Use PowerShell scripts on Windows 10 devices in Intune

• 11/26/2019
• 8 minutes to read
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Use the Microsoft Intune management extension to upload PowerShell scripts in Intune to run on Windows 10 devices. The management extension enhances Windows 10 mobile device management (MDM), and makes it easier to move to modern management.

This feature applies to:

• Windows 10 and later

Move to modern management

End-user computing is going through a digital transformation. Classic, traditional IT focuses on a single device platform, business-owned devices, users that work from the office, and different manual, reactive IT processes. The modern workplace uses many platforms that are user and business owned, allows users to work from anywhere, and provides automated and proactive IT processes.

MDM services, such as Microsoft Intune, can manage mobile and desktop devices running Windows 10. The built-in Windows 10 management client communicates with Intune to run enterprise management tasks. There are some tasks that you might need, such as advanced device configuration and troubleshooting. For Win32 app management, you can use the Win32 app management feature on your Windows 10 devices.

The Intune management extension supplements the in-box Windows 10 MDM features. You can create PowerShell scripts to run on Windows 10 devices. For example, create a PowerShell script that does advanced device configurations. Then, upload the script to Intune, assign the script to an Azure Active Directory (AD) group, and run the script. You can then monitor the run status of the script from start to finish.

Prerequisites

The Intune management extension has the following prerequisites. Once the prerequisites are met, the Intune management extension installs automatically when a PowerShell script or Win32 app is assigned to the user or device.

• Devices running Windows 10 version 1607 or later. If the device is enrolled using bulk auto-enrollment, devices must run Windows 10 version 1703 or later. The Intune management extension isn't supported on Windows 10 in S mode, as S mode doesn't allow running non-store apps.

• Devices joined to Azure Active Directory (AD), including:

  • Hybrid Azure AD-joined: Devices joined to Azure Active Directory (AD), and also joined to on-premises Active Directory (AD). See Plan your hybrid Azure Active Directory join implementation for guidance.

• Devices enrolled in Intune, including:

  • Devices enrolled in a group policy (GPO). See Enroll a Windows 10 device automatically using Group Policy for guidance.

  • Devices manually enrolled in Intune, which is when:

    • Auto-enrollment to Intune is enabled in Azure AD. The end user signs in to the device using a local user account, manually joins the device to Azure AD, and then signs in to the device using their Azure AD account.

    OR

    • User signs in to the device using their Azure AD account, and then enrolls in Intune.

  • Co-managed devices that use Configuration Manager and Intune. Be sure the Apps workload is set to Pilot Intune or Intune. See the following articles for guidance:

    • What is co-management
    • Client apps workload
    • Switch Configuration Manager workloads to Intune

Create a script policy and assign it

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Endpoint Manager Admin Center.

2. Select Devices > PowerShell scripts > Add.

   

3. In Basics, enter the following properties, and select Next:

   • Name: Enter a name for the PowerShell script.
   • Description: Enter a description for the PowerShell script. This setting is optional, but recommended.

4. In Script settings, enter the following properties, and select Next:

   • Script location: Browse to the PowerShell script. The script must be less than 200 KB (ASCII).

   • Run this script using the logged on credentials: Select Yes to run the script with the user's credentials on the device. Choose No (default) to run the script in the system context. Many administrators choose Yes. If the script is required to run in the system context, choose No.

   • Enforce script signature check: Select Yes if the script must be signed by a trusted publisher. Select No (default) if there isn't a requirement for the script to be signed.

   • Run script in 64-bit PowerShell host: Select Yes to run the script in a 64-bit PowerShell (PS) host on a 64-bit client architecture. Select No (default) runs the script in a 32-bit PowerShell host.

     When setting to Yes or No, use the following table for new and existing policy behavior:

     Run script in 64-bit PS host	Client architecture	New PS script	Existing policy PS script
     No	32-bit	32-bit PS host supported	Runs only in 32-bit PS host, which works on 32-bit and 64-bit architectures.
     Yes	64-bit	Runs script in 64-bit PS host for 64-bit architectures. When ran on 32-bit, the script runs in a 32-bit PS host.	Runs script in 32-bit PS host. If this setting changes to 64-bit, the script opens (it doesn't run) in a 64-bit PS host, and reports the results. When ran on 32-bit, the script runs in 32-bit PS host.

5. Select Scope tags. Scope tags are optional. Use role-based access control (RBAC) and scope tags for distributed IT has more information.

   To add a scope tag:

   1. Choose Select scope tags > select an existing scope tag from the list > Select.

   2. When finished, select Next.

6. Select Assignments > Select groups to include. An existing list of Azure AD groups is shown.

   1. Select one or more groups that include the users whose devices receive the script. Choose Select. The groups you chose are shown in the list, and will receive your policy.

      Note

      PowerShell scripts in Intune can be targeted to Azure AD device security groups or Azure AD user security groups.

