macOS Microsoft 365 Apps Unexpectedly Closing? Intune Users Affected

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Microsoft Intune administrators who oversee macOS devices might encounter a perplexing issue where Microsoft 365 applications unexpectedly close and subsequently reinstall without any user notification. This behavior can disrupt user workflows and lead to frustration, particularly when critical applications like Microsoft Teams terminate during active use. Understanding the symptoms, causes, and resolutions is crucial for maintaining a stable and productive environment for macOS users within an organization utilizing Intune for application deployment.

Symptoms¶

Users experiencing this issue will primarily observe Microsoft 365 applications, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, abruptly closing without any prior warning or error messages. This unexpected termination can occur at any time, even during active use of the application. For instance, a user might be in the middle of composing an important email in Outlook or presenting a crucial presentation in PowerPoint when the application suddenly shuts down. This sudden closure is not only disruptive but can also lead to potential data loss if auto-save features are not enabled or if changes are not saved immediately before the unexpected termination.

Following the unexpected closure, the application will automatically restart after a short period. This restart process often occurs silently in the background, without any explicit notification to the user that the application has been reinstalled. Users might only become aware of this reinstallation when they check the modification date of the application on their macOS device. Upon inspection, they will notice that the modification date falls within the timeframe between the application closing and restarting. This timestamp serves as a subtle indicator of the background reinstallation process, which is otherwise invisible to the end-user.

Consider a scenario where a user is engaged in a Microsoft Teams call. Suddenly, without any error message or prompt, the Teams application terminates, abruptly ending the ongoing call and disrupting communication. Shortly after, Teams automatically restarts, and the user might need to rejoin the call or restart their workflow. This cycle of unexpected closure and silent reinstallation can repeat intermittently, causing significant inconvenience and hindering user productivity. The lack of notification further exacerbates the issue, as users are left unaware of the underlying process and may struggle to understand why their applications are behaving erratically.

Cause¶

This disruptive behavior in Microsoft 365 applications on macOS, deployed via Intune, typically stems from two primary causes related to application deployment configurations within Intune. Understanding these causes is essential for administrators to diagnose and rectify the issue effectively.

Multiple Deployments of Microsoft 365 Apps¶

The first potential cause arises from configuring multiple deployments of Microsoft 365 applications as Required to the same macOS devices within Intune. Intune allows administrators to deploy applications in various ways, including assigning them as “Required,” “Available,” or “Uninstall.” When an application is assigned as “Required,” Intune ensures that the application is installed on the targeted devices and actively manages its installation state.

If an administrator inadvertently or unknowingly creates multiple “Required” deployments targeting overlapping sets of users or devices with Microsoft 365 applications, it can lead to conflicts. For example, an administrator might create one “Required” deployment for the entire Microsoft 365 suite and then, separately, create another “Required” deployment for individual applications like Microsoft Word or Excel, targeting the same user group.

In such scenarios, Intune might interpret these multiple “Required” assignments as conflicting instructions. The system might attempt to enforce both deployments, leading to a loop where Intune detects a discrepancy between the desired state (as defined by the deployments) and the actual state of the applications on the device. This discrepancy can trigger Intune to attempt to re-enforce the application installation, even if the application is already installed and functioning. This re-enforcement process can manifest as the unexpected closure and reinstallation behavior observed by users. Essentially, Intune is caught in a cycle of trying to ensure compliance with conflicting deployment policies.

To illustrate, imagine two policies:
1. Policy A (Required): Deploys “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite to “All macOS Users”.
2. Policy B (Required): Deploys “Microsoft Word” to “All macOS Users”.

Even though “Microsoft Word” is part of the “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite, Intune might process these as separate required installations. This can lead to a conflict where Intune believes it needs to reinstall or re-verify the installation of Microsoft Word, potentially triggering the unexpected closure and restart of applications within the suite. This scenario highlights the importance of carefully reviewing and consolidating Intune deployment policies to avoid overlapping or redundant assignments.

“Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” Suite Assigned as Required (Known Issue)¶

The second, and perhaps more critical, cause is a known issue specifically related to assigning the entire “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” app suite as Required to macOS devices. While deploying the complete suite might seem like an efficient way to ensure all necessary Microsoft 365 applications are available to users, this specific configuration has been identified as a potential trigger for the unexpected closure and reinstallation problem.

This issue appears to be inherent to how Intune manages the “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite deployment, especially when assigned as “Required.” The exact underlying technical reasons for this behavior are complex and might involve interactions between the Intune management agent on macOS, the Microsoft 365 application suite installer, and the operating system itself. However, the observable outcome is consistent: deploying the entire suite as “Required” increases the likelihood of users experiencing the unexpected application closures.

This “known issue” highlights the importance of staying informed about best practices and potential pitfalls in Intune application deployment. Microsoft often releases updates and recommendations regarding known issues and optimal deployment strategies. Therefore, administrators should regularly consult official Microsoft documentation and community forums to stay abreast of any reported issues and recommended workarounds. Recognizing this specific cause allows administrators to quickly narrow down the potential root of the problem and implement the appropriate resolution. It underscores the need for a nuanced approach to application deployment, even when deploying seemingly straightforward application suites like Microsoft 365.

