Android

Using offline mode and app access without signing in on Android Enterprise dedicated devices

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This week is all about the recently introduced functionalities of offline mode and app access without signing in. Those functionalities are specifically created for Android Enterprise dedicated devices that are enrolled into Microsoft Entra shared device mode and that are using the Managed Home Screen as launcher for other approved apps. Both of these functionalities are focused on scenarios in which the user is required to sign in to the device before the apps on the device can be used. With these functionalities, however, the IT administrator can enable specific apps to be available even when the device is offline, and even before signing in to the device. That makes sure that the user can still be productive when the device is offline, and can …

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Blocking Bluetooth on Android devices

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This week is all about a new configuration option for corporate-owned Android Enterprise devices. That new configuration option is the ability to block the usage of Bluetooth. There can be many different reasons why organizations might want to block the usage of Bluetooth on (some) Android devices within the environment. That could be simply from a functional perspective to preserve battery and to extend the usage time, but that could also be more from a security perspective to prevent the device from being exploited. For the latter think about unauthorized access, data interception, malware distribution, or even something like bluejacking (sending messages to nearby devices). All pretty good reasons to think about the default availability of Bluetooth on Android devices within the environment. Especially on …

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Getting started with the Global Secure Access client for Android

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This week is all about getting started with the Global Secure Access client for Android. That makes this post a follow-up on this post about getting started with the Global Secure Access client for Windows of a few months ago. To start with a similar short introduction, Global Secure Access is the Security Service Edge (SSE) solution of Microsoft. Gartner defines SSE as a solution that secures access to the web, cloud services and private applications, regardless of the location of the user or the device they are using or where that application is hosted. Within Global Secure Access, Microsoft introduced Entra Internet Access and Entra Private Access to provide that functionality. Of those products, Entra Internet Access is focused on secured access to Microsoft …

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Limiting access to apps during non-working time

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This week is all about a relatively new functionality for limiting access to apps on iOS and Android devices during non-working time. Working time settings allow organizations to enforce policies that limit access to apps and to mute notification messages from apps during non-working time. Muting notifications is something that was already possible by using global quiet time, as described in this earlier post. Limiting access, however, is something relatively new that can be used for limiting access to specific apps during non-working time. That can be achieved by using app protection policies to block or warn users from using Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Edge on their iOS and Android devices, during non-working time. For that, a new setting is introduced in the conditional launch …

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Connecting Microsoft Intune with Managed Google Play – The new and easy way

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This week is all about connecting Microsoft Intune with Managed Google Play. There has been multiple post already on this blog describing all the different management options available to Android devices. The biggest part being focused on Android Enterprise. Not really strange as Android Enterprise is the most common used program by organizations to integrate support for their Android devices into their management solution. That includes Microsoft Intune. The availability of the APIs belonging to Android Enterprise make sure that the management of Android devices can be standardized and contains many configuration capabilities cross vendor. To get that integration between Microsoft Intune and Android Enterprise, it’s important to connect Microsoft Intune with a Managed Google Play account. Creating that connection has never really been a …

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Temporarily removing apps and configurations from mobile devices

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This week is all about a new feature that is specifically for mobile devices, and that feature is the ability to remove, reinstall, and re-apply specific configuration policies, configuration profiles, and apps. The best part is that it can be achieved without changing the assignments of those apps and configurations. That can be really useful to help with resolving specific challenges and to quickly restore the productivity of the user. The apps and configurations that were removed will automatically be restored within 8-24 hours. Alternatively, the IT administrator can also manually initiate an action to restore the removed apps and configurations earlier. So, in the end, the focus remains on ensuring that the devices remain consistent with the assigned apps and configurations. This post will …

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Staging corporate Android devices

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This week is all about the recently ability to stage Android Enterprise devices. That ability enables IT administrators to further prepare devices before actually giving them to the user. In a way, staging Android Enterprise devices is similar to pre-provisioning Windows devices. In other words, a method to prepare the device for the user and to simplify and fasten the user experience to get up-and-running. Before, the IT administrator would generate an enrollment token that could be used by the user to start the enrollment process. The user would then sign in and walk through the guided enrollment process. Now, with the staging ability, the IT administrator still generates an enrollment token, but instead of directly sharing that with the user, it’s used by the …

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Remotely collecting diagnostic logs for managed Microsoft 365 apps

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This week is sort of a follow-up on a post of more then 5 years ago, about checking diagnostic logs for managed apps on iOS and Android devices. That post was focussed on how to achieve that locally on the device. Since recently, a lot has changed. The local option is still available, but it’s now also possible to remotely collect those diagnostic logs for managed Microsoft 365 apps. That make the troubleshooting of app protection and app configuration policies a lot easier. Without really difficult, or challenging, activities from an user perspective. The main thing that is left for the user, is accepting the remote collections of the diagnostics logs. There are, however, some other details to keep in mind. This post will focus …

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Using a BYOCA with Microsoft Cloud PKI

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This week is a follow-up on the post of last week about getting started with Microsoft Cloud PKI (Cloud PKI). This time it’s all about using a bring your own certificate authority (BYOCA) with Cloud PKI. BYOCA is focused on providing organizations with the ability to rely on an existing private CA. That can for example be an existing on-premises PKI infrastructure based on Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS). BYOCA enables the IT administrator to create an issuing CA in Cloud PKI that is anchored to that existing private CA. By doing that, the issuing CA becomes an extension of the already existing (on-premises) PKI infrastructure. That might take some of the previously mentioned benefits away, as this won’t takeaway all the need to maintain …

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Getting started with Microsoft Cloud PKI

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This week is sort of another follow-up on the earlier posts about new Microsoft Intune Suite add-on capabilities. This time it’s all about the latest addition, Microsoft Cloud PKI (Cloud PKI). Cloud PKI provides organizations with a cloud-based service that simplifies and automates the certificate lifecycle management for Intune managed devices. It literally provides a public key infrastructure (PKI) from the cloud. That PKI environment can be built within a few minutes, by simply going through a couple of wizards. Even when relying on at least a two-tier hierarchy, with a root certificate authority (CA) and an issuing CA. There is no longer a need to maintain on-premises servers, connectors, or hardware. Cloud PKI handles the certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation for Intune managed devices. …

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