Microsoft Intune Suite Features Coming to Microsoft 365 E3/E5

Introduction

Endpoint estates are larger, more diverse, and more distributed than ever—while budgets and staffing remain tight. Microsoft is addressing this by expanding advanced Intune Suite capabilities into Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5, aiming to help organizations scale endpoint operations, reduce total cost of ownership, and strengthen Zero Trust controls as AI-driven threats increase.

Rollout note: New capabilities will begin to roll out CY26 Q3, and customers will get a 30-day Message Center notice before the update reaches their tenant.

What’s new (licensing and capability expansion)

Microsoft is moving key Intune Suite capabilities into broader Microsoft 365/EMS offerings:

Added to EMS E3 (extending value to Microsoft 365 E3)

• Intune Remote Help: Enterprise-grade remote assistance with auditability and strong access controls.
• Intune Advanced Analytics: AI-powered insights and anomaly detection to identify device health issues and digital friction.
• Microsoft Tunnel for Mobile Application Management (MAM): Secure per-app VPN access to corporate resources without device enrollment, supporting privacy-friendly BYOD scenarios.
• Specialty device management and firmware updates: Broader support for managing non-traditional endpoints and keeping firmware current.

Added to Microsoft 365 E5

• Intune Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM): Enables least-privilege with just-in-time elevation for approved apps/services—reducing risks associated with local admin rights.
• Intune Enterprise Application Management (EAM): Simplifies app packaging, deployment, and updates via a curated catalog of 1,000+ prepackaged applications.
• Microsoft Cloud PKI: Cloud-based certificate lifecycle management to support certificate-based authentication (e.g., Wi-Fi/VPN) while reducing on-prem PKI dependency.

Why it matters: security + productivity at scale

• Zero Trust enablement: Microsoft highlights that remote management tools are frequently abused in attacks; EPM and policy-driven elevation help reduce the blast radius of credential theft and unauthorized admin activity.
• AI-assisted operations: With Security Copilot in Intune and new agent capabilities (announced around Ignite), admins can query and act on Intune insights using natural language (including help with KQL), accelerating troubleshooting and remediation.
• Operational efficiency: Remote Help + Advanced Analytics shift teams from reactive ticket handling to proactive prevention and faster recovery.

Impact for IT admins and end users

• Admins should expect simpler access to advanced endpoint tooling through core Microsoft 365/EMS SKUs, potentially reducing add-on complexity.
• Security teams gain stronger controls for least privilege, certificate-based authentication, and more consistent app governance.
• End users benefit from faster support (Remote Help), fewer performance/compliance issues (Advanced Analytics), and secure access patterns that can preserve BYOD privacy (Tunnel for MAM).

Action items / next steps

1. Watch Message Center for the 30-day notification and rollout timing in your tenant.
2. Review current licensing and add-ons: identify where Intune Suite features are already in use and how this impacts procurement/renewals.
3. Prepare adoption plans:
   • Pilot EPM policies (elevation rules, approval scopes, auditing).
   • Validate Cloud PKI fit for Wi-Fi/VPN certificate-based authentication.
   • Define operational runbooks for Remote Help RBAC, logging, and support workflows.
4. Align with Zero Trust: map these capabilities to least privilege, device compliance, and secure access requirements.