
Joining a device to Azure AD on Windows 11 is a straightforward process that requires a few steps.
You'll need to have a Microsoft account, and your device must be connected to the internet.
To start, open the Settings app on your Windows 11 device and navigate to the Accounts section.
In the Accounts section, select the "Access work or school" option from the left menu.
This will lead you to the "Connect to a work or school" page, where you can enter your Azure AD credentials.
What Is Azure AD?
Azure AD is a cloud-based identity and access management solution that allows users to access multiple applications and resources with a single set of credentials.
It's a key component of Microsoft's cloud platform, providing a centralized way to manage user identities, access permissions, and device authentication.
Azure AD can be used to manage access to a wide range of applications, including those from Microsoft and third-party providers.
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Microsoft recommends using Azure AD for device authentication, as it provides an additional layer of security and manageability.
Azure AD provides a seamless user experience, allowing users to access applications and resources without the need for multiple usernames and passwords.
Azure AD is also highly scalable, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.
Registering Devices
Registering devices to Azure AD is supported in AADInternals version v0.4.6 and later. This process involves generating a Device key and Transport key, which are used to identify and decrypt the session key.
To start, you'll need to generate Device key and Transport key, which are generated by the registration software and stored on the device. The Device key is used to identify the device, while the Transport key is used to decrypt the session key.
The registration software generates a certificate signing request (CSR) for the Device key, which is then used to request an access token for Azure AD Join. This access token is required to enroll the device in Azure AD.
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Here are the steps to register a device to Azure AD:
- Generate Device key and Transport key.
- Request access token for Azure AD Join.
- Enroll device by making a POST request to the Azure AD Enterprise Registration Server.
- Return device certificate, which contains the signed Device key and its thumbprint.
The process of registering devices to Azure AD is identical to joining devices, as mentioned in Example 3.
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Joining Devices to Azure AD
Joining devices to Azure AD is a straightforward process that can be done in a few different ways. You can join a device to Azure AD at the time of Operating System installation or post Operating System is installed.
To join a device to Azure AD, you can use the Azure AD account in settings. On Windows machine go to Settings, click Accounts, click Access work or school and click Connect. On the Set up a work or school account click Join this device to Azure Active Directory.
You can also join a device to Azure AD using the command line by opening a PowerShell console as an administrator and typing the following command: dsregcmd /join. This is a convenient option if you're working with multiple devices or need to automate the process.
Supported operating systems for Azure AD join include Windows 10 and Windows 11 (Home Edition is not supported), as well as Windows Server 2019 VMs running in Azure.
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Internals
AADInternals is a powerful tool that allows you to register, join, and hybrid join devices to Azure AD with the Join-AADIntDeviceToAzureAD function.
It can register devices with Azure AD, making it a convenient option for many users.
This function is part of the AADInternals module, which provides a range of features for working with Azure AD.
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Join
Joining devices to Azure AD involves generating device and transport keys, requesting an access token, and enrolling the device. This process is similar to registration, but with a JoinType of 0.
To join a device, you'll need to generate a device key and transport key, which are used to authenticate the device with Azure AD. You can use the Join-AADIntDeviceToAzureAD function in AADInternals to register, join, and hybrid join devices.
The JoinType defaults to Join, making it easy to join a device to Azure AD. You can also use the Azure AD join feature in the Windows settings app to join a device to Azure AD.
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To join a Windows device to Entra ID, follow these steps: Go to Start > Open Settings App, then go to Accounts > Find Access work or school on the right-hand side. Click on Connect next to Add a work or school account, then click on Join this device to Microsoft Entra ID.
You can also join a device to Azure AD at the time of Operating System installation or post Operating System is installed. To join a device to Azure AD while installing the Operating System, select Set up for an organization on the Accounts page of the Windows 10 Operating System installation wizard.
Here are the steps to join a device to Azure AD using the settings app:
- Go to Settings, click Accounts, click Access work or school and click Connect.
- On the Set up a work or school account click Join this device to Azure Active Directory.
- When prompted, enter your Azure Active Directory (Microsoft Entra ID) credentials.
- Login to the device using Azure Active Directory credentials, and the device will be joined to Azure AD.
Id
When you join a device to Azure AD, you'll need to understand how its ID is represented. The device id attribute of the Azure AD device object is what you're looking for.
This attribute equals the objectGuid of the on-prem AD device object for Hybrid Joined devices.
