Intune Enterprise App Catalog

What is "Intune Enterprise App Catalog" ?

Microsoft Intune Enterprise App Catalog apps are prepackaged Windows Win32 applications that can be discovered, added, deployed, and maintained directly from the Microsoft Intune admin center. The Enterprise App Catalog is part of Intune Enterprise App Management (EAM) and contains Microsoft and non-Microsoft applications that are prepared and hosted by Microsoft, including default installation commands, requirements, and detection rules to simplify app deployment.

Using Enterprise App Catalog apps helps reduce packaging effort, standardize application deployment, and keep applications current by making newer app versions available in the catalog. Once an app has been added to Intune, it can be assigned to users or devices like other Intune apps. Enterprise App Catalog apps are also supported with Windows Autopilot, where they can be selected as blocking apps in Enrollment Status Page and Device Preparation Page profiles.

Administrators should generally use the Microsoft-provided default settings for installation, uninstall, requirements, and detection. Changing these settings can cause installation failures or introduce unintended behavior. Organizations remain responsible for validating that catalog applications meet their internal security, compliance, and licensing requirements before deployment.

What do you need ?

EAM is not part of base Intune. It requires a subscription in addition to Intune Plan 1/Plan 2, and you get it one of three ways: 

·        As part of the Microsoft Intune Suite

·        As the standalone Enterprise App Management add-on SKU

·        Bundled into Microsoft 365 E5 – the change that makes this genuinely worth revisiting, because many already own E5

How to add an Enterprise App Catalog App

Open Intune portal and go to Apps > Windows

Click “+ Create”.
As App type, choose “Enterprise App Catalog app” and hit Select.

Now, find your application by clicking “Search the Enterprise App Catalog”

Start typing the app name in the search box

Select app

Select your app and hit Next

Configuration

Select your configuration and hit Next

Updates

You can choose between "Automatically update" or "Update with supersedence".

As you can read here, not much to change.

Here, you can do custom settings (but it is probably not needed).
You get more choices for assignments.

Automatically update

We will go with Automatically here.
We select "Automatically update" and then hit the "Select" button.

This brings us to the "App information" blade.

App information
Fields are pre-filled for the chosen application.
Hit Next.

Program

Fields are pre-filled, so Hit Next.

Requirements and Detection rules, nothing to do here.
This is because we have chosen “Automatically update”.

Supersedence

If you have no supersedence, hit Next.

Assignments

In this case, the app will be “Required”. This is again because of “Automatically update”.
Add your User- or device group and hit next.

Review + create

You get all the information about the app. If you are satisfied, hit the “Add app” button.

Now you have created an app, that will update itself when updates are available.

In the Windows apps view, you will see these applications listed as "Windows Auto Update Catalog App".

Update with supersedence.

If you had chosen “Update with supersedence”

App information
Fields are pre-filled for the chosen application.
Hit Next.

Program
Fields are pre-filled for the chosen application, but you can do changes.
Hit Next.

Requirements
Fields are pre-filled for the chosen application, but you can do changes.
Hit Next.

Detection rule
Fields are pre-filled, but you can do changes..

Supersedence

As this is an app where you will have to manage updates/new versions, you might have an old version that you can supersede.

Assignments

You will have more options as assignments:

Choose your preferred assignment type. Add user- or device group.

Review + create

Hit “Add App”, and you now have a new app.

Intune will let you know, that this is the latest version of the app.
But, as the Update Method is Supersedence, you will have to monitor for app updates and create new packages.

In your Windows apps view, these kind of application/updates will be listed as Windows catalog app (Win32).

Read more about Microsoft Intune Enterprise Application Management here:

Microsoft Intune Enterprise Application Management - Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Learn

Here you will also find a list of all available applications.