Mapping network drives has long been a given in traditional Windows environments, typically using GPOs in an on-prem Active Directory. But what do you do when your organization transitions to a cloud-based setup and Intune is expected to take over what was previously handled on-premises?
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to configure mapped network drives using Intune, leveraging ADMX import and policy settings. It’s not about hosting the resources, but about making them easily accessible to users in their daily workflow.
We’ll cover how to collect the right information, build the policy, and avoid common pitfalls like special characters in paths. I’ll also share tips related to DFS, user groups, and environment variables to help you build a stable and scalable solution.
Let’s get started.
Prerequisites
Mapping network drive assignments for Intune configuration
Before configuring mapped network drives via Intune, you need to gather the following information from your current environment:
- Drive letters – Which drive letters are used (e.g., Z:, Q:)?
- UNC paths – Full paths in the format \server\share.
- DFS – Is DFS used? If so, specify root or referral path.
- User groups – Which groups need access to each mapping?
- Environment variables – Are variables like %Username% used in the paths?
- Special characters – Are there characters like
&or'in the paths? * - Workplace setup – Are there groups working only from the office (no VPN)?
* These characters can be replaced with & and ' if required by the Intune template. Alternatively, use PowerShell, Example: \\homeshare01\c$\Research&Development\Documents\
Step 1.
Download the two required ADMX files here. These templates are used to configure drive mapping policies in Intune.
Step 2.
Log in to your Intune tenant and go to: Devices > Windows > Configuration
Step 3.
Select Import ADMX, then click Import.
Step 4.
Click the blue folder icon to the right, upload the ADMX and ADML files you downloaded earlier.
If you receive an error message like the one shown below, you’ll need to take an additional step before continuing.
Follow the guide below if this occurs.
ADMX Upload Error: Missing Microsoft.Policies.Windows ADMX (call4cloud.nl)
Step 5.
Click Next, and then Create
This policy will create registry keys on the computer and set up the structure for mapped drives.
Step 6.
Go to Devices > Windows > The computer that should use the drive > Device configuration.
Verify that this ADMX policy has been imported correctly.
You can also test this by going to a computer reporting ‘Succeeded’ and navigating via regedit to the path below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\Admx.Installed\{xxxx-xxxxx-xxxx-xxxxx}\DriveMapping\Policy\DriveMapping.admx
Step 7.
Go back to Device > Windows > Manage devices > Configuration
Click on Create > New Policy
Step 8.
Here, select Templates > Imported Administrative Templates >
Click on Create
Step 9.
Choose a name according to the naming convention.
Step 10.
Click on User Configuration on the left, then select Network Drive Mappings.
Step 11.
Select a drive letter to begin the configuration. If you have multiple drives, it’s recommended to create a separate policy for each one.
Step 12.
Enter the UNC path and DFS root (if needed) based on the information collected earlier. Click OK.
Step 13.
Select the group that should have access to the drive. Create one if no suitable group exists. Finalize the import by going to Review + create and clicking Create.
Step 14.
Go to Devices > Windows > Example device that will use the drive > Device configuration.
Note that the device must be part of the group assigned to the drive in the previous step in order to receive the correct policies.
Also note that it may take up to 20 minutes before the correct information appears here.
In the image, the example device has received both the S: drive and the ADMX profile.
Step 15.
Go to the computer and locate your new drive, mapped and ready to use.
A VPN client is, of course, required if the computer is not on the same network as the mapped resource.
Sources:
Mark Thomas & Intune Drive Mappings | Managing Drive letters with an ADMX
