Autopilot has matured significantly. The 2024 version — with Autopilot device preparation — changes how devices are registered and provisioned. Here's what MSPs need to know.
Key takeaways
- 1Uses device groups rather than individual device registration
- 2Significantly faster provisioning time (target under 15 minutes)
- 3No hardware hash required — devices are assigned by group policy during OOBE
- 4Better status visibility during provisioning
Windows Autopilot has been the gold standard for zero-touch device provisioning since 2017. In 2024, Microsoft has been rolling out a new version — Autopilot device preparation — that simplifies some aspects of the deployment and addresses long-standing friction points. Here's the current state of play for MSPs.
Autopilot v1 vs Autopilot device preparation
The original Autopilot (now referred to as Autopilot v1) requires hardware hash registration, manual profile assignment, and can be slow during the Enrollment Status Page phase. The new Autopilot device preparation:
- Uses device groups rather than individual device registration
- Significantly faster provisioning time (target under 15 minutes)
- No hardware hash required — devices are assigned by group policy during OOBE
- Better status visibility during provisioning
Current MSP deployment approach
Until Autopilot device preparation is fully GA and widely supported by hardware vendors, Optimyze continues to deploy Autopilot v1 for most clients. The process:
- Work with the hardware vendor to pre-register device hardware hashes in the Autopilot service (most major vendors support this)
- Configure the Autopilot profile with client branding, OOBE settings, and device naming convention
- Configure the Enrollment Status Page with the correct apps to wait for
- Test with one device before bulk provisioning
- Brief the client on the user experience so staff know what to expect
The business case for Autopilot
For a business of 30 people replacing devices on a 3-year cycle, Autopilot saves approximately 2 hours of IT time per device compared to manual imaging. That's 20 hours of MSP time saved per year — which, at MSP rates, is significantly more valuable than the setup investment. For clients growing through staff additions, the value is even higher: new joiners can be fully productive on day one without waiting for IT to provision their machine.
