Microsoft Intune: Deploy M365 Apps Fast

Key insights

• Microsoft 365 Apps (built-in): Intune’s cloud-built app type installs directly from Microsoft’s CDN and is the recommended default because it reduces admin work, auto-updates, and supports assignments like Required, Available, or Uninstall.
  Use this when you want simple, low-overhead deployment and centralized update control.
• CSP install flow and Autopilot sequencing: The built-in method uses the Office Configuration Service Provider (CSP) to download during OOBE, which can cause timing issues in Autopilot sequences.
  If Office starts installing too early, consider sequencing changes or a different packaging method to keep Autopilot reliable.
• Win32 via Office Deployment Tool: Packaging Office as a Win32 app with the Office Deployment Tool gives predictable install order, version pinning, and local content options.
  You create an XML config, combine it with ODT, wrap into .intunewin, and upload to Intune for tighter control.
• Update channel and version control: Decide between using the latest channel or pinning a specific build to avoid unexpected changes.
  Win32 packaging lets you lock versions and manage rollback; the built-in method favors automatic updates from the cloud.
• Detection and uninstall: Use registry-based detection (commonly the DisplayVersion value) to verify installs and craft reliable detection rules.
  Uninstall can be trickier with custom packages—test uninstall flows and account for leftover components before wide rollout.
• Automation (Robopack & PSADT): Only choose Win32 at scale if you automate packaging and updates with tools like Robopack or PSADT to avoid heavy admin overhead.
  Otherwise, stick with the built-in cloud method for simplicity and predictable maintenance; use wave/patch groups to stage updates safely.

Introduction

In a recent YouTube walkthrough, Dean Ellerby [MVP] compares methods for deploying Microsoft 365 Apps with Microsoft Intune in 2025. The video evaluates the built-in assignment option that uses the CSP (Configuration Service Provider) against packaging Office as a Win32 app with the Office Deployment Tool and addresses where automation fits. Furthermore, he demonstrates how these options behave during Autopilot and OOBE scenarios, and he outlines practical steps for packaging, detection, and uninstall strategies. Consequently, the piece helps administrators choose between simplicity and control.

Built-in Intune Deployment

The built-in Microsoft 365 Apps assignment in Intune downloads directly from Microsoft's CDN and applies settings through the platform, which makes it the least administratively heavy option. This method supports assignment types like Required, Available, and Uninstall, and it handles updates using the chosen update channel so devices remain current with minimal intervention. However, as Ellerby notes, the automatic behavior can complicate Autopilot flows when Office begins downloading during OOBE, which may break expected sequencing. Therefore, while the built-in method is ideal for many organizations that favor cloud-native simplicity, it can introduce unpredictability in highly controlled deployment windows.

Win32 Packaging with ODT and Automation

Conversely, creating a Win32 package via the Office Deployment Tool gives administrators explicit control over content, language, and channel selection because the package contains the installation files and configuration XML. Ellerby walks through using config.office.com to build XML, extracting the latest ODT, bundling content, and wrapping everything into a .intunewin file for upload to Intune. This approach improves sequencing predictability and detection reliability, but it increases administrative overhead because you must manage packaging, updates, and versioning manually. To cut that overhead, he shows how tools like Robopack can automate Win32 builds, which combines control with reduced ongoing effort when configured correctly.

Autopilot Sequencing and Detection Challenges

One of the central tradeoffs deals with device provisioning order during Autopilot. If Office installs from the cloud during OOBE, it can interfere with other setup tasks and delay enrollment steps, so organizations that need strict sequencing often prefer Win32 packaging to guarantee timing. Detection rules also pose challenges; the common registry-based DisplayVersion detection works in many cases but may fail with minor variations or when multiple channels are present, which complicates uninstall and update processes. Thus, administrators must balance reliable detection and uninstallability against the complexity of maintaining accurate detection logic across versions and configurations.

Update Management, Bandwidth, and Version Control

Another consideration centers on updates and bandwidth. Deploying from the CDN reduces local network load and simplifies updates, while local content with Win32 allows frozen versions for predictable testing but consumes infrastructure and complicates lifecycle tasks. Ellerby highlights the tension between using the latest channel versus pinning to a specific build; the former reduces administrative work but can cause unexpected changes, whereas the latter increases predictability at the cost of maintenance time. Therefore, organizations must decide whether stability or agility matters more for their environment and plan workflows, such as wave or patch-group deployments, accordingly.

Recommendations and Practical Takeaways

In summary, Ellerby recommends using the built-in Intune method unless your environment requires strict sequencing or bespoke configuration that the cloud option cannot guarantee. If you opt for Win32, automate packaging with tools like Robopack or script frameworks to avoid excessive admin overhead and to keep packages current without breaking Autopilot. Furthermore, he suggests clear naming and versioning conventions, robust detection rules, and test waves to validate behavior before wide rollout. Ultimately, the decision hinges on tradeoffs between simplicity, predictability, and the resources you can dedicate to package maintenance.

Final Thoughts

Dean Ellerby’s walkthrough provides a pragmatic view of deploying Microsoft 365 Apps in 2025, offering step-by-step options and real-world tradeoffs so readers can match methodology to policy and scale. Moreover, he underscores that automation is the tipping point: use Win32 only when you can automate packaging and updates; otherwise, prefer the built-in cloud approach for its lower friction. For organizations wrestling with Autopilot timing, detection complexity, or update cadence, his examples and sequencing guidance offer an actionable roadmap. In addition, the video encourages feedback and community techniques to refine deployment practices further.

Keywords

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