Published: Apr 04, 2023
Microsoft has announced several new features coming to Windows Autopatch next month. These enhancements will notify IT admins about expiring licenses and access issues related to Windows Autopatch.
Windows Autopatch is a new cloud service that enables customers to automate the patching of Windows, Microsoft 365 apps, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Teams. The managed service eliminates the need for IT admins to plan and operate the Windows update process. The service is designed to minimize disruptions and improve security across an organization.
With this release, the Tenant management blade will alert IT admins that the expired licenses should be renewed/replaced to continue using Windows Autopatch. It will also inform administrators to resolve access-related issues with the service. Microsoft advises organizations to take action immediately for potential issues to avoid any disruptions in the workflows.
“We are also introducing the ability to mark the Windows Autopatch section of your tenant as “inactive” if there are any actions that need to be taken. To know if action is required, visit the Tenant management section and select the banner displayed within the Windows Autopatch Devices blade that alerts you to take action,” Microsoft explained.
Microsoft has also introduced several new features to help customers better manage their Windows environments. The Windows Autopatch Groups feature will let IT admins set up their own deployment rings and release frequency. Microsoft is updating the existing reporting experience with details about deployment status, update failures, and update compliance.
Lastly, Microsoft says that a new feature will allow IT Pros to leverage deployment rings and Windows Autopatch groups while creating Windows feature update deployments. Moreover, the policy health and remediation capabilities should make it easier to restore policies and deployment rings.
The new Window Autopatch capabilities are available in preview for select customers that opt-in in the Microsoft Intune admin center. Microsoft plans to roll out these changes to all organizations in May 2023.