TenuVaultDesktopComparison
Duplicate an Intune policy or back it up
Before editing an Intune policy, many admins duplicate it, so the old version is one click away. For a single planned edit, that works well. A duplicate is another live policy in the same tenant, though, without assignments, and it only exists for the policies someone remembered to copy. This page compares it with a backup.
At a glance
- Duplicating a settings catalog profile copies its settings and scope tags, but the copy has no assignments.
- Duplicated endpoint security policies also keep their settings and scope tags and do not inherit assignments.
- A duplicate is a policy in the same tenant, not a stored copy. It can be edited or deleted like any other policy.
- TenuVault backups are kept outside the tenant: Backups are encrypted with AES-256-GCM on the admin's computer and kept in a local folder or network share, or on Pro and MSP in your own Azure storage account.
Side by side
| Question | Duplicate | TenuVault backup |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Community is free for one tenant |
| Speed | Instant, in the admin center | Slower: it reads every selected type |
| What is copied | Settings and scope tags | Settings, scope tags and assignments where Intune has them |
| Where the copy is | In the same tenant, as another policy | Outside the tenant, encrypted |
| Policies covered | The one you duplicated | 40 Intune object types in nine areas, with their assignments where Intune has them |
| Going back | Assign the duplicate and remove the edited policy, or copy settings back by hand | Put the original back in place with its assignments on Pro and MSP, or restore a copy on every plan |
When a duplicate is enough
For one planned edit to one policy, a duplicate is a fast safety copy. Name it clearly, leave it unassigned, and delete it once the change has proved itself. It needs no tool and no storage.
Where it stops
- The duplicate has no assignments. Going back means assigning it to the right groups, exclusions and filters by hand, or copying settings back into the original.
- It lives in the tenant. A cleanup, a script or another admin can delete or change it along with the original.
- Unassigned duplicates pile up and make the tenant harder to read.
- Changes nobody planned have no duplicate, and nothing records which duplicate matches which version.
When TenuVault saves you time
A backup is worth it when:
- You want the previous version back in place, with its assignments, instead of swapping policies.
- Changes happen that nobody planned.
- You want a history of versions outside the tenant, not more policies inside it.
Read the technical guides
Product scope reviewed . Check your installed release and the current plan table before using a workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Does duplicating an Intune policy copy its assignments?+
No. A duplicated settings catalog profile or endpoint security policy keeps its settings and scope tags, but has no assignments.
Is a duplicate a backup of an Intune policy?+
Not really. It is another policy in the same tenant, without assignments, that can be changed or deleted like the original. It is a useful safety copy for one planned edit.
How do I go back to the previous version of an Intune policy?+
With a duplicate, assign it and remove the edited policy, or copy its settings back by hand. With a TenuVault backup, Pro and MSP put the original back in place with its assignments, and every plan can restore it as a copy.