In plain English
Autopilot lets a brand-new laptop shipped directly to an employee configure itself. The user powers it on, signs in with their Microsoft account, and the device automatically joins the corporate tenant, receives all required policies and applications, and is ready to use — no IT desk visit required.
Full definition
Windows Autopilot replaces the traditional IT process of imaging, configuring, and shipping devices. Instead, devices are pre-registered with Microsoft using their hardware IDs, and when they first connect to the internet, they pull down the organisation's Autopilot profile and self-provision.
Autopilot requires devices to be enrolled in and the organisation to use for identity. Autopilot profiles define how devices are joined (Entra ID joined or hybrid), what apps are pre-installed, and how the out-of-box experience (OOBE) is customised.
For Australian SMEs replacing device fleets or deploying for remote workers, Autopilot eliminates the need to ship devices to IT first — reducing lead times and the cost of managing a physical provisioning process.