The Evolution of Intune and PowerShell

Microsoft Intune started as Windows Intune in 2011, initially focusing on managing Windows PCs through a web-based portal. Over time, it expanded to include Mobile Device Management (MDM) for iOS and Android (2014), allowing organizations to manage smartphones and tablets. However, automation was limited, as Intune lacked direct integration with PowerShell. This changed with the introduction of Microsoft Graph API (2015), which provided a unified endpoint for managing Microsoft 365 services, including Intune. By 2017, early PowerShell support arrived via the Azure AD PowerShell module, enabling administrators to retrieve Intune-related data but with restricted functionality. The real shift came in 2020 with the release of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK, which introduced dedicated cmdlets for Intune management, making automation and scripting more practical.

The Azure AD PowerShell module was one of the first tools administrators used to automate Intune-related tasks, but it had several limitations—it relied on older authentication methods and focused primarily on user and group management rather than full Intune control. The introduction of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK in 2020 marked a major shift, offering a broader command set, native Graph API integration, and modern authentication with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). Unlike its predecessor, the Graph SDK enables direct interaction with Intune-specific objects, such as device configurations, compliance policies, and app deployments, making it the preferred tool for modern Intune automation. Looking ahead, Microsoft continues to expand Graph API capabilities, with PowerShell expected to remain a core automation tool for advanced policy management, AI-driven security configurations, and deeper integration with cloud services as Intune evolves further.

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