Windows provisioning makes it easy for IT administrators to configure end-user devices without imaging. When you use Windows provisioning, an IT administrator can easily specify the desired configuration and settings required to enroll the devices into management. Then, apply that configuration to target devices in a matter of minutes. It's best suited for small- to medium-sized businesses with deployments that range from tens to a few hundred computers.
A provisioning package (.ppkg) is a container for a collection of configuration settings. With Windows client, you can create provisioning packages that let you quickly and efficiently configure a device without having to install a new image.
Provisioning packages are simple enough that with a short set of written instructions, a student, or nontechnical users can use them to configure their device. It can result in a significant reduction in the time required to configure multiple devices in your organization.
Quickly configure a new device without going through the process of installing a new image.
Save time by configuring multiple devices using one provisioning package.
Quickly configure user-owned devices in an organization without a mobile device management (MDM) infrastructure.
Set up a device without the device having network connectivity.
Provisioning packages can be:
Installed using removable media such as an SD card or USB flash drive.
Attached to an email.
Downloaded from a network share.
Deployed in NFC tags or barcodes.
Provisioning scenarios
WCD supports the following scenarios for IT administrators:
Simple provisioning - Enables IT administrators to define a desired configuration in WCD and then apply that configuration on target devices. The simple provisioning wizard makes the entire process quick and easy by guiding an IT administrator through common configuration settings in a step-by-step manner.
Advanced provisioning (deployment of classic (Win32) and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, and certificates) - Allows an IT administrator to use WCD to open provisioning packages in the advanced settings editor and include apps for deployment on end-user devices.
Mobile device enrollment into management - Enables IT administrators to purchase off-the-shelf retail Windows devices and enroll them into mobile device management (MDM) before handing them to end users in the organization. IT administrators can use WCD to specify the management endpoint and apply the configuration on target devices by connecting them to a Windows PC (tethered deployment) or through an SD card. Supported management end-points include:
Microsoft Intune (certificate-based enrollment)
AirWatch (password-string based enrollment)
MobileIron (password-string based enrollment)
Other MDMs (cert-based enrollment)
Note
The Provision school devices wizard is removed from Windows Configuration Designer. Instead, use the Setup School PCs app from the Microsoft Store.
What you can configure
Windows Configuration Designer provides the following simple provisioning scenarios:
Install applications using the provisioning package.
✅
✅
❌
Add certificates
Include a certificate file in the provisioning package.
✅
✅
✅
Configure kiosk account and app
Create local account to run the kiosk mode app, specify the app to run in kiosk mode
❌
✅
❌
Configure kiosk common settings
Set tablet mode, configure welcome and shutdown screens, turn off timeout settings
❌
✅
❌
Developer Setup
Enable Developer Mode
❌
❌
✅
Tip
After you start a project using a Windows Configuration Designer wizard, you can switch to the advanced editor to configure additional settings in the provisioning package.
Configuration Designer advanced editor
The following table provides some examples of settings that you can configure using the Windows Configuration Designer advanced editor to create provisioning packages.
Customization options
Examples
Bulk Active Directory join and device name
Join devices to Active Directory domain and assign device names using hardware-specific serial numbers or random characters
Applications
Windows apps, line-of-business applications
Bulk enrollment into MDM
Automatic enrollment into a third-party MDM service
Using a provisioning package for autoenrollment to Microsoft Intune isn't supported. To enroll devices, use the Configuration Manager console.
Use dynamic provisioning methods such as Subscription Activation, Provisioning packages, and Microsoft Entra join to reconfigure an existing operating system.
Plan and execute an endpoint deployment strategy, using essential elements of modern management, co-management approaches, and Microsoft Intune integration.
Learn more about how provisioning package work on Windows client devices. A provisioning package (.ppkg) is a container for a collection of configuration settings.