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Security Policy Errors

How to Fix Microsoft Defender Tunnel Not Starting in Intune

Elise WilliamsElise Williams Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

An organization is unable to start the Microsoft Defender Tunnel on managed devices via Microsoft Intune.

How to Fix Microsoft Defender Tunnel Not Starting in Intune
Product
Microsoft Intune / Microsoft Defender
Device & OS
not provided
Scenario
Administrators are deploying Microsoft Defender Tunnel for enterprise device security and network access.
Observed behavior
The Microsoft Defender Tunnel fails to turn on or start on the target devices, disrupting secure connectivity.
Before you start

Ensure you have administrator access to the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center and that the affected devices are actively enrolled and connected to the internet.

Solution 1Recommended

Review Intune Configurations and Device Compliance

Verify that all required profiles, assignment groups, and compliance policies are correctly applied in Intune.

The Defender Tunnel requires strict adherence to deployment policies. Any misconfiguration in the assigned groups or non-compliance status of the device will block the tunnel from initializing.

1
Access Endpoint Manager

Sign in to the Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Intune) admin center with your administrator credentials.

2
Verify Configuration Profiles

Navigate to 'Devices' > 'Configuration profiles' and locate your Microsoft Defender Tunnel profile. Ensure all settings match your organizational requirements.

3
Check Assignments

Click on the specific profile and select 'Assignments'. Verify that the correct user groups or device groups are included and that there are no conflicting exclusions.

4
Confirm Device Compliance

Go to 'Devices' > 'Compliance policies'. Ensure the affected devices are marked as 'Compliant' and resolve any flagged security or configuration issues.

Review Intune Configurations and Device Compliance
Certificate Validation: Also ensure that the root and client authentication certificates pushed via Intune are valid and have not expired.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft Defender Tunnel require device compliance in Intune?

Intune relies on compliance policies to verify that a device meets the organization's security baseline. If a device is non-compliant, conditional access policies will block the Defender Tunnel from starting to protect corporate resources.

Where can I find the Defender Tunnel configuration profiles?

You can locate and manage these profiles in the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center by navigating to 'Devices', then 'Configuration profiles'.

Can an expired certificate stop the Defender Tunnel from working?

Yes, the Defender Tunnel relies on valid certificates for authentication. If the root or client certificates deployed via Intune are expired or misconfigured, the tunnel will fail to connect.

Is WPS Office compatible with enterprise security tools like Microsoft Defender?

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