Microsoft Intune is gradually phasing out the legacy Discovered Apps feature on Windows. The replacement – App Inventory – is now available, bringing richer data, faster sync intervals, and true multi-user support. However, it’s not enabled by default. You must explicitly configure a single properties catalog policy to start collecting this data.
In this post, we’ll cover what App Inventory offers, how it differs from the old model, and exactly how to enable it.
What Makes App Inventory Different?
The original Discovered Apps view had several long-standing limitations:
- Slow refresh (approx. once per week)
- Incomplete metadata (no install path, size, uninstall string, etc.)
- Limited to the last logged-on user per device
App Inventory solves all three problems.
Richer Metadata
For each detected app, App Inventory captures:
- Install path
- Application size (bytes)
- Uninstall command line
- Architecture (x86, x64, ARM, etc.)
- Install date (based on registry timestamp)
This level of detail eliminates the need for custom discovery scripts or third‑party agents for basic software inventory.
Faster Sync Cadence
While Microsoft hasn’t published a guaranteed interval, App Inventory syncs multiple times per day – a massive improvement over the weekly update cycle of Discovered Apps. This makes it viable for real‑time compliance checks and troubleshooting.
True Per‑Device, Multi‑User Inventory
This is the biggest technical win. Discovered Apps only shows software installed under the user context of the last person who signed in. App Inventory, by contrast, enumerates applications from:
- The 64‑bit and 32‑bit registry uninstall keys (
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstalland the Wow6432Node equivalent) - The Windows Package Manager API (for Store apps)
Because it queries per‑user installations for every user profile on the device, you get a complete picture of all software on the machine – even apps installed only for specific, non‑interactive accounts.
How to Enable App Inventory
App Inventory is opt‑in. If you do nothing, Intune will continue using the legacy Discovered Apps view.
Prerequisites
- Windows devices managed by Intune (Windows 10/11)
- Devices must be enrolled and online to receive the policy
Step‑by‑Step Configuration
- Create a configuration profile
- Go to Devices > Configuration profiles > Create > New Policy
- Platform: Windows 10 and later
- Profile type: Settings catalog
- Add application inventory settings
- In the Settings catalog, search for “App Inventory”
- You’ll see a category named “Application Inventory”
- Select the properties you want to collect. At minimum, enable:
- Collect application inventory (master toggle)
- (Optional) specific properties like install size, architecture, etc.
Tip: Enable all available properties. The size of reported data is minimal, and you’ll avoid having to repolicy later.
- Assign to device groups – not user groups
This is critical. The blog’s author explicitly warns:
User group assignment can cause reporting gaps on shared devices.
Always assign the App Inventory policy to device groups. The agent runs in system context and needs device‑based targeting to correctly scan all user profiles. - Wait for policy refresh
After assignment, the policy applies at the next Intune device check‑in (usually within 8 hours, or you can initiate a sync from Company Portal).
Where to View the Collected Data
App Inventory is not displayed in the classic “Discovered Apps” blade. Instead, you must enable the new Intune device view (currently in preview).
- Go to Tenant administration > Preview features
- Turn on “New device view (preview)”
Once enabled, navigate to Devices > All devices → select a device → look for the “App inventory” tab. You’ll see the complete list of detected applications with all the extended metadata.
Should You Migrate Now?
Absolutely. Even though Microsoft has not announced a deprecation date for Discovered Apps, the writing is on the wall. App Inventory is superior in every technical aspect:
| Feature | Discovered Apps (Legacy) | App Inventory (New) |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh frequency | ~weekly | Multiple times/day |
| Install path / size | No | Yes |
| Uninstall command | No | Yes |
| Multi‑user support | No | Yes |
| Store app detection | Partial | Full (via Package Manager API) |
Recommendation: Deploy the App Inventory policy today alongside your existing Discovered Apps view. Run them in parallel for a few weeks to validate data completeness. Then plan to deprecate any custom scripts you built to compensate for Discovered Apps’ gaps.
Final Thoughts
Intune App Inventory is a quiet but powerful upgrade. For IT pros who have long struggled with stale, incomplete software lists, this feature finally brings Intune closer to traditional SCCM hardware inventory capabilities – without the infrastructure overhead.
The only catch is remembering to enable it. Don’t wait for Microsoft to flip the default. Set up the policy now, assign it to your device groups, and start enjoying a full, accurate view of application estate across your Windows fleet.
