Windows 11 OOBE Applies Quality Updates via ESP with Intune

Microsoft is moving routine Windows 11 quality updates into the initial setup flow so that eligible Entra-joined devices can download and install the latest cumulative fixes during the Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE), making day‑one systems more secure—and forcing IT teams to rethink provisioning, bandwidth and failure‑recovery plans. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Background​

Microsoft announced a managed OOBE update capability earlier in 2025 and confirmed that the capability will be enabled by default for eligible enterprise-managed devices with the September 2025 security update. The company has surfaced the control through Windows Autopilot's Enrollment Status Page (ESP) and provided an MDM and Group Policy surface so administrators can manage the behavior. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
This change is part of a multi-year evolution of Windows setup: OOBE has shifted from a purely cosmetic first-run wizard into a provisioning checkpoint that can apply security and servicing decisions before handing the device to the first user. The stated motivation is pragmatic—closing the “day‑one patch gap” so freshly imaged or factory‑fresh machines are not exposed to known vulnerabilities between first boot and first admin or user updates. Microsoft frames the feature as targeting quality updates (monthly cumulative security and reliability fixes), not feature upgrades or broad driver installations. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

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Overview: what’s changing and why it matters​

• The new OOBE sequence will check Windows Update at the final setup page and, if applicable quality updates exist, download and install them while the device is still in OOBE.
• Eligible devices will install the latest quality updates (LCU/SSU style cumulative rollups) and may reboot one or more times before the first user sign‑in.
• This capability is managed through Autopilot/Enrollment Status Page (ESP) controls in Microsoft Intune and via equivalent MDM/GPO policy surfaces.
• The behavior will be enabled by default for new ESP profiles once the Windows servicing payload is present; preexisting ESP profiles will preserve their current settings and default to off until edited. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Why this matters now

• Devices leave the factory or image pipeline with a baseline that may be several months old; moving monthly quality updates into OOBE reduces the window when a device can be attacked immediately after unboxing.
• For modern managed fleets, it reduces the post‑enrollment patch/reboot cycles that typically create help‑desk tickets and lost user productivity on day one.
• For imaging and offline provisioning workflows it introduces new constraints—images must include the OOBE servicing payloads and administrators must plan for network, time and failure handling. (mc.merill.net, learn.microsoft.com)

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Eligibility and technical prerequisites​

Supported devices and editions​

• Windows 11 devices running version 22H2 or later.
• Supported SKUs: Pro, Enterprise, Education, and Windows 11 SE.
• Devices must be Microsoft Entra‑joined (formerly Azure AD joined) or Entra hybrid‑joined and MDM managed (Intune or a compatible MDM that supports ESP-driven enrollment orchestration). (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Required servicing payloads and timing​

• Devices must include the OOBE support code delivered via vendor OOBE zero‑day packages or be imaged with the June 2025 non‑security servicing package (or any later servicing update) so the ESP and OOBE orchestration logic are present.
• Microsoft made the functionality broadly available in the August/September 2025 servicing window and designated the September 2025 security update as the point where the behavior becomes default for eligible devices. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, mc.merill.net)

What will and will not be installed during OOBE​

• Will install: quality updates — monthly cumulative security and reliability releases (LCU + SSU combined packages where applicable).
• Might include: Zero‑day critical patches in the event Microsoft classifies a fix as required prior to normal patch cycles.
• Will not install: feature updates (major releases) and broad driver rollouts. This scoping is deliberate to limit OOBE complexity and reduce the risk introduced by large feature/driver changes at first boot. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

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Administrative controls: Intune, ESP and policy mappings​

Microsoft exposes the control in the Enrollment Status Page (ESP) profile area within the Microsoft Intune admin center. The setting label administrators should look for is: Install Windows quality updates (might restart the device). Key behavioral notes:

• New ESP profiles created after the capability ships will default this toggle to Yes (enabled).
• Existing ESP profiles will preserve prior behavior and default to No until edited.
• The setting is also available as an MDM policy and will have Group Policy equivalents for non‑Intune environments. Microsoft says the system respects Windows Update for Business deferrals and pause policies synchronized to the device during enrollment. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Operational controls administrators should verify

• Assignment and scope of ESP profiles to Autopilot device groups.
• That the tenant’s Windows Update for Business rings (deferrals, pause windows) are properly applied to the enrolling devices so OOBE checks honor your organizational policy.
• Whether third‑party MDMs in your environment map the ESP toggle correctly—vendor support can vary and some device preparation flows may apply updates by default. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)

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Practical impact: time, bandwidth and failure modes​

