The Little Things That Add Up: A Smoother User Experience with Intune

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When deploying a fully cloud-native, Entra ID-only setup, most admins start by tackling the essentials—security baselines, app deployment, and core policies like BitLocker or Windows Hello for Business.

But once those are in place, there’s a second layer of polish: the small quality-of-life improvements that make the experience better for end users and reduce support tickets for IT.

This post covers a few of those “nice-to-have” Intune configurations that don’t take long to set up but go a long way in improving the user experience.

You can find the full JSON for all the policies in my GitHub repo here.

Table of Contents

  1. Microsoft Edge Configuration
  2. Lock Screen and Personalization
  3. OneDrive Setup
  4. Storage Sense
  5. Microsoft 365 Apps Customization
  6. Wrap-Up

Microsoft Edge Configuration

Policy name: Windows - Config - Edge
Type: Settings Catalog

The default experience with Edge can be confusing for users, especially those used to Chrome or Firefox. Setting Edge as the default browser and hiding the first-run experience makes the transition smoother.

Some useful settings:

  • Set Edge as default browser.
  • Hide the first-run experience.
  • Preconfigure a start page (e.g., your intranet or SharePoint).
  • Show favorites bar and prepopulate favorites.

Lock Screen and Personalization

Policy name: Windows - Config - Personalization
Type: Settings Catalog

A polished login screen makes a big difference. You can configure:

  • A custom lock screen image (host it on a public SharePoint or web location).
  • Company branding via Entra ID.
  • Set dark mode or light mode preferences.
  • Hide Windows tips and consumer features.

OneDrive Setup

Policy name: Windows - Config - OneDrive
Type: Administrative Templates

OneDrive can be preconfigured to silently sign in the user and redirect known folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures) without any user interaction.

Key settings:

  • Silently configure OneDrive using the user’s Entra ID credentials.
  • Enable Known Folder Move (KFM).
  • Prevent users from changing the location.

This not only ensures data is backed up, but also gives users a consistent experience across devices.

Storage Sense

Policy name: Windows - Config - Storage Sense
Type: Settings Catalog

Storage Sense helps keep devices clean and performant, especially useful on lower-end devices with small SSDs. Configure it to:

  • Automatically clean temporary files.
  • Remove files from the Recycle Bin and Downloads folder after a set time.
  • Dehydrate files in OneDrive that haven’t been opened in a while.

Set and forget—no user interaction required.

Microsoft 365 Apps Customization

Policy name: Windows - Config - M365 Personalization
Type: Settings Catalog

Office apps can feel jarring when they launch in the wrong language or with the wrong theme. These settings let you:

  • Match the Office theme to the system theme.
  • Disable opt-in prompts for Office Insider builds.
  • Suppress the “What’s New” pop-ups after updates.

The goal here is to reduce distractions and deliver a more seamless experience from day one.

Wrap-Up

These little tweaks won’t revolutionize your Intune deployment—but they do add up to a more polished, less frustrating user experience. And that’s something your users will notice, even if they can’t quite put their finger on what changed.

If you’re curious about more configurations or want to contribute, check out the full config files on GitHub, and feel free to reach out if you’re doing something similar in your environment.

Let’s keep making the cloud PC experience better, one policy at a time.

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