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What the 26H2 baseline is—and what it does not establish
An Intune security baseline is a collection of preconfigured Windows settings selected by Microsoft’s product security team. Administrators can use the defaults or customize them, then assign the profile to users or devices. The settings are delivered through the corresponding configuration service providers (CSPs) on managed devices. Microsoft describes the 26H2 Intune baseline as based on its Windows 11 26H2 baseline in the Security Compliance Toolkit, filtered to settings applicable to Windows devices managed through Intune. Microsoft’s overview of security baselines and the version-specific settings reference explain the scope.
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A baseline is a starting point, not a guarantee that every recommendation fits every application, device, network, or support requirement. Microsoft also cautions that a baseline does not map one-to-one to CIS compliance. Using it alone therefore does not prove CIS or NIST compliance; organizations must map and validate the controls that apply to their own requirements. Review it alongside existing configuration profiles, Group Policy, applications, and other baselines before broad assignment.
What changed in the 26H2 release
Microsoft’s Intune release notes for the week of October 5, 2026 describe 26H2 as the latest Windows security baseline available in Intune, with new settings, updated default values, and revised guidance. The release-note entry does not provide a complete setting-by-setting change list; use the 26H2 selection in Microsoft’s settings reference to check current values. Make sure the reference is showing 26H2, since neighboring versions can have different settings. Intune what’s new provides the release announcement.
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Existing baseline profiles do not move to 26H2 automatically. You can create a new profile using the latest baseline or update an older profile, but review its settings first—especially if it has customizations. Microsoft says only the newest baseline version can be used to create a new instance; existing older instances may remain in use, but cannot be configured further until updated. Before updating, record the old selections and compare them with the new version so that intentional deviations are not lost.
The release excludes Configure NetBIOS settings. Microsoft says the policy is currently supported only on Windows Insider builds. It may be included in a future baseline update when supported on in-market Windows and available in the Intune Settings Catalog; Microsoft has not provided a release date in the announcement.
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Examples of 26H2 baseline settings
The following examples show the range of controls in the Intune-applicable 26H2 settings. They are representative, not a complete settings inventory; consult the 26H2 settings reference for the full list and linked CSP documentation.
- Reduce legacy protocol exposure: The SMB v1 client driver is set to “Disable driver (recommended),” and the SMB v1 server is disabled.
- Restrict lock-screen features: Enabling the lock-screen camera and slide show is prevented.
- Protect removable storage: Write access is denied to removable drives not protected by BitLocker.
- Harden network behavior: Multicast name resolution is turned off. Hardened UNC paths are enabled for
\*SYSVOLand\*NETLOGON, requiring mutual authentication and integrity. - Reduce printer attack surface: Redirection Guard and limits on printer-driver installation to administrators are enabled; the baseline also configures RPC printer settings.
- Harden sign-in and execution: SmartScreen is enabled with “Warn and prevent bypass”; command lines are included in process-creation events; and loading custom SSPs/APs into LSASS is disabled.
- Apply session and boot safeguards: Password requirements on wake are enabled for battery and plugged-in states. The boot-start driver policy allows good, unknown, and bad-but-critical drivers.
Prerequisites for deploying through Intune
Microsoft identifies an active Microsoft Intune Plan 1 subscription as a requirement for baseline deployment. The administrator account also needs suitable Intune role-based access control (RBAC) permissions: Organization read access and the relevant Security baselines permissions, including create, read, update, and assign. Intune does not provide the separate product license for another Microsoft service, such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. See Microsoft’s baseline documentation for subscription and permission details.
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Deploy the baseline and verify its application
- Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center with an account that has the required permissions.
- Go to Endpoint security > Security baselines.
- Select the Windows security baseline and create a policy/profile using the Windows 11 26H2 baseline.
- Review the settings. Customize only where needed, and record each deviation from the Microsoft defaults along with its operational reason.
- Assign the profile to a controlled pilot user or device group. Microsoft supports group assignment; choosing a pilot before broader rollout is a prudent deployment practice, not a Microsoft-prescribed pilot size.
- After assignment, inspect check-in, assignment, and per-setting status. Investigate errors, conflicts, and settings that are not matching before expanding deployment.
For a customized older profile, preserve its previous selections and compare them with the 26H2 settings before updating. That comparison helps identify changes that could affect application compatibility or conflict with other policy sources.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Monitor deployment and troubleshoot by setting
Intune baseline monitoring provides device and user check-in status, device assignment status, and status by setting. It also provides profile properties for reviewing and editing configuration. Use these views to distinguish devices that have not received the profile from settings that have failed or do not match. An assignment by itself does not show that every endpoint successfully applied every setting. Microsoft’s baseline monitoring guidance describes the available status reports.
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When a setting behaves unexpectedly, follow its linked CSP documentation from the 26H2 settings reference. The CSP defines the setting’s behavior and configuration details; Intune is the delivery and management mechanism. Check for competing settings in other Intune profiles, Group Policy, or another baseline before treating a device’s result as a baseline defect.
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For cloud-managed devices, Intune provides baseline profiles, group assignment, and monitoring. Microsoft’s Security Compliance Toolkit (SCT) supports a different workflow: administrators can download, analyze, test, edit, and store Microsoft-recommended baselines, compare Group Policy Objects (GPOs), and apply settings through Active Directory or local policy. Microsoft’s support matrix lists a September 2026 baseline release for Windows 11 26H2 and SCT 1.0. See the SCT documentation and support matrix.
These are different management paths, not interchangeable deployment interfaces: SCT does not replace Intune’s MDM subscription or reporting workflow. In a hybrid environment or during a move from Group Policy, check for overlapping settings and use Microsoft’s baseline guidance to identify cloud-managed options that may replace on-premises policies.
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