Cleanup Duplicate Device Records
This script groups all Intune managed devices by serial number and identifies duplicates - typically left behind by re-enrollment, OS reinstalls, or Autopilot resets. For every duplicate set it keeps the record with the most recent sync and marks the older records for cleanup. By default the script only reports; deletion requires the -Remove switch and is preview-safe via -WhatIf. Removing a device record from Intune does not wipe the device; it only deletes the stale management object.
New to runbook deployment? Follow the step-by-step guide from the Deploy to Azure button to the first scheduled run, including granting Graph permissions to the managed identity.
// QUALITY CHECKS
Validation status
Quality checks
All checks pass- ParsePass
- LintPass
- MetadataPass
- Runbook-readyPass
- Module depsPass
Tests run automatically on every change. What does each check mean?
// REQUIRED PERMISSIONS
Microsoft Graph scopes
DeviceManagementManagedDevices.ReadWrite.AllAllows the app to read and write the properties of devices managed by Microsoft Intune, without a signed-in user. Does not allow high impact operations such as remote wipe and password reset on the device's owner
Running this as an Azure Automation runbook? These scopes must be granted to the account's managed identity, which has no portal UI. The deployment walkthrough shows the exact Cloud Shell commands.
// CHANGELOG
Version history
Entry · 01
1.0 - Initial release
// CODE
Source
<#
.TITLE
Cleanup Duplicate Device Records
.SYNOPSIS
Finds Intune device records that share a serial number and optionally removes the older stale duplicates.
.DESCRIPTION
This script groups all Intune managed devices by serial number and identifies
duplicates - typically left behind by re-enrollment, OS reinstalls, or Autopilot
resets. For every duplicate set it keeps the record with the most recent sync and
marks the older records for cleanup. By default the script only reports; deletion
requires the -Remove switch and is preview-safe via -WhatIf. Removing a device
record from Intune does not wipe the device; it only deletes the stale management
object.
.TAGS
Devices,Operational
.MINROLE
Intune Administrator
.PERMISSIONS
DeviceManagementManagedDevices.ReadWrite.All
.AUTHOR
Ugur Koc
.VERSION
1.0
.CHANGELOG
1.0 - Initial release
.LASTUPDATE
2026-07-20
.EXAMPLE
.\cleanup-duplicate-device-records.ps1
Reports duplicate device records without deleting anything
.EXAMPLE
.\cleanup-duplicate-device-records.ps1 -Remove -WhatIf
Shows exactly which records would be deleted, without deleting them
.EXAMPLE
.\cleanup-duplicate-device-records.ps1 -Remove
Deletes the older duplicate records after an interactive confirmation
.NOTES
- Requires Microsoft.Graph.Authentication module
- The newest record per serial number (by lastSyncDateTime, falling back to enrolledDateTime) is always kept
- Devices with empty or placeholder serial numbers (e.g. "Defaultstring") are excluded from duplicate matching
- Deleting an Intune device record does not wipe or retire the physical device
- Uses beta Graph endpoints for consistency with the rest of the library
- Local interactive sign-in uses the MgGraphCommunity module to avoid the Graph SDK's mandatory WAM broker on Windows
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $true, ConfirmImpact = "High")]
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false, HelpMessage = "Delete the older duplicate records instead of only reporting")]
[switch]$Remove,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false, HelpMessage = "Export results to CSV")]
[switch]$ExportToCsv,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false, HelpMessage = "Output path for exports")]
[string]$OutputPath = ".",
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false, HelpMessage = "Force module installation without prompting")]
[switch]$ForceModuleInstall
)
# ============================================================================
# ENVIRONMENT DETECTION AND SETUP
# ============================================================================
function Initialize-RequiredModule {
param(
[string[]]$ModuleNames,
[bool]$IsAutomationEnvironment,
[bool]$ForceInstall = $false
)
foreach ($ModuleName in $ModuleNames) {
Write-Verbose "Checking module: $ModuleName"
$module = Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name $ModuleName | Select-Object -First 1
if (-not $module) {
if ($IsAutomationEnvironment) {
throw "Module '$ModuleName' is not available in Azure Automation"
}
else {
Write-Information "Module '$ModuleName' not found. Installing..." -InformationAction Continue
if (-not $ForceInstall) {
$response = Read-Host "Install module '$ModuleName'? (Y/N)"
if ($response -notmatch '^[Yy]') {
throw "Module '$ModuleName' is required but installation was declined."
