What is Microsoft Intune
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Part of the Microsoft 365 for Business series. Related: Microsoft 365 Backup ExplainedHow To Secure Microsoft 365
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Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based device and application management service that lets businesses secure, control and monitor the laptops, phones and tablets staff use for work. Included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Enterprise plans, Intune enforces security policies such as encryption and screen locks, deploys apps, and can remotely wipe a lost or stolen device — protecting company data whether it sits on a company-owned computer or an employee's personal phone.
What Intune actually does
Intune is Microsoft's endpoint management platform, replacing the manual, device-by-device approach with central, policy-based control. From one admin console you can:
- Enforce security policies — require disk encryption (BitLocker/FileVault), screen-lock PINs, and minimum operating-system versions before a device can access company data.
- Deploy and update apps — push Microsoft 365 and business apps to devices automatically.
- Manage both company and personal devices — protect work data on staff-owned phones without controlling personal content.
- Remotely wipe a lost, stolen, or departing employee's device, or selectively remove only the company data.
This central control means a growing business can secure dozens of devices consistently without an IT person physically touching each one.
MDM and MAM — two ways to manage
Intune works in two complementary modes:
- Mobile Device Management (MDM) — full control of a device, ideal for company-owned laptops and phones. You manage the whole device, enforce policies, and can wipe it entirely.
- Mobile Application Management (MAM) — control only the work apps and data on a personal device. Staff keep their privacy; the company protects only its information, and can remove just the business data if needed.
This flexibility is what makes Intune so useful for modern hybrid work. Employees can safely use their own phones for email (a 'bring your own device' model) while the business retains the ability to wipe corporate data without touching personal photos, messages or apps.
Why Canadian businesses use Intune
For Canadian organizations, device management is closely tied to privacy obligations. Under PIPEDA and Quebec's Law 25, a lost laptop full of unencrypted client data can constitute a reportable breach. Intune reduces that risk directly:
- Enforced encryption means a stolen device is unreadable, often removing breach-reporting obligations.
- Remote wipe ensures data on a lost device can be erased before it is accessed.
- Conditional access ties device compliance to sign-in, so only secure, managed devices reach company data.
For a business with staff working from home, client sites and the road, Intune turns a fleet of scattered devices into a controlled, auditable environment — supporting both security and the due-diligence expectations of Canadian privacy regulators.
Getting started with Intune
Intune comes with Business Premium, so many businesses already own it without using it. Rolling it out well involves a few stages: defining the security baseline you want to enforce, enrolling devices (often automatically for new Windows PCs through Windows Autopilot), assigning app and compliance policies, and connecting those policies to conditional access so non-compliant devices are blocked.
Done thoughtfully, enrolment is invisible to staff — a new laptop arrives pre-configured, encrypted and ready, with the right apps installed and policies applied. Rolled out carelessly, it can lock people out or disrupt work, so a planned approach matters. A managed IT partner typically designs the baseline, pilots it on a few devices, then rolls it out across the organization while keeping disruption to a minimum.
FAQ
Is Microsoft Intune included with Microsoft 365?
Intune is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and the Enterprise E3/E5 plans. It is not part of Business Basic or Standard. Many businesses already own Intune through their Premium licences without realizing it, so checking your current plan is the first step before purchasing device management separately.
Can Intune manage personal phones without invading privacy?
Yes. Using Mobile Application Management (MAM), Intune controls only the work apps and data on a personal device, not the whole phone. The business can protect and remotely remove its own data while leaving personal photos, messages and apps untouched. This makes secure 'bring your own device' work possible without compromising employee privacy.
What happens to a lost or stolen device with Intune?
Intune lets you remotely wipe the device entirely, or selectively remove only company data. Combined with enforced encryption, this means a lost laptop or phone is unreadable and its corporate data can be erased before anyone accesses it — often turning what would be a reportable privacy breach into a contained, non-reportable event.
Do I need Intune for a small business?
If staff handle client or personal data on laptops and phones — especially personal or remote devices — Intune is highly valuable. It enforces encryption, controls access, and enables remote wipe, directly supporting PIPEDA and Law 25 compliance. For very small teams on shared office computers the need is lower, but most growing businesses benefit from it.