🚀 Overview

The “Built-In” app classification within Microsoft Intune is designed to streamline the deployment of essential, pre-curated productivity software to mobile environments. This feature allows IT administrators to efficiently assign managed applications—including the Microsoft 365 suite (Excel, OneDrive, Outlook, Skype) and select third-party offerings—directly to iOS/iPadOS and Android endpoints. Once these applications are integrated into the Intune catalog, they are identified specifically as either Built-in iOS app or Built-in Android app. This mechanism empowers administrators to selectively publish high-priority tools to the user base, ensuring a consistent and managed software experience across the organization’s mobile fleet.

⚙️ Key Technical Details

• 🛡️ Platform Compatibility & Limitations: While built-in apps are fully supported for standard iOS/iPadOS and Android deployments, they are not supported on Android Enterprise devices. For Android Enterprise environments, administrators must utilize Managed Google Play apps or manage Android Enterprise system apps via the dedicated Intune workflows.
• 📅 Evolution of App Types: In previous iterations of the Microsoft Intune admin center, default Microsoft 365 applications were categorized as Managed iOS Store App or Managed Android App. Microsoft now recommends transitioning to the Built-In app type. This modern classification provides significantly higher administrative flexibility, specifically regarding the ability to modify or remove Microsoft 365 applications from the catalog. Note that legacy apps tagged with the older labels will be automatically purged from the app list once all their existing assignments are deleted.
• 🛠️ Provisioning Workflow: To integrate these applications, navigate to the Microsoft Intune admin center and follow the path: Apps > All Apps > Create. Under the Other types section, select Built-In app. The interface will then guide you through selecting specific software from the curated list, applying Scope Tags for RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), and defining deployment targets in the Assignments phase.
• 📝 Metadata & Portal Customization: Administrators can fine-tune how these apps appear within the Company Portal by modifying the Properties section. Configurable fields include:
  • App Information: Define the Name, Description, and Publisher.
  • Categorization: Assigning categories and toggling the “Featured app” status to increase visibility on the Company Portal landing page.
  • Support Details: Providing Information URLs, Privacy URLs, and identifying the internal Owner or Developer.
  • Visual Identity: Uploading custom icons to ensure the app is easily recognizable by end-users.

⚠️ Impact

Implementing built-in apps directly impacts both administrative efficiency and the end-user experience. For IT Admins, this approach reduces the overhead of manually sourcing store links and provides a more granular level of control over the application lifecycle, including easier deletion and property updates. For end-users, it ensures that essential productivity tools are readily available, properly branded, and easy to find within the Company Portal. However, admins must remain vigilant regarding platform-specific restrictions; attempting to deploy these built-in types to Android Enterprise devices will result in deployment failure, requiring the use of the Managed Google Play store instead.

Read the full article on Microsoft.com