}
}
try {
$isAdmin = ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole] "Administrator")
$scope = if ($isAdmin) { "AllUsers" } else { "CurrentUser" }
Install-Module -Name $ModuleName -Scope $scope -Force -AllowClobber -Repository PSGallery
Write-Information "✓ Successfully installed '$ModuleName'" -InformationAction Continue
}
catch {
throw "Failed to install module '$ModuleName': $($_.Exception.Message)"
}
}
}
Import-Module -Name $ModuleName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
}
}
# Detect execution environment
$IsAzureAutomation = $null -ne $PSPrivateMetadata.JobId.Guid
# Initialize required modules
$RequiredModules = @("Microsoft.Graph.Authentication")
# MgGraphCommunity gives WAM-free interactive sign-in for local runs
if (-not $IsAzureAutomation) {
$RequiredModules += "MgGraphCommunity"
}
try {
Initialize-RequiredModule -ModuleNames $RequiredModules -IsAutomationEnvironment $IsAzureAutomation -ForceInstall $ForceModuleInstall
Write-Verbose "✓ All required modules are available"
}
catch {
Write-Error "Module initialization failed: $_"
exit 1
}
# ============================================================================
# AUTHENTICATION
# ============================================================================
try {
if ($IsAzureAutomation) {
Write-Output "Connecting to Microsoft Graph using Managed Identity..."
Connect-MgGraph -Identity -NoWelcome -ErrorAction Stop
}
else {
Write-Information "Connecting to Microsoft Graph..." -InformationAction Continue
$Scopes = @(
"DeviceManagementManagedDevices.ReadWrite.All"
)
Connect-MgGraphCommunity -Scopes $Scopes -NoWelcome -ErrorAction Stop
}
Write-Information "✓ Successfully connected to Microsoft Graph" -InformationAction Continue
}
catch {
Write-Error "Failed to connect to Microsoft Graph: $($_.Exception.Message)"
exit 1
}
# ============================================================================
# HELPER FUNCTIONS
# ============================================================================
function Get-MgGraphAllPage {
param(
[string]$Uri,
[int]$DelayMs = 100
)
$allResults = @()
$nextLink = $Uri
do {
try {
if ($allResults.Count -gt 0) {
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $DelayMs
}
$response = Invoke-MgGraphRequest -Uri $nextLink -Method GET
if ($response.value) {
$allResults += $response.value
}
else {
$allResults += $response
}
$nextLink = $response.'@odata.nextLink'
}
catch {
if ($_.Exception.Message -like "*429*") {
Write-Information "Rate limit hit, waiting 60 seconds..." -InformationAction Continue
Start-Sleep -Seconds 60
continue
}
Write-Warning "Error fetching data: $($_.Exception.Message)"
break
}
} while ($nextLink)
return $allResults
}
function Get-EffectiveTimestamp {
param([object]$Device)
# lastSyncDateTime is the best liveness signal; fall back to enrollment time
if ($Device.lastSyncDateTime) {
return [DateTime]::Parse($Device.lastSyncDateTime.ToString())
}
if ($Device.enrolledDateTime) {
return [DateTime]::Parse($Device.enrolledDateTime.ToString())
}
return [DateTime]::MinValue
}
# ============================================================================
# MAIN SCRIPT LOGIC
# ============================================================================
try {
Write-Information "Retrieving managed devices..." -InformationAction Continue
$devices = Get-MgGraphAllPage -Uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/deviceManagement/managedDevices?`$select=id,deviceName,serialNumber,operatingSystem,model,manufacturer,lastSyncDateTime,enrolledDateTime,userPrincipalName,managementAgent"
Write-Information "✓ Found $(@($devices).Count) managed devices" -InformationAction Continue
# Placeholder serials would create false duplicate groups
$invalidSerials = @("", "defaultstring", "tobefilledbyoem", "systemserialnumber", "0", "none", "unknown")
$devicesWithSerial = @($devices | Where-Object {
$_.serialNumber -and ($invalidSerials -notcontains $_.serialNumber.ToLowerInvariant().Trim())
