What to Do When a Refurbished PC Is Locked by Windows Autopilot or Microsoft Intune

If you're a refurbisher and you’ve ever turned on a PC just to find it’s locked to a previous organization, you’re not alone. Devices locked by Windows Autopilot and Microsoft Intune are an increasingly common problem in the refurbished PC market, and for many, they can feel like dead inventory.

What Is Windows Autopilot?

Windows Autopilot is Microsoft’s deployment tool used by organizations to automatically configure new devices. When a business buys laptops or desktops in bulk, they can register those devices to their Microsoft tenant using Autopilot. The next time the device boots, it configures itself with company apps, policies, and settings.

If the previous organization doesn’t deregister the device, Autopilot may still attempt to provision it, even after a factory reset.

What Role Does Intune Play?

Microsoft Intune is the mobile device management (MDM) solution that enforces security policies, remote wiping, and ongoing compliance. Once a device is enrolled, Intune can keep it locked down, preventing re-use by anyone outside the original tenant.

Together, Autopilot and Intune can make it nearly impossible for a refurbisher to reset, reuse, or resell a PC even if it was legally acquired.

Why This Matters to Refurbishers

If a device is still tied to the original organization:

• It may automatically re-enroll in Autopilot when reset
• It may require login credentials from the original tenant
• It may block new setup attempts even with fresh imaging
• It becomes unsellable and unserviceable, costing you time and revenue

The Challenge: OEM Licensing & Hardware Hashes

Most of these problems exist because devices come with OEM digital licenses, and those licenses are tied to the device’s hardware hash. Autopilot uses that hash to match devices to an organization’s Microsoft tenant. Even if you wipe the PC, the hash remains unless deregistered by the original owner.

BlairTech’s Solution for TPR Partners

At BlairTech, we’ve developed a proprietary tool and process that helps our TPR partners:

• Detect Autopilot/Intune-locked devices before wasting hours on setup
• Recover and activate systems affected by OEM licensing restrictions
• Resolve lockouts without needing action from the previous owner
• Stay fully compliant with Microsoft’s licensing and reporting standards

This solution is exclusively available to TPRs partnered with BlairTech at no extra cost.

If you’ve encountered this issue and want to protect your refurbished inventory, we’re here to help.

Learn more about BlairTech’s Autopilot Recovery Tool for TPR partners.

Learn more about BlairTech’s TPR Program.

Email us at COAS@BlairTG.com to become a BlairTech TPR and gain access to our Autopilot recovery tool.