Microsoft Intune Deployment: Autopilot - Windows 11 OOBE Updates

Handing a new laptop to a user used to feel like giving them a “mostly ready” device. It boots, it enrolls, apps start to land, and then Windows Update shows up with a pile of patches and reboots.

With Windows Autopilot and Microsoft Intune in 2025, that pattern can change. Windows 11 can install quality updates during OOBE (Out-of-Box Experience, the first setup screens) while the device is enrolling. The goal is simple: when the user hits the desktop the first time, the device is closer to a safe, stable baseline.

This post explains what OOBE updates are, why they matter, what you need for them to work, how to set them up in an Intune deployment, and how to avoid turning first sign-in into a long wait.

What it means to install Windows 11 updates during Autopilot OOBE (and why admins should care)

“OOBE updates” in Autopilot usually means Windows quality updates (monthly security and reliability fixes) can install before the user starts work. In practice, it shifts patching left, earlier in the lifecycle, while the device is already in a controlled setup flow.

At a high level, an Autopilot provisioning looks like this:

• The device starts Windows 11 OOBE.

• It identifies itself as an Autopilot device and downloads its assigned profile.

• It applies the join method (often Microsoft Entra ID join) and basic setup like naming rules.

• It enrolls into Intune, then begins processing policies and required apps.

• With the right Enrollment Status Page (ESP) configuration, it can also run the Windows quality update step before the user reaches the desktop.

Microsoft’s 2025 guidance positions this capability as arriving with Windows 11, version 22H2 and later, and becoming available starting with the September 2025 security update on eligible devices (with the exact rollout and defaults varying by tenant and service state). Microsoft describes the behavior and what to expect in Get ready for Windows quality updates out of the box.

Why should admins care? Because it changes the “day-one” risk profile. If devices ship from the vendor with an older cumulative update, your first user session might start behind on security fixes. Moving that update step into OOBE can mean fewer urgent patch cycles after the user signs in, fewer “restart required” prompts during the first hour, and fewer tickets that start with “my laptop is updating again.”

What happens during OOBE with Microsoft Intune and Windows Autopilot

During Autopilot OOBE (the classic Autopilot flow that uses ESP), the device gets its profile, joins Microsoft Entra ID, and enrolls into Intune. After enrollment, Intune starts pushing configuration profiles, compliance settings, certificates, and apps.

The Enrollment Status Page (ESP) is the user-facing progress screen. It’s also the control point that decides whether the user can proceed to the desktop or must wait until required items finish. When OOBE updates are enabled, the update step can run near the end of OOBE and may restart the device.

One key detail for 2025: this control applies to Autopilot OOBE that uses ESP, not Autopilot Device Preparation, because that flow doesn’t rely on the ESP for gating.

Real benefits and real tradeoffs: security and consistency vs longer first-time setup

The benefits are straightforward:

Patched on day one: devices can land current security fixes before the first work session.
More consistent baseline: fewer build-number surprises across new hires.
Less cleanup work: fewer “update now” prompts right after deployment.

The tradeoffs are real too:

Longer time on the setup screen: quality updates can add tens of minutes, depending on patch gap and bandwidth.
Internet quality matters: slow Wi-Fi or captive portals can stall everything.
Timeout risk: if you also require many apps, ESP can hit time limits.

Example: a new hire opens a laptop on Monday morning. With OOBE updates on, they might wait longer before the desktop appears, but they start work with current patches already installed instead of spending their first hour restarting.

How to set up OOBE updates in Intune deployment (Autopilot 2025 checklist)

Getting this right is less about one magic toggle and more about controlling what happens during provisioning. Think of OOBE like a narrow hallway. Every extra required step makes the hallway longer.

Here’s the practical checklist that aligns to the Intune admin workflow:

1. Register devices for Autopilot
   Import the hardware hash (or have your OEM register devices) so Windows can identify the device as Autopilot-managed during OOBE.

2. Assign an Autopilot deployment profile
   Choose your join type (Microsoft Entra ID join or hybrid join), naming rules, and user experience options, then assign it to the device group.

3. Configure Enrollment Status Page (ESP)
   ESP is where you decide what must finish before the user gets the desktop. This is also where the quality update option appears when available.

4. Decide what’s required during OOBE
   Assign only the must-have apps as required for the ESP phase. Push the rest as available or required after the first sign-in.