Setup time increase​

Installing cumulative updates during OOBE will add time to provisioning. Microsoft and community reporting indicate the added duration varies widely—network bandwidth, update size, device performance and the number of restarts all matter. Typical real‑world accounts describe tens of minutes added to the OOBE flow; a 20–30 minute uplift is commonly cited for many quality updates in practice, though larger or multi‑package installs can exceed that. Plan for variable delays in staging and user handoffs. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Bandwidth and scale considerations​

• Large rollouts require planning for concurrent downloads—if hundreds of devices on the same network stage will all fetch the same cumulative packages, you may saturate local internet links.
• Consider delivery optimization strategies: Windows Delivery Optimization, peer caching, or staging updates in a local WSUS/SCCM distribution point or using Microsoft Update Catalog offline packages for imaging flows.
• For branch locations or bandwidth‑constrained campuses, enabling quality updates in OOBE without bandwidth planning can delay user onboarding for hours. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Failure and recovery scenarios​

• A failed update during OOBE can halt progress and require IT troubleshooting before the device can be handed to a user. This risk is not theoretical; the added complexity increases the number of potential failure points during provisioning.
• Recovery approaches:
• Provide technicians with offline installation media or a recovery image that includes the required SSU/LCU payloads.
• Use staged pilot rings and small‑cohort rollouts to validate images, driver compatibility and update success rates before broad adoption.
• Extend temporary access password lifetimes and enrollment timeouts so long update cycles do not invalidate credentials used for Autopilot or provisioning. Microsoft’s message center guidance explicitly recommends these preparations. (mc.merill.net, techcommunity.microsoft.com)

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Imaging and offline deployment workflows​

For shops that rely on images, air‑gapped provisioning, or custom OEM images, the new behavior introduces constraints.

• Images should be updated to include the servicing payloads (the June 2025 non‑security setup package or later) so devices present the OOBE update logic locally and do not miss the ESP toggle.
• For offline scenarios (no internet during OOBE), devices will not be able to fetch quality updates; administrators should either:
• Prestage the latest cumulative packages into the image or offline media, or
• Use WSUS/SCCM distribution points that devices can reach from the provisioning network.
• Microsoft provides catalog MSU packages and DISM‑based removal guidance for cumulative packages; offline staging remains an essential fallback for constrained networks. (learn.microsoft.com)

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A security analysis: benefits and residual risks​

Clear security benefits​

• Reduces the time a freshly provisioned device runs with known vulnerabilities.
• Ensures better parity between newly deployed endpoints and the tenant’s approved update baseline.
• For organizations with strong Windows Update for Business policies, devices will inherit the tenant’s deferrals and still reach a defined, secure baseline before first interactive use. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Residual risks and attack surface concerns​

• If updates installed during OOBE contain regressions or break critical drivers, a device may be unusable out of the box, causing business disruption.
• Over-reliance on network connectivity increases fragility for remote or low‑bandwidth locations; inadequate fallbacks widen the “digital divide” between resource‑rich and resource‑constrained organizations.
• Defaulting new ESP profiles to enable OOBE updates could create surprises for teams that create fresh profiles without checking defaults—administrators should audit new profiles immediately.

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Consumer and privacy considerations​

This OOBE quality‑update behavior is targeted at managed enterprise and education fleets. Consumer devices not managed by Intune/MDM and not Entra‑joined remain outside this specific controlled change, though consumer OOBE flows have for some time attempted dynamic updates during setup if the end user connects to the internet. Microsoft’s messaging distinguishes the enterprise‑managed, policy‑driven experience from the consumer experience to retain admin control in corporate deployments. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
Privacy and consent

• Because this is a managed, tenant‑controlled action, the update decision is an IT policy action: devices enrolled in corporate tenancy will follow tenant policies rather than individual user consent.
• Administrators should document this behavior in device acceptance and onboarding materials so end users and managers understand why initial setup may take longer and why updates are applied before first sign‑in.

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How this intersects with Autopilot, Autopilot device preparation and third‑party MDMs​

Autopilot flows that use the Enrollment Status Page will be the primary way OOBE updates surface in managed environments. Important nuances:

• If you use Autopilot device preparation or any enrollment path that applies ESP profiles differently, default behavior can vary; some device flows may apply updates by default if ESP assignment logic isn't consistent.
• Third‑party MDMs that support Autopilot may or may not expose a mirrored ESP toggle—confirm vendor behavior before relying on the same controls across heterogeneous MDMs. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, windowsforum.com)

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Recommendations: a rollout and pilot checklist for IT teams​

