Windows 365: Provisioning Options
Implementation Effort: Medium
Admins must define provisioning policies, including network, image, and user group assignments, but the process is largely automated after setup.
User Impact: Low
Provisioning is invisible to users; they receive access to their Cloud PC without needing to take any action.
Overview
Windows 365 provisioning is the automated process that creates and configures Cloud PCs for licensed users. Admins define provisioning policies in the Microsoft Intune admin center, specifying the network type (Microsoft-hosted or Azure Network Connection), the OS image (gallery or custom), and the Microsoft Entra user groups to assign. Once a user is licensed and matches the policy criteria, Windows 365 automatically provisions a Cloud PC for them. This process is one-time per user-license pair and includes setting up the virtual machine, applying the image, and configuring access.
If provisioning policies are misconfigured---such as incorrect network settings, invalid images, or missing group assignments---Cloud PCs may fail to deploy, delaying user access and increasing IT overhead.
This capability supports the Zero Trust principle of "Verify explicitly", as provisioning ensures that only licensed, authorized users receive access to Cloud PCs with predefined configurations and security baselines.