Remote Help to Add Support for Android Devices This Month

Cloud Computing

Last year, Microsoft introduced a new Remote Help solution for the Microsoft Intune Suite. The company announced yesterday that the Remote Help app is coming to Android devices this month.

Remote Help is a cloud-based solution that allows helpdesk agents to remotely connect to the user’s device and troubleshoot issues. The service is available as an add-on for the Microsoft Intune Suite, and it requires a Microsoft Intune Plan 1 license.

The Remote Help app will only support Samsung and Zebra devices enrolled with Android Enterprise Dedicated. It will provide several key capabilities, including Role-based access control (RBAC) and permissions. The feature will let IT admins ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information on Android devices. It will also be possible to define allowed actions and set parameters for a specific helpdesk associate’s role.

Unattended access

The Remote Help app will add support for unattended access on Android devices. The feature will allow IT teams to connect to devices even when the user is not present on the device. The unattended access feature should make it easier to troubleshoot issues and perform maintenance activities outside of business hours.

Remote access setup

Microsoft notes that administrators can deploy the Remote Help app through the Intune admin center without any user interaction. However, users will first need to activate the Knox license and provide remote access permissions on Samsung devices. Similarly, Zebra users will need to use OEMConfig to grant remote access permissions on their devices.

Remote Help to Add Support for Android Devices This Month

Remote Help to support reporting capabilities and compliance warnings

The Remote Help service will trigger notifications about devices that are not compliant with organizational policies. These alerts should make it easier to mitigate security risks within enterprise environments.

Lastly, the Remote Help app will provide reporting capabilities that should help to detect suspicious activities and recurring issues. These reports will include details about start/end times and the data will be retained for 30 days.

The Remote Help app for Android will launch in public preview later this month. It will be available at no additional cost for organizations with the Intune Suite or Remote Help licenses. Microsoft also plans to expand Remote Help support to Mac devices in September.