Supported Operating Systems
Azure AD join is supported on Windows 10 and Windows 11, but keep in mind that Home Edition is not supported on either operating system.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 are the only supported desktop operating systems for Azure AD join.
Windows Server 2019 VMs running in Azure are also supported for Azure AD join.
Azure AD join is a great way to simplify device management and security, but it's essential to ensure your operating system is compatible to avoid any issues.
Configuring Windows Autopilot
Configuring Windows Autopilot is a crucial step in streamlining device management for Azure AD joined devices. To enable automatic conversion of devices, navigate to endpoint.microsoft.com.
This feature allows all Azure AD joined devices to automatically have their hash ID imported into Intune's device repository. With this enabled, you can target all devices associated to your assigned Autopilot Device Group.
To configure your Autopilot profile, follow these steps:
- Navigate to endpoint.microsoft.com.
- Target all devices associated to your assigned Autopilot Device Group.
Verify
To verify that your Windows 11 device has successfully joined Azure AD, you can check the Azure AD Join state in Azure Active Directory under "Devices". The device just joined will be shown as "Azure AD joined".
You can also verify the Azure AD Join state on the device itself by running the command dsregcmd/status in the Command Prompt.
To check if the device is successfully joined with Azure AD, look for the "AzureAdJoined" attribute in the DSREGCMD /STATUS output. If it's set to YES, that's a good sign.
Here's what you're looking for in the output:
If you see YES in both columns, it means your device is successfully joined with Azure AD and single sign-on is enabled.
Conditional Access and Security
Conditional Access is a crucial part of Microsoft's Zero Trust concept, which requires Azure AD Conditional Access (CA) to be implemented.
With CA, we can allow or deny access based on device information, such as whether the device is managed or not.
Managed devices are assumed to be managed by Configuration Manager and/or GPOs, and can also be marked as compliant by Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems like Intune.
However, device compliance can be "faked" depending on the compliance requirements, and can also be set by the AADInternalsSet-AADIntDeviceCompliant function.
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Conditional Access
Conditional Access is a crucial part of Microsoft's Zero Trust concept. It requires Azure AD Conditional Access (CA), which is included in Azure AD Premium P1.
With CA, we can allow or deny access based on device information. This includes requiring the device to be managed.
Managed devices are assumed to be devices that are either Hybrid Joined or marked as compliant. Hybrid Joined devices are assumed to be managed by Configuration Manager and/or GPOs.
Other devices can be marked compliant by Mobile Device Management (MDM) system, such as Intune.
Single Sign-On
Single Sign-On is made possible by devices registered or joined to Azure AD, which allows users to access Azure AD with a single sign-in.
This is achieved through Primary Refresh Tokens (PRTs), which can be created with the device and transport certificates.
The PRTs are created using the process described in an earlier blog post, which outlines the details of implementing Single Sign-On.
If the user was authenticated with MFA when the device was registered or joined to Azure AD, the access tokens fetched using the PRT will have the MFA claim set.
Administrators can change the authentication methods after the registration with the AADInternalsSet-AADIntDeviceRegAuthMethods function.
AD FS certificate export functionality was heavily refactored in v0.4.7, and the details can be found in an earlier blog post.
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Entra ID and CLI
Entra ID and CLI are essential tools for managing Azure AD and Windows 11 devices.
Entra ID is a cloud-based identity platform that provides a unified identity experience for users and devices. It simplifies the process of joining devices to Azure AD.
To use Entra ID, you'll need to create an Azure AD tenant and configure the Entra ID service. You can do this using the Azure portal.
Entra ID provides a command-line interface (CLI) for managing devices and users. This CLI is based on the Azure CLI.
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The Azure CLI is a powerful tool for automating tasks and managing Azure resources. You can use it to create and manage Azure AD resources, including users, groups, and devices.
To join a device to Azure AD using the Entra ID CLI, you'll need to run the "az login" command and then use the "az device register" command to register the device with Azure AD.
This process requires administrator privileges on the device and an active internet connection.
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Hybrid and Synced Devices
Hybrid joining devices requires a device object to exist in Azure AD, which can be created through Azure Active Directory or Azure security features.
In a hybrid environment, devices can be joined to both on-premises Active Directory and Azure AD, allowing for single sign-on and seamless integration.
If your environment has an on-premises AD footprint, you can implement hybrid Azure AD joined devices, which are devices joined to your on-premises Active Directory and registered with your Azure Active Directory.
