Microsoft Defender for Business

Mdb Requirements

1 October 2026Doc update+6 / −11 lines

In brief

The page now frames prerequisites around subscriptions, user accounts, browsers, and client operating systems, with clearer wording and links for accounts, permissions, operating systems, Microsoft Entra ID, and Conditional Access.

What Defender admins need to know

Review the updated guidance when validating setup prerequisites. No administrator action is required.

Summaries are generated from the documentation change itself.

Documentation change

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This article describes the requirements for Defender for Business.

What to do

~~Review the requirements and make sure you meet them.~~
~~Proceed to your next steps.~~

Review the requirements

The following table lists the basic requirements you need to configure and use Defender for Business. | --- | --- | | Subscription | Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Defender for Business (standalone). For more information, see How to get Defender for Business. | | Datacenter | One of the following datacenter locations:
- European Union
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Australia | | User accounts | - User accounts are created in the ~~Microsoft 365 admin center (~~Microsoft 365 admin center).
- Licenses for Defender for Business ~~(or~~or Microsoft 365 Business ~~Premium)~~Premium are assigned in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

To get help with this task, see Add users and assign licenses. | | Permissions | To use the Microsoft Defender portal to view or manage devices and security policies, users must have an appropriate role assigned in Microsoft Entra ID:
- Security Reader
- Security Administrator

To learn more, see Roles and permissions in Defender for Business. | | Browser | Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome | | Client computer operating system | To manage devices in the Microsoft Defender portal, your devices must ~~be running~~run one of the following operating systems:
- Windows 10 or 11 Business
- Windows 10 or 11 Professional
- Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise
- Mac (the three most-current releases are supported)

Make sure that KB5006738 is installed on the Windows devices. | | Mobile devices | To onboard mobile devices, such as iOS or Android OS, you can use Mobile threat defense capabilities or Microsoft Intune. For more information about onboarding devices, including requirements for mobile threat defense, see Onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Business. | | Server license | To onboard a device running Windows Server or Linux Server, you need another license, such as Microsoft Defender for Business servers (see note 1 below). | | Server requirements | Windows Server endpoints must meet the requirements for Defender for Endpoint, and enforcement scope must be turned on.
1. In the Microsoft Defender portal, go to Settings > Endpoints > Configuration management > Enforcement scope.
2. Select Use MDE to enforce security configuration settings from MEM, select Windows Server.
3. Select Save.

Linux Server endpoints must meet the prerequisites for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on Linux. | Note

To onboard servers, we recommend using Microsoft Defender for Business servers. Alternately, you could use Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 1 or Plan 2. For more information, see Onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Business.
Microsoft Entra ID ~~is used to manage~~manages user permissions and device groups. Microsoft Entra ID is included in your Defender for Business subscription.
- If you don't have a Microsoft 365 subscription before you start your trial, Microsoft Entra ID is provisioned for you during the activation process.
- If you do have another Microsoft 365 subscription when you start your Defender for Business trial, you can use your existing Microsoft Entra service.

\ No newline at end of file 3. Security defaults are included in Defender for Business. If you prefer to use Conditional Access policies instead, you need Microsoft Entra ID P1 or ~~P2 (P1~~P2. P1 is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium). For more information, see Multifactor authentication in Microsoft 365. \ No newline at end of file ~~\ No newline at end of file~~

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ permissioned-type: public feedback_product_url: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/security-compliance-and-identity/ct-p/MicrosoftSecurityandCompliance uhfHeaderId: MSDocsHeader-MicrosoftDefender manager: bagol-description: Microsoft Defender for Business license, hardware, and software requirements+description: Microsoft Defender for Business prerequisites cover subscriptions, user accounts, browsers, and client operating systems. Confirm you meet each one before setup. author: chrisda ms.author: chrisda ms.topic: overview@@ -52,11 +52,6 @@ platformId: 57fb0a7b-91ee-c3ba-941a-2856314cb60c  This article describes the requirements for Defender for Business.
 
-## What to do
-
-1. Review the requirements and make sure you meet them.
-2. Proceed to your next steps.
-
 ## Review the requirements
 
