoft.com.)