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How to Create an Intune Test Environment for Device Enrollment

Khadija Khan Oct 7, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to set up a safe Microsoft Intune test environment before enabling automatic enrollment for company laptops joined to Microsoft Entra ID.

How to Create an Intune Test Environment for Device Enrollment

Product: Microsoft Intune
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preparing a safe testing environment for device enrollment and policy configuration in a corporate network.
Observed behavior: The user is looking to safely test automatic device enrollment and pilot policies without affecting the production Microsoft Entra ID environment.

Before you start

Ensure you have global administrator access to a Microsoft Entra ID tenant and have available Intune licenses to assign to your designated test users.

Solution 1Recommended

Set Up a Nonproduction Intune Tenant for Testing

Creating a separate, nonproduction tenant ensures your production environment remains safe while testing enrollment and device policies.

Testing new enrollment policies directly in a live environment can lead to unintended access issues or misconfigurations for active employees. Establishing a dedicated test tenant allows IT administrators to validate policies securely.

Set up a nonproduction tenant

Create a separate Microsoft Entra ID tenant dedicated entirely to testing purposes to prevent accidental changes to your live corporate environment.

Assign an Intune license

Create a test user account within this nonproduction tenant and assign an active Microsoft Intune license to this user from the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Create a test device group

Navigate to the Intune admin center, go to Groups, and create a new device group specifically for your test computers.

Configure pilot policies

Set up the device configuration and compliance policies you wish to test, ensuring you assign them exclusively to your newly created test device group.

Enroll the test computer

Log into a test device using the test user account and complete the device enrollment process to verify that all pilot policies apply correctly before moving to production.

Set Up a Nonproduction Intune Tenant for Testing

Additional Support: If you encounter specific configuration errors during your setup, posting your scenario on the Microsoft Q&A forums can provide targeted guidance for Intune.

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Deploy WPS Office in Your Corporate Environment

While configuring your Microsoft Intune test environment, consider testing WPS Office as a lightweight, cost-effective alternative for your organization's document management needs. It offers seamless migration and high compatibility with standard office files.

1. Download the installer: Get the latest WPS Office installation package from the official website.
2. Upload to Intune: Package the installer and upload it to your Intune admin center as a line-of-business or Win32 app for your test tenant.
3. Deploy and test: Assign the WPS Office application to your test device group and verify the automated installation on your enrolled devices.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Office file formats like DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX.Lightweight deployment package ideal for testing via Microsoft Intune and company laptops.Cost-effective and free to download for initial environment testing and adoption.Familiar user interface ensuring zero learning curve for employees transitioning software.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my production tenant for Intune testing?

It is highly recommended to use a separate nonproduction tenant for testing to prevent accidental policy changes, locked devices, or disruptions to your live Microsoft Entra ID environment.

Do I need a separate license for my Intune test user?

Yes, the test user account must be assigned a valid Microsoft Intune license within the nonproduction tenant to successfully enroll devices and receive policies.

How can I verify if my pilot policies are applied to the test device?

After enrolling the test device, you can check the device status in the Intune admin center. Alternatively, on the local Windows device, navigate to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school, select the account, click Info, and click Sync to review applied policies.

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