• Inventory and prerequisites
• Confirm target devices run Windows 11 22H2 or later and identify device SKUs that qualify (Pro, Enterprise, Education, SE).
• Verify images include the June 2025 non‑security servicing package or later, or plan to apply the August 2025 OOBE ZDP vendor package prior to enrollment. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
• Update Intune/ESP profile strategy
• Audit existing ESP profiles: preexisting profiles default to No; new profiles default to Yes—edit defaults where needed.
• Create a pilot ESP profile scoped to a small device group and monitor OOBE update performance and failure rates. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
• Network and delivery optimization
• Implement Delivery Optimization, peer caching or local WSUS/SCCM distribution points to reduce external bandwidth consumption during staged rollouts.
• Schedule pilot deployments during off‑peak hours and verify network capacity for concurrent device updates. (learn.microsoft.com)
• Pilot and telemetry
• Run small‑cohort pilots covering representative hardware and software stacks.
• Collect telemetry: update compliance, OOBE duration, restart counts, and failure logs; use these metrics to refine policies.
• Contingency and recovery
• Prepare offline media with the latest SSU/LCU payloads and ensure technicians have access to recovery images.
• Extend temporary access password validity and Autopilot/ESP timeouts to accommodate longer provisioning windows. Microsoft’s message center guidance recommends these steps. (mc.merill.net)
• Communications
• Notify stakeholders and end users that initial provisioning may take longer, explain the security rationale, and include instructions for device return to IT if provisioning fails.

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Measuring success: KPIs and what to monitor​

• First‑sign‑in compliance rate (percentage of devices that reach first sign‑in with the desired update baseline).
• Average OOBE time (baseline vs. post‑change).
• Update failure rate during OOBE and root‑cause categories (network, package compatibility, driver conflicts).
• Help‑desk ticket volume and causes in the first week after device provisioning.
• Bandwidth utilization on provisioning networks during phased rollouts.

These KPIs will tell you whether the security gains are delivered without unacceptable operational cost.

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Broader industry context and competitive implications​

Microsoft’s move reflects a general industry trend: shift security and compliance earlier in the device lifecycle so endpoints are resilient at the moment of first use. Automating security hardening into provisioning reduces variance across fleets and can shrink attack windows exploited by opportunistic threats.
For competitors and OEM partners, the focus will be on:

• Ensuring OEM images and vendor OOBE packages include the required servicing payloads.
• Offering tooling that helps IT teams manage bandwidth and staging for large rollouts.
• Providing clearer telemetry and recovery tools so admins can quickly respond to OOBE failures.

If executed well, baked‑in OOBE quality updates could set a new baseline expectation: devices should no longer be handed to users in a demonstrably insecure, out‑of‑date state.

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Risks and unanswered questions (flagged)​

• Some claims about exact time savings or “smoother rollouts” remain anecdotal from early pilots; where possible, treat such reports as indicative and validate with your own pilot telemetry. These are early‑adopter observations rather than Microsoft‑published performance guarantees.
• The precise behavior across third‑party MDMs and OEM OEM‑specific OOBE packages may vary; confirm supplier support before assuming parity.
• Regions with constrained internet or where the enterprise uses disconnected imaging remain dependent on offline staging or local distribution—Microsoft’s default will not solve those scenarios without additional operational work. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)

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Final verdict and best‑practice summary​

Microsoft’s OOBE quality‑update integration is a meaningful step toward reducing day‑one exposure across managed Windows 11 fleets. The feature balances improved baseline security with pragmatic controls (Intune/ESP, MDM/GPO) so administrators retain authority over whether and how OOBE updates run. That said, the change is not a free lunch: expect longer provisioning times, increased bandwidth demands, and the need for robust pilot programs and recovery planning.
Essential next steps for IT teams:

• Audit images and ensure required servicing payloads are present.
• Review and update ESP profiles—don’t assume new defaults are appropriate for your environment.
• Pilot widely, analyze telemetry, and stage rollouts with delivery optimization or local distribution.
• Prepare offline fallback media and update help‑desk runbooks for OOBE update failures.

When planned and executed deliberately, this change should reduce help‑desk churn and elevate the security posture of newly provisioned devices. The trade‑offs are operational, not technical impossibilities: they can be managed with solid preparation, staged testing and the usual IT discipline that keeps large fleets dependable. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, mc.merill.net, learn.microsoft.com)

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Microsoft’s official guidance and roadmap commentary is now public and actionable—review the Windows IT Pro documentation and your Intune ESP profile settings before you expand deployments so your fleet reaps the security benefits without surprise downtime or degraded user onboarding. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

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Source: WebProNews Microsoft Adds Auto Quality Updates to Windows 11 Setup in 2025