Troubleshooting Errors Like 0x80180014 and Navigating Device Records in the Admin Portals

Introduction

Managing devices in a modern enterprise requires a clear understanding of how devices enroll into your organization’s management ecosystem, particularly in Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). With the increasing adoption of mobile device management (MDM) and the demand for secure cloud identity integration, IT administrators frequently encounter various behaviors—and sometimes, errors—that can be confusing.

One of the more common challenges occurs when a device fails to enroll correctly, presenting cryptic error codes such as 0x80180014. This blog post provides a deep dive into how device registration and visibility work across Microsoft Intune and Entra ID. We’ll also unpack typical issues, explain where devices appear in each admin center, and how to cleanly troubleshoot enrollment errors.

This issue was thoroughly explored during a troubleshooting session with Carsten Lund Meilbak, the go-to expert for everything Microsoft Teams and Teams Meeting Room environments, where we investigated problems with a Microsoft Teams Room (MTR) device. During the session, we discovered how certain Autopilot scenarios could result in orphaned device records in Entra ID, preventing re-enrollment.

What Is Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that helps organizations manage user access, enforce compliance, and deploy apps and configurations to devices. Whether the devices are Windows, Android, iOS, or macOS, Intune serves as the command center for policy enforcement and inventory tracking.

What Is Microsoft Entra ID?

Microsoft Entra ID (previously known as Azure Active Directory) is Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service. Devices can be registered, joined, or hybrid joined to Entra ID, and the identity status of these devices is critical for secure access, Conditional Access policies, and MDM enrollment flows.

Section 1: Device Lifecycle – From Registration to Management

Step 1: Device Registration in Entra ID

When a device first connects with a corporate identity, it can take one of several paths:

1. Azure AD Registered (Workplace Join):
   • Typical for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
   • Appears under the user’s profile in Entra ID.
   • Usually paired with manual or conditional enrollment in Intune.
2. Azure AD Joined:
   • Common for corporate-owned devices.
   • Full control over the device by the organization.
   • Required for Autopilot provisioning and device-based Conditional Access.
3. Hybrid Azure AD Joined:
   • Devices are joined to on-prem Active Directory and then synced to Entra ID via Azure AD Connect.
   • Offers compatibility for legacy environments still using GPOs or SCCM.

Step 2: Device Enrollment in Intune

After a device is registered in Entra ID, it may also become enrolled in Intune:

• Automatic Enrollment via group policies or Autopilot.
• Manual Enrollment by end-users through “Access Work or School” in Windows settings.
• Co-management Scenarios where both Intune and ConfigMgr (SCCM) share responsibilities.

This enrollment is what allows policies, apps, and configurations to be deployed to the device.

Section 2: How Devices Appear in Admin Portals

2.1 Microsoft Entra Admin Center

Link: https://entra.microsoft.com

Navigate to:

Microsoft Entra Admin Center → Devices → All Devices

Here, you’ll see all devices that are registered or joined to your Entra tenant.

Each record provides the following key information:

• Device Name
• Join Type (Azure AD Registered, Azure AD Joined, or Hybrid)
• OS Type and Version
• MDM Enrolled (Yes/No)
• Compliant (Yes/No)
• Owner (User Principal Name)

If a device shows up here but not in Intune, it might not be enrolled in MDM. You can confirm this via the MDM Enrolled column or by selecting the device and checking details.

2.2 Microsoft Intune Admin Center

Link: https://intune.microsoft.com

Navigate to:

Devices → All Devices

This view shows all devices that are successfully enrolled in Intune, either through automatic enrollment or manual addition.

Important fields include:

• Compliance Status
• Enrollment Type (Corporate, BYOD, Autopilot)
• Primary User
• Managed By
• Last Check-In
• Device Category

If a device is listed here but shows a warning or non-compliance, the issue often relates to Conditional Access, configuration profiles, or missing required apps.

Cross-Referencing Between Portals

It’s not uncommon for admins to find a device in one portal and not the other. Here’s what it typically means:

A properly managed device should show up in both portals, and any inconsistency is a sign of an enrollment issue.

Section 3: Common Error – 0x80180014

What Does 0x80180014 Mean?

This error appears most often during the enrollment phase of a Windows 10/11 device. It typically means:

“The device is already enrolled.”

In other words, Windows believes the device is already managed, either because of a previous enrollment or residual data from a prior configuration.

Resolution Steps

1. Check Admin Portals: Remove the device from both Intune and Entra if it still exists.
2. Remove MDM Profile: Disconnect the work or school account in Settings.
3. Use PowerShell: Run dsregcmd /leave to unjoin from Entra ID.
4. Retry Enrollment: After cleanup, re-enroll the device manually or through Autopilot.

Section 4: Unable to Delete Device from Entra ID

If the device does not appear in Intune but is still stuck in Entra ID and can’t be deleted, follow these steps:

Step 1: Confirm Your Permissions

Ensure your account has one of the following roles:

• Global Administrator
• Cloud Device Administrator

You can verify your roles here: https://entra.microsoft.com → My Roles

Step 2: Check the Join Type

In the Entra Admin Center → Devices → All Devices, look at the device’s join type:

If the device is Hybrid Azure AD Joined, delete it from Active Directory Users and Computers on-prem, then let Azure AD Connect sync the deletion.

Step 3: Graph PowerShell Method (Cloud-only Devices)

A. Install Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK

Install-Module Microsoft.Graph -Scope CurrentUser -AllowClobber -Force

B. Connect to Microsoft Graph

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Device.ReadWrite.All"

C. Find and Remove Device

# Replace 'DEVICE-NAME' with the actual name
$device = Get-MgDevice -Filter "displayName eq 'DEVICE-NAME'"
Remove-MgDevice -DeviceId $device.Id

If you already have the Object ID, skip the lookup and run:

Remove-MgDevice -DeviceId "<device-object-id>"

Note on Autopilot Devices

In some scenarios, Autopilot devices can lose their connection to the Entra device object, especially if the device has been reset outside of Autopilot flows (e.g., manually or using third-party imaging). This causes:

• The Autopilot object to remain in the Autopilot portal
• The Entra ID device to become orphaned
• Intune showing no matching device

This was exactly the case during a troubleshooting session with Carsten Lund Meilbak, where we were diagnosing an enrollment failure on a Microsoft Teams Room (MTR) device. The Entra ID device had become orphaned, preventing the MTR from successfully enrolling. Manual deletion of the Entra device object was required to resolve the issue.

In these cases, the orphaned Entra ID device must be deleted manually as described above.

Conclusion

Understanding how devices register and appear in Microsoft Intune and Entra ID is crucial for device management. Cross-portal visibility, proper cleanup, and the ability to handle errors like 0x80180014 efficiently ensure a secure and manageable environment for both users and administrators.

If device records are left stale or orphaned, they can interfere with future enrollment attempts, Autopilot deployments, and compliance policies. Always keep your portals clean and verify device join and MDM status regularly.