 The following table lists the basic requirements you need to configure and use Defender for Business.
@@ -65,10 +60,10 @@ The following table lists the basic requirements you need to configure and use D | --- | --- |
 | Subscription | Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Defender for Business (standalone).  For more information, see [How to get Defender for Business](get-defender-business). |
 | Datacenter | One of the following datacenter locations: <br>- European Union<br>- United Kingdom<br>- United States<br>- Australia |
-| User accounts | - User accounts are created in the Microsoft 365 admin center (https://admin.microsoft.com).<br>- Licenses for Defender for Business (or Microsoft 365 Business Premium) are assigned in the Microsoft 365 admin center.<br><br> To get help with this task, see [Add users and assign licenses](mdb-add-users). |
-| Permissions | To use the Microsoft Defender portal to view or manage devices and security policies, users must have an appropriate [role assigned in Microsoft Entra ID](mdb-roles-permissions): <br>- Security Reader - Security Administrator<br><br> To learn more, see [Roles and permissions in Defender for Business](mdb-roles-permissions). |
+| User accounts | - User accounts are created in the [Microsoft 365 admin center](https://admin.microsoft.com).<br>- Licenses for Defender for Business or Microsoft 365 Business Premium are assigned in the Microsoft 365 admin center.<br><br> To get help with this task, see [Add users and assign licenses](mdb-add-users). |
+| Permissions | To use the Microsoft Defender portal to view or manage devices and security policies, users must have an appropriate [role assigned in Microsoft Entra ID](mdb-roles-permissions): <br>- Security Reader<br>- Security Administrator<br><br> To learn more, see [Roles and permissions in Defender for Business](mdb-roles-permissions). |
 | Browser | Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome |
-| Client computer operating system | To manage devices in the Microsoft Defender portal, your devices must be running one of the following operating systems: <br>- Windows 10 or 11 Business<br>- Windows 10 or 11 Professional<br>- Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise<br>- Mac (the three most-current releases are supported)<br><br> Make sure that [KB5006738](https://support.microsoft.com/topic/october-26-2021-kb5006738-os-builds-19041-1320-19042-1320-and-19043-1320-preview-ccbce6bf-ae00-4e66-9789-ce8e7ea35541) is installed on the Windows devices. |
+| Client computer operating system | To manage devices in the Microsoft Defender portal, your devices must run one of the following operating systems: <br>- Windows 10 or 11 Business<br>- Windows 10 or 11 Professional<br>- Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise<br>- Mac (the three most-current releases are supported)<br><br> Make sure that [KB5006738](https://support.microsoft.com/topic/october-26-2021-kb5006738-os-builds-19041-1320-19042-1320-and-19043-1320-preview-ccbce6bf-ae00-4e66-9789-ce8e7ea35541) is installed on the Windows devices. |
 | Mobile devices | To onboard mobile devices, such as iOS or Android OS, you can use [Mobile threat defense capabilities](mdb-mtd) or Microsoft Intune.  For more information about onboarding devices, including requirements for mobile threat defense, see [Onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Business](mdb-onboard-devices). |
 | Server license | To onboard a device running Windows Server or Linux Server, you need another license, such as [Microsoft Defender for Business servers](get-defender-business#how-to-get-microsoft-defender-for-business-servers) (see note 1 below). |
 | Server requirements | Windows Server endpoints must meet the [requirements for Defender for Endpoint](/en-us/defender-endpoint/minimum-requirements#hardware-and-software-requirements), and enforcement scope must be turned on. <br>1. In the Microsoft Defender portal, go to **Settings** &gt; **Endpoints** &gt; **Configuration management** &gt; **Enforcement scope**.<br>2. Select **Use MDE to enforce security configuration settings from MEM**, select **Windows Server**.<br>3. Select **Save**.<br><br> Linux Server endpoints must meet the [prerequisites for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on Linux](/en-us/defender-endpoint/microsoft-defender-endpoint-linux#prerequisites). |
@@ -76,8 +71,8 @@ The following table lists the basic requirements you need to configure and use D Note
 
 1. To onboard servers, we recommend using [Microsoft Defender for Business servers](get-defender-business#how-to-get-microsoft-defender-for-business-servers). Alternately, you could use [Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 1 or Plan 2](/en-us/azure/defender-for-cloud/plan-defender-for-servers). For more information, see [Onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Business](mdb-onboard-devices).
-2. [Microsoft Entra ID](/en-us/entra/fundamentals/what-is-entra) is used to manage user permissions and device groups. Microsoft Entra ID is included in your Defender for Business subscription.
+2. [Microsoft Entra ID](/en-us/entra/fundamentals/what-is-entra) manages user permissions and device groups. Microsoft Entra ID is included in your Defender for Business subscription.
 
     - If you don't have a Microsoft 365 subscription before you start your trial, Microsoft Entra ID is provisioned for you during the activation process.
     - If you do have another Microsoft 365 subscription when you start your Defender for Business trial, you can use your existing Microsoft Entra service.
-3. Security defaults are included in Defender for Business. If you prefer to use Conditional Access policies instead, you need Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 (P1 is included in [Microsoft 365 Business Premium](/en-us/microsoft-365/business-premium/m365bp-overview)). For more information, see [Multifactor authentication in Microsoft 365](/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/security-and-compliance/multi-factor-authentication-microsoft-365).\ No newline at end of file+3. Security defaults are included in Defender for Business. If you prefer to use Conditional Access policies instead, you need Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2. P1 is included in [Microsoft 365 Business Premium](/en-us/microsoft-365/business-premium/m365bp-overview). For more information, see [Multifactor authentication in Microsoft 365](/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/security-and-compliance/multi-factor-authentication-microsoft-365).\ No newline at end of file