As Microsoft starts to empower the integration for non Windows devices and also the available apps for macOS devices you might want to profit from your existing MDM solution of choice (Microsoft Intune) and enable features like conditional access or Windows Defender ATP on your  macOS devices. This post covers the enrollment with the company portal app. If you want to enroll your devices with DEP (device enrollment program) you can find a great guide here.

Mind the enrollment restrictions

Let’s start and check the configured enrollment restrictions to make sure that the macOS enrollment is not blocked for your tenant. You’ll find them on your Intune dashboard under: Microsoft Intune > Device enrollment - Enrollment restrictions

Intune enrollment restrictions

Get an Apple MDM push certificate

Without loosing into details - you need an Apple MDM push certificate (also called APNs) to manage apple devices with MDM. The push certificate allows your MDM solution to send notifications about device actions to your end devices (e.g. wipe, app installation, new policy). To request a push certificate you need a valid Apple ID.

In Intune navigate to the Apple enrollment section and download your CSR. The CSR is required to request the APNs certificate.

Intune Apple enrollment configuration

Now access the Apple push certificate portal and sign in with a valid apple ID.

Create a new APNs certificate

Request a new certificate and upload your CSR when prompted. Afterwards switch back to your Intune portal and upload the issued APNs certificate.

Enroll your first macOS machine

Here a little walk trough from an end users perspective.

First sign in to the Intune device portal with your browser and Microsoft account: https://portal.manage.microsoft.com/.

Add a new device
Download the company portal app
Install the company portal app and Microsoft auto update
Launch the company portal and sign in with your Microsoft account
Wait for the enrollment to complete
Approve the management profile in the system preferences
Choose profiles
Approve the management profile
Now your macOS is successfully enrolled into Intune

Now you’re ready to empower the Microsoft power on your macOS devices!