Welcome to a slightly delayed newsletter, I am currently on site at Microsoft learning loads of exciting new things which I can’t tell you about, but it will all be worth the wait. So great to catch up with all of the MVPs and the incredible Microsoft staff, thank you to everyone involved.
Somehow there is also loads of content, including the final tech takeoff in March so be sure to check that out in the video content
Community Content
We start this week with a look at how to use symantic search in a Windows 365 AI cloud PC from Dieter Kempeneers
This is one I’m often asked about, “why can’t we just have GPP in Intune”? Fortunately, Maurice Daly has created just such a tool here for you
Learn how to deploy feature updates in Intune by following this guide (and video) from Manish Bangia
Next, Niall Brady and Paul Winstanley look at the new functionality to resize frontline dedicated Windows 365 machines
This post from Michael Niehaus looks at Windows release numbers and how to look at what is coming in future releases (safely)
A quick, but useful post from Tom Machado showing how to hide Windows settings menus via Intune
One to keep an eye on, Jeffrey Appel has a new series starting here looking at all things Defender suite
Defending with Microsoft: A Deep Dive into the Microsoft Defender Suite – Blog series intro
Peter van der Woude looks at how to use Windows Backup for Enterprise to restore Windows settings during first sign-in here
Before deploying a policy to block iCloud sync on your macOS estate, be sure to run this new tool from Oktay Sari
https://allthingscloud.blog/macos-impact-analysis-intune/
This post from Justin Verstijnen dives into the new RemoveAppV2 functionality
Video Content
Now onto the video content and with many of you now deploying multi-admin approval, this video from Chander Mani Pandey will be useful, showing how to send an email to notify when there is an approval waiting for you
Next, Jonathan Edwards looks at the difference between Sign-n Risk and User Risk in your conditional access policies
We also have the latest Windows 365 AMA featuring Christian Montoya, Steve Thomas, Doug Coombs and Donna Ryan
Here is the tech takeoff for this week starting with a look at the latest additions to Windows hardware security with Kevin Sullivan, Harish Krishnamurthy and Jordan Geurten
This video from Aditi Patange looks at the evolution of DNS to Zero Trust DNS in Windows
This video from Kevin Sheehan, Adam Braden, Nazmus Sakib and Matthew Palko looks at how to secure the AI features in Windows
Learn how to deploy and manage your Windows 365 devices using Intune in this video from Maggie Dakeva and Anusha Reddy
We also have a live Unpacking Endpoint Management with Rachelle Blanchard, Danny Guillory Jr, Aria Hanson and Joe Lurie
This is one time I recommend AVD, it’s a great way to give your cloud native devices access to on-prem resources and ditch the hybrid join. Here, Steve Downs looks at using AVD in a hybrid environment
Use passkeys to protect your Windows logon as covered here by Rakia Segev
Have a look at the new AI and agentic features available in Windows 365 in this video from Christiaan Brinkhoff and Sam Shapiro
Learn all about post-quantum cryptography with Jessica Krynitsky
Find out everything you need to know about Windows quick machine recovery in this video from Mounica Battula
Microsoft News
Now for this weeks Microsoft news, starting with the addition of multi-region selection for Windows 365 machines within GCC from Ron Coleman
Windows 365 is also now available for Government tenants in Texas
Microsoft have further secured kernel drivers by requiring WHCP as covered here by Peter Waxman
For all of you in New Zealand, Windows 365 frontline in shared mode is now available. Learn more here from Vidya Iyer
That’s all for this week, have an amazing weekend!