# Enrollment Methods > Windows enrollment methods in Applivery — Manual Enrollment, Microsoft Entra ID, Autopilot, Domain Join and Direct Provisioning for Windows devices. Source: https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/enrollment/enrollment-methods/ • Last updated: 2026-08-08 **Key topics:** Windows enrollment methods, Windows Autopilot, Identity sources, Automation levels, Provisioning packages, Applivery, Microsoft Entra ID, Active Directory, Windows --- **TL;DR:** Enroll Windows Devices through Manual Enrollment, Microsoft Entra ID automatic enrollment, Windows Autopilot zero-touch provisioning, Direct Provisioning packages, or Domain Join for on-premises Active Directory environments. Once your [Windows Enterprise](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/get-started/) is activated, you can start enrolling your Windows Devices in Applivery. Let's take a look at the available enrollment methods. :::info If you need to onboard several people at the same time, you can invite them all in one go with a [Bulk Enrollment](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/general-settings/bulk-enrollment/). ::: ## Enrollment options Windows provides multiple ways to enroll Devices depending on your identity infrastructure (cloud-only, hybrid or on-premises), the level of automation you need, and whether Devices are enrolled one at a time or in bulk. All enrollment methods result in the Device being managed by Applivery, but they differ in two key aspects: - **Automation level**: Some methods require the end user to manually add a work account from the Settings app, while others enroll the Device automatically the moment it joins your identity provider — with no user interaction required. - **Identity source**: Windows Devices can be tied to **Microsoft Entra ID** (cloud identity), an **on-premises Active Directory domain**, or enrolled as **standalone Devices** with no identity join at all, using a provisioning package. Regardless of the method, every Windows Device must reach the [Windows Enterprise activation](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/get-started/) step before it can be enrolled, and every enrollment can be layered with a [Smart Enrollment](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/enrollment/smart-enrollment/) to conditionally assign Policies based on user or Device data. ### Manual Enrollment The **classic manual enrollment method**, done from the Device itself via **Settings > Accounts > Access work or school**. The user enters their corporate email address, and Windows automatically discovers the Applivery MDM server using your organization's Auto-Discovery Domain — a CNAME DNS record that avoids the need for manual server URLs or enrollment tokens. It works independently of Entra ID and is well suited for one-off enrollments or Devices that are not managed through a directory service. You can learn more about it [here](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/enrollment/manual-enrollment/). ### Microsoft Entra ID Enrollment Ties Device enrollment directly to your corporate identity system. Once the integration is configured, any Device that joins Microsoft Entra ID **automatically enrolls into Applivery**, with no separate enrollment step required. This is the recommended method for corporate-owned, cloud-managed fleets, since it also enables Single Sign-On and automated Policy assignment based on user and group identity. You can learn more about it [here](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/enrollment/entra-id-enrollment/). :::info Devices that were **already joined to Entra ID before** the integration was configured need an extra recovery step, since they hold a security token issued before Applivery existed. See [Enroll Devices Already Joined to Entra ID](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/enrollment/entra-id-joined-devices-enrollment/) to bring them in without unjoining or resetting them. ::: ### Windows Autopilot Microsoft's **zero-touch provisioning** technology. A brand-new Device configures itself the first time it's turned on, with no manual imaging or setup: during the out-of-box experience it is redirected to Applivery, so the Agent, your Policies and your Apps are installed automatically the moment the user signs in. It requires an **active Entra ID integration**, since the redirection is configured through the MDM handover in Entra. It's the method for shipping Devices straight from the vendor to the employee. You can learn more about it [here](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/enrollment/windows-autopilot/). ### Domain Join For environments running an **on-premises Active Directory**. The Device enrolls automatically when it joins the domain, with no user interaction, which makes it the on-premises counterpart to Entra ID enrollment. It's the natural choice for corporate-owned Devices in on-premises or hybrid setups, where identity already lives in your own directory rather than in the cloud. ### Direct Provisioning Allows generating a **provisioning package** tied to an Enrollment Template, which bundles enrollment credentials (including an auto-generated secret) so Devices can be enrolled **without any user interaction or directory join**, typically applied during first boot or via USB. This method is best suited for bulk, offline or kiosk-style deployments, and it's the only one that works when the Device isn't tied to any identity provider. You can learn more about it [here](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/windows/enrollment/provisioning-package-enrollment/). ## Enrollment methods | Enrollment Method | Identity Source | Automation Level | User Interaction | Typical Use Case | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Manual Enrollment** | None (email-based discovery) | Manual | Required (enter work email) | One-off enrollments, no directory service | | **Microsoft Entra ID Enrollment** | Microsoft Entra ID (cloud) | Automatic on join | None (after Entra ID join) | Corporate-owned, cloud-managed fleets | | **Windows Autopilot** | Microsoft Entra ID (cloud) | Zero-touch, automatic at first boot | None (user just signs in) | New Devices shipped straight to the employee | | **Domain Join** | On-premises Active Directory | Automatic on join | None (after domain join) | Corporate-owned, on-premises or hybrid environments | | **Direct Provisioning** | None (standalone) | Automatic (package-based) | None | Bulk, offline or kiosk-style deployments |