Perform an In‑Place Upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 Using Intune across your organisation

In this lab, you will assess Windows 10 devices for Windows 11 compatibility, deploy an in‑place upgrade using Intune and monitor upgrade progress across your organisation.

Intune Windows

Scenario

Windows 10 reaches end of support in 2025, and your organisation must upgrade thousands of devices to Windows 11. Doing this manually is slow, inconsistent, and difficult to track. You need a centralised, automated, and report‑driven approach to identify upgrade‑ready devices, deploy the upgrade, and monitor progress.

Microsoft Intune provides a scalable way to perform in‑place upgrades with detailed reporting and minimal user disruption. In this lab, you will prepare your environment, generate readiness reports, deploy the Windows 11 feature update, and track upgrade status across a fleet of devices.

Lab Objectives

By the end of this lab, you will be able to:

  • Validate licensing and prerequisites for Windows 11 upgrades.
  • Enable telemetry and health monitoring for readiness reporting.
  • Use Intune readiness reports and Endpoint Analytics to assess upgrade capability.
  • Deploy a Windows 11 feature update to targeted devices.
  • Monitor upgrade progress and verify successful installations.

Prerequisites

  • Microsoft 365 E5 (or equivalent) including:
    • Intune
    • Entra ID Premium
    • Windows 10/11 licensing
  • Windows 10 devices enrolled in Intune
  • Devices running Windows 10 version 22H2 or later
  • Telemetry enabled (Basic or higher)
  • Endpoint Analytics enabled

Validate Licensing and Device Enrollment

Ensure all devices and users meet the requirements for Windows 11 upgrades.

  1. In the Microsoft 365 admin portal, confirm users have Microsoft 365 E5 or equivalent.
  2. Verify Windows 10 devices show Windows 10 Enterprise as activated.
  3. Confirm all devices are:
    • Entra joined
    • Intune enrolled
    • Running Windows 10 version 22H2

Verification
Devices appear in Intune → Devices with the correct OS version and compliance status.

Enable Telemetry and Health Monitoring

Telemetry is required for Windows 11 readiness reporting.

  1. In Intune, create a Configuration Profile → Windows 10 and later → Settings Catalog.
  2. Enable:
    • Allow Telemetry = Basic
  3. Create another profile for:
    • Health Monitoring → Endpoint Analytics = Enabled
  4. Assign both profiles to all Windows 10 devices.

Verification
Devices show as reporting telemetry and health data in Endpoint Analytics.

Enable Windows Data Collection in Tenant Administration

This unlocks Windows 11 readiness reporting.

  1. Go to Intune Admin Center → Tenant Administration → Windows Data.
  2. Enable:
    • Windows Data Collection
    • License Attestation

Verification
Windows data collection shows as enabled.

Review Windows 11 Readiness Reports

Use Intune’s built‑in reports to determine upgrade capability.

  1. Go to Reports → Windows Updates → Windows Feature Update Readiness.
  2. Review:
    • Upgrade readiness status
    • Risk level (Low, Medium, High)
    • Blocking issues

Verification
Devices begin appearing in the report within 24–72 hours.

Validate Results Using Endpoint Analytics

Endpoint Analytics provides more accurate compatibility details.

  1. Go to Reports → Endpoint Analytics → Work from Anywhere → Windows.
  2. Review:
    • Windows 11 readiness
    • Hardware compatibility
    • Secure Boot status
    • RAM and firmware checks

Verification
Devices show as Capable or Not Capable, with reasons listed.

Create a Windows 11 Feature Update Deployment

Deploy the in‑place upgrade to targeted devices.

  1. Go to Devices → Windows → Windows Updates → Feature Updates.
  2. Create a new profile:
    • Feature Update to Windows 11 (latest version)
    • Make available as soon as possible
  3. Assign the profile to a Security Group containing upgrade‑ready devices.

Verification
The feature update profile shows as assigned to the correct devices.

Monitor Upgrade Progress

Track installation status across all devices.

  1. Go to Reports → Windows Updates → Feature Update Status.
  2. Review:
    • Download status
    • Install status
    • Reboot pending
    • Success or failure
  3. Compare results with Endpoint Analytics for deeper insights.

Verification
Devices progress through:

  • Offered
  • Downloading
  • Installing
  • Pending reboot
  • Installed

Verify Successful Upgrades

Confirm devices have completed the upgrade.

  1. In Intune → Devices, check OS version for upgraded devices.
  2. On a sample device:
    • Open Settings → System → About
    • Confirm Windows 11 version 24H2
    • Check activation status

Verification
Devices report Windows 11 24H2 and show as activated.

Conclusion

In this lab, you successfully used Intune to perform an in‑place upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. You enabled telemetry, reviewed readiness reports, deployed a feature update, monitored progress, and verified successful installations. This approach scales to thousands of devices, reduces manual effort, and provides clear visibility into upgrade readiness and status.

Upgrading in phases, communicating with end users and monitoring reports daily will ensure a smooth transition across your organisation.

Lab Video

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