Compare Policies

Compare Intune policies side-by-side to identify differences, overlaps, and potential conflicts. Use policy comparison when troubleshooting conflicting settings or planning consolidation.

Comparison Types

Configuration Profile Comparison

Compare two profiles to find conflicting settings. Same platform, same or cross-type profiles.

Compliance Policy Comparison

Compare compliance policies for consistent requirements across platforms.

Security Baseline Comparison

Compare baseline versions or different baseline deployments.

Using the Comparison Tool

Navigate to Templates and Tools then Compare Policies
Select the first policy
Select the second policy to compare
View comparison results

Comparison Results

Status	Meaning
Match	Same value in both
Conflict	Different values (potential issue)
Only in Policy A	Configured only in first policy
Only in Policy B	Configured only in second policy
Not Configured	Not configured in either

Conflict Resolution

When conflicts are found:

Review assignment overlap between policies
Determine which setting value should apply
Consolidate policies if possible
Adjust assignments to avoid overlap

Common Conflict Scenarios

Password Policy Conflicts

Multiple policies requiring different password lengths. Most restrictive typically wins.

Firewall Rule Conflicts

Overlapping allow and block rules from different policies. Review priority and merge.

Update Ring Conflicts

Multiple update rings targeting same devices. Only one ring should target each device.

Best Practices

Compare policies before deploying new configurations
Regularly review for unintended overlaps
Use comparison during consolidation projects
Document conflict resolution decisions
Test changes on pilot groups

API Reference

GET /api/devices/policies/compare — Compare two policies
GET /api/devices/policies/:id/conflicts — Get conflicts
GET /api/devices/policies/overlap — Find overlapping assignments