   2. Select Next.

      

7. In Review + add, a summary is shown of the settings you configured. Select Add to save the script. When you select Add, the policy is deployed to the groups you chose.

Important considerations

• When scripts are set to user context and the end user has administrator rights, by default, the PowerShell script runs under the administrator privilege.

• End users aren't required to sign in to the device to execute PowerShell scripts.

• The Intune management extension client checks with Intune once every hour and after every reboot for any new scripts or changes. After you assign the policy to the Azure AD groups, the PowerShell script runs, and the run results are reported. Once the script executes, it doesn't execute again unless there's a change in the script or policy.

Monitor run status

You can monitor the run status of PowerShell scripts for users and devices in the Azure portal.

In PowerShell scripts, select the script to monitor, choose Monitor, and then choose one of the following reports:

• Device status
• User status

Intune management extension logs

Agent logs on the client machine are typically in \ProgramData\Microsoft\IntuneManagementExtension\Logs. You can use CMTrace.exe to view these log files.

Delete a script

In PowerShell scripts, right-click the script, and select Delete.

Common issues and resolutions

Issue: Intune management extension doesn't download

Possible resolutions:

• The device isn't joined to Azure AD. Be sure the devices meet the prerequisites (in this article).
• There are no PowerShell scripts or Win32 apps assigned to the groups that the user or device belongs.
• The device can't check-in with the Intune service, due to no internet access, no access to Windows Push Notification Services (WNS), and so on.
• The device is in S mode. The Intune management extension isn't supported on devices running in S mode.

To see if the device is auto-enrolled, you can:

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school.
2. Select the joined account > Info.
3. Under Advanced Diagnostic Report, select Create Report.
4. Open the MDMDiagReport in a web browser.
5. Search for the MDMDeviceWithAAD property. If the property exists, the device is auto-enrolled. If this property doesn't exist, then the device isn't auto-enrolled.

Enable Windows 10 automatic enrollment includes the steps to configure automatic enrollment in Intune.

Issue: PowerShell scripts do not run

Possible resolutions:

• The PowerShell scripts don't run at every sign-in. They run:

  • When the script is assigned to a device

  • If you change the script, upload it, and assign the script to a user or device

    Tip

    The Microsoft Intune Management Extension is a service that runs on the device, just like any other service listed in the Services app (services.msc). After a device reboots, this service may also restart, and check for any assigned PowerShell scripts with the Intune service. If the Microsoft Intune Management Extension service is set to Manual, then the service may not restart after the device reboots.

• Be sure devices are joined to Azure AD. Devices that are only joined to your workplace or organization (registered in Azure AD) won't receive the scripts.

• The Intune management extension client checks once per hour for any changes in the script or policy in Intune.

• Confirm the Intune management extension is downloaded to %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Intune Management Extension.

• Scripts don't run on Surface Hubs or Windows 10 in S mode.

• Review the logs for any errors. See Intune management extension logs (in this article).

• For possible permission issues, be sure the properties of the PowerShell script are set to Run this script using the logged on credentials. Also check that the signed in user has the appropriate permissions to run the script.

• To isolate scripting problems, you can:

  • Review the PowerShell execution configuration on your devices. See the PowerShell execution policy for guidance.

  • Run a sample script using the Intune management extension. For example, create the C:\Scripts directory, and give everyone full control. Run the following script:

    write-output "Script worked" | out-file c:\Scripts\output.txt
    

    If it succeeds, output.txt should be created, and should include the "Script worked" text.

  • To test script execution without Intune, run the scripts in the System account using the psexec tool locally:

    psexec -i -s

  • If the script reports that it succeeded, but it didn't actually succeed, then it's possible your antivirus service may be sandboxing AgentExecutor. The following script always reports a failure in Intune. As a test, you can use this script:

    Write-Error -Message "Forced Fail" -Category OperationStopped
    mkdir "c:\temp" 
    echo "Forced Fail" | out-file c:\temp\Fail.txt
    

    If the script reports a success, look at the AgentExecutor.log to confirm the error output. If the script executes, the length should be >2.

  • To capture the .error and .output files, the following snippet executes the script through AgentExecutor to PSx86 (C:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0). It keeps the logs for your review. Remember, the Intune Management Extension cleans up the logs after the script executes:

    $scriptPath = read-host "Enter the path to the script file to execute"
    $logFolder = read-host "Enter the path to a folder to output the logs to"
    $outputPath = $logFolder+"\output.output"
    $errorPath =  $logFolder+"\error.error"
    $timeoutPath =  $logFolder+"\timeout.timeout"
    $timeoutVal = 60000 
    $PSFolder = "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0"
    $AgentExec = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Intune Management Extension\agentexecutor.exe"
    &$AgentExec -powershell  $scriptPath $outputPath $errorPath $timeoutPath $timeoutVal $PSFolder 0 0
    

Next steps

Monitor and troubleshoot your profiles.