})
$duplicateGroups = @($devicesWithSerial | Group-Object -Property { $_.serialNumber.Trim() } | Where-Object { $_.Count -gt 1 })
if ($duplicateGroups.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Information "`nNo duplicate device records found." -InformationAction Continue
return
}
Write-Information "✓ Found $($duplicateGroups.Count) serial number(s) with duplicate records" -InformationAction Continue
[System.Collections.Generic.List[Object]]$report = @()
$deleted = 0
$deleteFailed = 0
Write-Information "`nDUPLICATE DEVICE RECORDS" -InformationAction Continue
Write-Information ("=" * 50) -InformationAction Continue
foreach ($group in $duplicateGroups) {
$sorted = @($group.Group | Sort-Object -Property @{ Expression = { Get-EffectiveTimestamp -Device $_ } } -Descending)
$keeper = $sorted[0]
$stale = @($sorted | Select-Object -Skip 1)
Write-Information "`nSerial: $($group.Name)" -InformationAction Continue
Write-Information " KEEP: $($keeper.deviceName) | last sync $($keeper.lastSyncDateTime) | $($keeper.userPrincipalName)" -InformationAction Continue
foreach ($staleDevice in $stale) {
Write-Information " REMOVE: $($staleDevice.deviceName) | last sync $($staleDevice.lastSyncDateTime) | $($staleDevice.userPrincipalName)" -InformationAction Continue
$action = "Reported"
if ($Remove) {
if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess("$($staleDevice.deviceName) ($($staleDevice.id))", "Delete Intune device record")) {
try {
Invoke-MgGraphRequest -Uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/deviceManagement/managedDevices/$($staleDevice.id)" -Method DELETE
Write-Information " ✓ Deleted" -InformationAction Continue
$action = "Deleted"
$deleted++
}
catch {
Write-Warning " Failed to delete '$($staleDevice.deviceName)': $($_.Exception.Message)"
$action = "DeleteFailed"
$deleteFailed++
}
}
else {
$action = "Skipped"
}
}
$report.Add([PSCustomObject]@{
SerialNumber = $group.Name
DeviceName = $staleDevice.deviceName
DeviceId = $staleDevice.id
User = $staleDevice.userPrincipalName
LastSync = $staleDevice.lastSyncDateTime
KeptDeviceName = $keeper.deviceName
KeptDeviceId = $keeper.id
Action = $action
})
}
}
# Summary
$totalStale = $report.Count
Write-Information "`n" -InformationAction Continue
Write-Information ("=" * 50) -InformationAction Continue
Write-Information "Summary: $($duplicateGroups.Count) duplicate serials, $totalStale stale records" -InformationAction Continue
if ($Remove) {
Write-Information "Deleted: $deleted | Failed: $deleteFailed" -InformationAction Continue
}
else {
Write-Information "Run again with -Remove to delete the stale records (add -WhatIf for a dry run)" -InformationAction Continue
}
Write-Information ("=" * 50) -InformationAction Continue
# Export to CSV if requested
if ($ExportToCsv) {
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss"
$csvPath = Join-Path $OutputPath "Duplicate_Device_Records_$timestamp.csv"
$report | Export-Csv -Path $csvPath -NoTypeInformation -Encoding UTF8
Write-Information "✓ CSV report saved: $csvPath" -InformationAction Continue
}
}
catch {
Write-Error "Script execution failed: $($_.Exception.Message)"
exit 1
}
finally {
try {
$null = Disconnect-MgGraph
Write-Information "✓ Disconnected from Microsoft Graph" -InformationAction Continue
}
catch {
Write-Verbose "Graph disconnection completed"
}
}
// NOTES
Author notes
- Requires Microsoft.Graph.Authentication module - The newest record per serial number (by lastSyncDateTime, falling back to enrolledDateTime) is always kept - Devices with empty or placeholder serial numbers (e.g. "Defaultstring") are excluded from duplicate matching - Deleting an Intune device record does not wipe or retire the physical device - Uses beta Graph endpoints for consistency with the rest of the library - Local interactive sign-in uses the MgGraphCommunity module to avoid the Graph SDK's mandatory WAM broker on Windows
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