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003: User groups

Implementation Effort: Low to Medium – User groups are simple to create, but maintaining accurate membership and ownership matters.

User Impact: Low to Medium – Users may see different apps, settings, and access rules based on group membership.

Overview​

User groups are the most common targeting boundary in Microsoft Intune because many experiences should follow the user across devices. Examples include Microsoft 365 application assignments, app protection policies, app configuration policies, Conditional Access scope, and certain compliance or enrollment decisions. In a Zero Trust model, user groups should align with real business roles and access requirements so that device and application controls support least privilege instead of broad catch-all assignment.

Implementation Guidance​

  1. Design user groups around durable business meaning, such as worker type, data sensitivity, region, or support population, rather than temporary projects whenever possible.
  2. Use dynamic user groups only when the source attributes are governed and reliably populated. If HR data quality is inconsistent, a manual approval model may be safer for sensitive targeting.
  3. Target user-facing apps and app protection policies to user groups so the experience follows the signed-in person across supported devices.
  4. Pair user groups with filters where needed. For example, target a mobile user group broadly, then filter to iOS or Android for platform-specific settings.
  5. Document group owners and approval rules for membership changes, especially where membership grants access to sensitive data or reduced security friction.
  6. Review nested-group or exception-heavy designs carefully; they often make troubleshooting app or policy targeting harder than expected.

Reference​