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Autopilot Offboarding by TechHub

Audience: TechHub IT Operations, distributed unit administrators

Purpose: Secure device removal from Autopilot and Intune management

Quick Reference​

StepAction
1Confirm device is no longer in use
2Retire device from Intune management
3Delete device from Autopilot
4Update inventory/asset management system

Overview​

This procedure defines the process for properly offboarding devices from Autopilot before reallocation, disposal, or transfer of ownership. Proper offboarding ensures security, licensing compliance, and inventory accuracy.

Scope​

Applies to all devices enrolled in Windows Autopilot under the management of TechHub at Texas A&M University that are being:

  • Decommissioned
  • Repurposed
  • Transferred out of managed use
  • Moved to a different Microsoft tenant

Why Offboarding Matters​

Tenant Transfer Requirement

Removal from Autopilot is required if the device needs to be re-enrolled into a different Microsoft tenant. Keeping the device registered to the current tenant may block Autopilot provisioning workflows in the new environment.

Procedure​

Step 1: Confirm Device Status​

Before beginning offboarding:

  • Verify the device is no longer in use by any user
  • Ensure any required data backup is complete
  • Document the reason for offboarding (disposal, transfer, repair, reuse)

Step 2: Remove from Intune Management​

  1. Navigate to Intune Portal
  2. Go to Devices → All Devices
  3. Search for the device by serial number or name
  4. Select the device
  5. Click Retire to remove from Intune management
Optional Wipe

If the device must be factory reset, issue a Wipe command instead of or in addition to Retire. This removes all data and returns the device to factory state.

Step 3: Delete from Autopilot​

  1. In the Intune Portal, navigate to Devices → Windows → Windows enrollment → Devices
  2. Search for the device by serial number
  3. Select the device
  4. Click Delete to remove from Autopilot
Important

This step removes the device's Autopilot registration. The device will no longer receive TAMU branding at OOBE and can be enrolled in another tenant if needed.

Step 4: Update Inventory System​

Follow internal documentation or SOPs for updating the inventory or asset management system:

  1. Locate the device record in your asset management system
  2. Update the status to reflect Autopilot removal
  3. Include the reason for removal:
    • Disposal
    • Transfer
    • Repair
    • Reuse/Reallocation
  4. Add any relevant notes (new owner, disposal ticket, etc.)

Example Scenario​

A device is no longer needed in a computer lab and will be recycled. TechHub:

  1. Retires the device from Intune
  2. Deletes the device record from Autopilot
  3. Updates the inventory system with the disposal reason
  4. Submits the device for proper e-waste recycling

Bulk Offboarding​

For multiple devices:

PowerShell Bulk Operations

For bulk operations, use the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK:

# Connect to Microsoft Graph
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "DeviceManagementServiceConfig.ReadWrite.All"

# Get devices by serial number
$serialNumbers = @("SN123456", "SN789012", "SN345678")

foreach ($sn in $serialNumbers) {
    # Find Autopilot device
    $device = Get-MgDeviceManagementWindowsAutopilotDeviceIdentity -Filter "serialNumber eq '$sn'"
    
    if ($device) {
        # Delete from Autopilot
        Remove-MgDeviceManagementWindowsAutopilotDeviceIdentity -WindowsAutopilotDeviceIdentityId $device.Id
        Write-Host "Removed: $sn"
    }
}

Troubleshooting​

IssueResolution
Device not found in AutopilotVerify serial number format; check for typos
Delete button grayed outVerify you have Autopilot Administrator role
Device reappears in AutopilotCheck if dynamic group is re-adding; verify group rules
Cannot retire deviceEnsure device is synced; try wipe first