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To create a device object to on-prem AD, you can use a script that creates a computer object, gets its GUID, creates a self-signed certificate, and sets the public key of the certificate to the userCertificate attribute of the computer object.
This process can take around 15-20 minutes to populate in the Windows Devices repository.
Hybrid joining to synced devices can be done in two ways: creating a device object to on-prem AD and syncing it to Azure AD, or creating device objects directly to Azure AD using AADInternals.
Here's a summary of the two options:
Both options require a Global Admin or Directory Synchronization Accounts role, and can generate device certificates and other information needed for hybrid joining.
Devices and Users
To sign in to the Windows client, you'll need to enter your username in the format AzureAD\UserPrincipalName. This is a change from previous versions, so make sure to use the correct format.
Joining devices is a straightforward process, with the JoinType defaulting to Join. This means you can easily join a device to Azure AD without having to manually configure settings.
To sign in, simply enter your Azure AD username in the correct format, and you'll be good to go.
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Devices
Devices are an essential part of our digital lives, and understanding how to work with them is crucial.
The JoinType defaults to Join, so joining a device is easy. This makes it simple to connect devices to your network.
Devices can be joined in various ways, but the default JoinType makes it straightforward.
User Account
To sign in to the Windows client, you'll need to use your Azure AD user credentials. The username should be entered in the format AzureAD\UserPrincipalName.
Usernames in Azure AD are typically in the form of an email address, so if your email is [email protected], your username would be AzureAD\[email protected].
You'll need to enter your username in this specific format to successfully sign in to the Windows client.
Trust and Permissions
To join a device to Azure AD, you need to set the right permissions. The default values for these permissions can be found in the Azure Active Directory settings.

Authorized users are determined by the settings in the "Authorized users who are allowed to join devices in Azure AD" section. This setting controls who can register a device in Azure AD.
Multi-factor authentication for device registration is not enabled by default, but it's highly recommended to be enabled for added security.
Here's a quick rundown of the key settings to consider:
- Authorized users who are allowed to join devices in Azure AD
- Maximum number of devices a user can join
- Multi-factor authentication for device registration
Setting Permissions
Setting permissions is an important step in configuring Azure AD Join. To do this, navigate to the Azure Active Directory portal.
The default permission settings for registering a device in Azure AD can be found in the "Devices" section. This is where you'll configure who is allowed to join devices in Azure AD.
Authorized users who are allowed to join devices in Azure AD are listed here. You can specify the users or groups that have permission to join devices.
The maximum number of devices a user can join is also set here. This is a useful setting to prevent users from joining too many devices.
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Multi-factor authentication for device registration is not enabled by default, but it's highly recommended to be enabled. This adds an extra layer of security to the device registration process.
To access these settings, follow these steps:
- Go to the Azure Active Directory portal
- Navigate to the "Devices" section
- Click on "Device Settings"
Trust Type
Trust Type plays a crucial role in determining how devices connect to your network. There are three main types of joins: Registered, Joined, and Hybrid Joined.
A Registered join type is indicated by a Workplace value. This type of join is typically used for devices that are managed by your organization.
The Joined type is represented by an AzureAd value. This type of join is commonly used for devices that are joined to Azure Active Directory.
Hybrid Joined devices, on the other hand, are indicated by a ServerAd value. These devices are joined to both on-premises Active Directory and Azure Active Directory.
Here's a breakdown of the three trust types:
For Hybrid Joined devices, the userCertificate attribute of the device from the on-prem AD object is a public key with a subject name that equals the objectGuid of the on-prem AD device object.
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Installation and Support
You can join a Windows device to Azure AD during installation or post-installation.
There are two ways to join a device to Azure AD during installation. You can select Set up for an organization on the Accounts page of the Windows 10 Operating System installation wizard.
To join a device to Azure AD post-installation, go to Settings, click Accounts, click Access work or school and click Connect.
You'll need to enter your Azure Active Directory (Microsoft Entra ID) credentials to authenticate.
Once authenticated, you'll see the domain name to which your device will be joined.
To complete the Azure AD join process, login to the device using Azure Active Directory credentials.
You can verify the Azure AD join device by going to Azure Active Directory and going to Devices.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I join a device to a domain in Windows 11?
To join a device to a domain in Windows 11, navigate to System settings and click on "Change settings" under Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings. From there, follow the prompts to select the domain and enter its name.
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