Resolution¶

Addressing the issue of Microsoft 365 apps unexpectedly closing on macOS devices managed by Intune requires targeted resolutions based on the identified cause. The approach to fixing the problem differs depending on whether it’s due to multiple deployments or the “known issue” with the Microsoft 365 suite assignment.

Resolution for Multiple Deployments¶

If the cause is identified as multiple “Required” deployments of Microsoft 365 applications, the resolution involves streamlining and consolidating the deployment policies within Intune. The primary goal is to eliminate any overlapping or redundant assignments that might be causing conflicts.

1. Review Existing Deployment Policies: The first step is to thoroughly review all existing Intune application deployment policies targeting macOS devices and Microsoft 365 applications. Administrators should carefully examine each policy to identify any policies that are configured as “Required” and target Microsoft 365 applications, either the entire suite or individual applications.

2. Identify Overlapping Policies: Look for policies that might be targeting the same users or devices with overlapping application deployments. Pay close attention to policies that deploy the entire “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite and policies that deploy individual applications from the suite, especially if they are both set to “Required” and target similar groups.

3. Consolidate Policies: Once overlapping policies are identified, the next step is to consolidate them into a single, unified policy. Instead of having multiple “Required” deployments, aim to have one primary “Required” deployment for the “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite. Remove or modify any redundant “Required” deployments of individual applications that are already included in the suite deployment.

   For example, if you have separate “Required” policies for the suite and for individual apps like Word and Excel, consolidate them by keeping only the “Required” policy for the “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite. Ensure this policy targets all users who need access to Microsoft 365 applications.

4. Verify Policy Scope: After consolidation, carefully verify the scope of the remaining “Required” deployment policy. Ensure it accurately targets all intended users or devices that require Microsoft 365 applications. Double-check the assignment groups and filters to confirm that the policy is applied correctly and efficiently.

5. Monitor and Test: After implementing the policy consolidation, closely monitor the affected macOS devices to observe if the unexpected closure issue is resolved. Encourage users to report if they continue to experience the problem. Testing on a subset of devices before widespread deployment can also be a prudent approach to validate the effectiveness of the resolution.

By consolidating deployment policies and eliminating redundant “Required” assignments, administrators can prevent Intune from entering a conflicting state and resolve the unexpected application closure issue caused by multiple deployments.

Resolution for “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” Suite Assignment (Known Issue)¶

If the issue stems from assigning the entire “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” app suite as Required, the resolution requires adjusting the deployment strategy for the suite. The recommended approach is to avoid assigning the entire suite as “Required” directly and instead leverage a more granular approach.

1. Modify Existing “Required” Suite Policy: If you have an existing Intune policy that assigns the “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite as “Required,” modify this policy. The key change is to switch the assignment type from “Required” to a different approach.

2. Consider “Available” Assignment: One alternative is to change the assignment type to “Available”. When assigned as “Available,” the Microsoft 365 Apps suite will be listed in the Company Portal application on macOS devices. Users can then choose to install the suite at their convenience. This approach gives users more control over the installation process and can mitigate the “known issue” associated with “Required” suite assignments.

   However, “Available” assignments rely on user initiation for installation. If you need to ensure that Microsoft 365 applications are installed on all targeted devices, “Available” assignment alone might not be sufficient.

3. Utilize Proactive Remediation (If Applicable): For organizations with advanced Intune configurations, consider leveraging Proactive Remediation capabilities. Proactive Remediation allows administrators to detect and automatically remediate common issues on devices. You could potentially create a Proactive Remediation script that checks for the presence of Microsoft 365 applications and triggers an installation if they are missing. This approach offers a more proactive way to ensure applications are installed without directly assigning the entire suite as “Required” and triggering the known issue.

4. Deploy Individual Applications (Granular Approach): Another more robust solution is to deploy individual Microsoft 365 applications as Required instead of deploying the entire suite as “Required.” This granular approach involves creating separate Intune policies for each application (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and assigning them as “Required” to the appropriate user groups.

   By deploying individual applications, you avoid the potential conflicts and known issues associated with deploying the entire suite as “Required.” This method provides finer-grained control over which applications are installed and can lead to a more stable and predictable deployment experience.

5. Combine “Required” and “Available” (Hybrid Approach): A hybrid approach can also be effective. You could deploy essential Microsoft 365 applications (like Outlook and Teams) as “Required” individually, ensuring they are always installed. Then, make the rest of the Microsoft 365 Apps suite “Available” in the Company Portal for users to install optionally if they need additional applications like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. This balances mandatory application availability with user choice and can help avoid the known issue.

6. Monitor and Test: Regardless of the chosen resolution method, thorough monitoring and testing are crucial. After implementing the changes, observe the affected macOS devices to confirm that the unexpected closure issue is resolved. Gather feedback from users and conduct testing to ensure the new deployment strategy is effective and meets the organization’s needs.

By shifting away from assigning the entire “Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS” suite as “Required” and adopting a more granular or user-initiated approach, administrators can effectively mitigate the “known issue” and provide a more stable and reliable experience for macOS users relying on Microsoft 365 applications deployed through Intune.

If you have encountered this issue or have implemented any of these resolutions, we encourage you to share your experiences and insights in the comments below. Your contributions can be valuable to other administrators facing similar challenges.