5. Pilot, measure, adjust
   Time the process, watch for restarts, and trim anything that causes stalls.

If you want the official ESP reference for settings and behavior, Microsoft’s documentation is the best baseline: Set up the Enrollment Status Page in the admin center.

Prereqs you need before OOBE updates will work

Keep this list tight and honest:

• Autopilot-registered devices (hardware hash or OEM registration)

• Windows 11 on a supported edition, and version 22H2 or later for the 2025 quality update behavior

• Microsoft Entra ID join (or hybrid join where supported for your scenario)

• Intune licensing and automatic MDM enrollment configured

• Network access during OOBE to Intune endpoints and Windows Update services

• An Autopilot profile and an ESP profile assigned to the target devices

Also remember that Microsoft’s rollout had delays and tenant differences during 2025. Don’t assume two tenants behave the same. Verify what your ESP UI shows before you plan a rollout.

Enrollment Status Page (ESP): the control center for blocking, progress, and timeouts

ESP answers one question: can the user use the device yet?

If you configure ESP to block, Windows stays on that progress screen until required apps and policies install, and until the update step completes when enabled. Intune also lets you set timeouts and choose what happens on errors (block or allow the user through).

Use blocking when you need a strict baseline, for example:

• Shared devices

• Kiosks

• Security-first builds where missing the security agent isn’t acceptable

Avoid strict blocking when networks are unreliable, for example remote hires on home Wi-Fi. In those cases, letting the user reach the desktop and finishing installs after sign-in can reduce failed provisioning.

Apps and scripts during OOBE: keep it small, pick the critical items

OOBE is not the time to install everything. Every large Win32 app adds download time, install time, and detection time. A common pattern is to keep required OOBE installs to a small set, often around 10 or fewer, and move the rest post-login.

Good candidates for “required during OOBE” are the tools that protect access and reporting:

• Endpoint security agent

• VPN client (if needed for access right away)

• A primary browser if your org requires it

• MDM support tools used by help desk

If you’re curious about how the quality update control behaves under the hood and why it can be sensitive to timing, this deep technical write-up is useful background: Install Windows Quality Updates During OOBE / Autopilot.

A simple test plan for Autopilot OOBE updates

A small test beats a big surprise. Keep it measurable:

• Pilot with 1 to 2 devices on the same hardware model.

• Run one test on a strong office network, one on a weaker home network.

• Record the total OOBE time and how many restarts occurred.

• Confirm Windows Update history shows the latest quality update installed.

• Confirm required apps installed and the device reports compliant in Intune.

• Confirm restarts don’t loop the user back into ESP with repeated failures.

Write down what you changed between runs. Most Autopilot “mysteries” are just too many required items colliding with slow networks.

Troubleshooting and best practices to prevent slow OOBE and failed provisioning

OOBE updates can be worth it, but they expose weak spots fast: app packaging, detection rules, and bandwidth.

Start with the simplest fixes first. If enrollment is slow, remove weight. If enrollment fails, reduce required steps and re-test. Treat the first successful run as your baseline, then add only what you can prove is stable.

Common issues: long waits, repeated reboots, ESP stuck, and app install failures

Long waits on ESP: Often too many required installs, or Windows Update taking longer than expected. First action: make large apps non-required and test again.
Repeated reboots: Can happen when updates land late in OOBE. First action: confirm ESP timeout settings are realistic, then test with fewer required apps.
ESP stuck at app install: Usually a bad detection rule or installer behavior. First action: fix detection, repackage if needed, then re-test.
App install failures during OOBE only: Often network-dependent. First action: test on a known-good network and compare results.

Best practices for a faster, safer Windows Autopilot OOBE

A few habits keep Autopilot healthy:

• Keep required OOBE items minimal, save everything else for after sign-in.

• Prefer pre-provisioning for shared devices and bulk rollouts when you need more done before the user touches the device.

• Test quality updates and driver behavior on each hardware model you deploy.

• Set user expectations up front (a longer first setup is normal when OOBE updates are enabled).

• Monitor results after rollout and adjust required apps and timeouts based on real timings.

Conclusion

With Microsoft Intune, you can let OOBE updates install during Autopilot OOBE, so users sign in to a device that’s closer to current patch levels and less likely to demand reboots right away.

The safest path is also the simplest: configure ESP with care, limit what you require during OOBE, pilot on a small set of devices, then scale once timings and restarts look stable. Review your current Intune deployment profile and ESP settings this week, then run one test enrollment to validate your rollout plan before you expand it.