Feature update report is not consistent. very often it will show less devices.

In Windows Autopatch and Intune, it’s expected that the Windows feature update reports sometimes show fewer devices than the total Intune device count. The main reasons are:

1. Scope of the feature update reports
   The Windows feature update reports only include devices that:
   • Are registered with Windows Autopatch, and
   • Are in scope for feature update management (for example, enrolled in the Windows Autopatch feature update policy).
   Devices that are Intune‑managed but not enrolled in Autopatch feature update policies, or that are managed only by update rings or “other” mechanisms, won’t appear in the feature update reports. The Windows Autopatch management status report is the tenant‑wide inventory and will typically show more devices than the feature update reports.
2. Enrollment and management mechanism differences
   In the Autopatch management status report, devices are categorized as:
   • Managed for feature updates – enrolled in Windows Autopatch feature update policy.
   • Assigned to update rings – managed by update rings instead of Autopatch cloud policies.
   • Other – enrolled in Intune but not targeted by Autopatch cloud policies or update rings.
   Only the “Managed for feature updates” population is fully represented in the Windows feature update reports. Devices in “Assigned to update rings” or “Other” may not appear in the Autopatch feature update status report, which makes the device count look lower.
3. Data source and latency
   Feature update reports use Windows diagnostic data plus Intune data. This data:
   • Uploads from devices roughly every hour.
   • Is processed in batches, with up to ~4 hours end‑to‑end latency.
   If devices are offline or haven’t sent diagnostic data recently, they may temporarily drop out of the feature update report until they check in again.
4. Device readiness and status filters
   Feature update reports focus on update compliance and readiness. Devices can be:
   • Up to Date (for example, in In Progress or Paused sub‑statuses),
   • Not up to Date, or
   • Not Ready.
   Depending on filters applied in the report (status, phase, release, etc.), some devices may be filtered out, making the visible count smaller than the total Autopatch‑managed population.
5. Devices not sending data or not meeting prerequisites
   Devices may be missing if:
   • They don’t meet Autopatch prerequisites or post‑registration readiness checks.
   • They aren’t actively sending diagnostic data (for example, offline, network/proxy issues, or misconfigured policies).

How to investigate and improve consistency

1. Use the Autopatch management status report as the baseline
   • In the Intune admin center, go to Devices → Autopatch management status.
   • Compare:
     • Managed for feature updates vs. the device count in the feature update status report.
     • Assigned to update rings and Other – these are likely missing from the feature update report.
2. Check report filters and columns
   • In the feature update status report, verify that no filters (phase, release, status, group, etc.) are unintentionally hiding devices.
   • Use Search, Filter, and Columns options to confirm that devices are not just filtered out.
3. Confirm devices are Autopatch‑managed for feature updates
   • Ensure devices that should appear are actually enrolled in the Windows Autopatch feature update policy (not just quality or driver updates, and not only in update rings).
4. Verify device activity and data flow
   • Ensure devices are powered on, connected to the internet, and able to send Windows diagnostic data.
   • Allow for up to four hours of latency between device activity and report updates.
5. Use export for deeper comparison
   • In the feature update status report, use Export devices to CSV.
   • Compare exported device IDs/serial numbers with the Autopatch management status export to identify which devices are missing and whether they fall into “Assigned to update rings” or “Other.”

If, after these checks, devices that are clearly “Managed for feature updates” still never appear in the feature update report, focus on confirming Autopatch prerequisites and post‑device readiness checks for those specific devices.

References:

• Windows quality and feature update reports overview
• Windows Autopatch management status report
• Feature update status report
• Frequently Asked Questions about Windows Update for Business reports