Intune start menu layout XML not working

_{Tuesday, June 25, 2019 7:56 AM}

Hi Technet,

Does anyone here have any experience with the Intune device configuration option to edit the default start menu / taskbar layout with an XML file?
I have created an XML file which edits both and it works fine if I load it in on a test PC using gpedit. When I try to load it in using the Intune device configuration start menu layout, it seems to only configure the taskbar and ignore the start layout.

I'm using the XML as shown below.

Thanks in advance.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">
  <LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" StartTileGroupsColumnCount="1" />
  <DefaultLayoutOverride>
    <StartLayoutCollection>
      <defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6" xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout">
        <start:Group Name="Company">
          <start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.CompanyPortal_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="{1AC14E77-02E7-4E5D-B744-2EB1AE5198B7}\msinfo32.exe" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="{1AC14E77-02E7-4E5D-B744-2EB1AE5198B7}\quickassist.exe" />
        </start:Group>
        <start:Group Name="Microsoft Office">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Office.POWERPNT.EXE.15" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Office.OUTLOOK.EXE.15" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Office.EXCEL.EXE.15" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="2" DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Office.WINWORD.EXE.15" />
        </start:Group>      
      </defaultlayout:StartLayout>
    </StartLayoutCollection>
  </DefaultLayoutOverride>
    <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
      <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
        <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
         <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
         <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="C:\Users\Public\Desktop\Google Chrome.lnk"/>
         <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Word.lnk" />
     <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\PowerPoint.lnk" />
     <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Excel.lnk" />
     <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Outlook.lnk" />    
    </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
      </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
    </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

_{Tuesday, June 25, 2019 8:45 AM}

Did you customize Windows 10 Start and taskbar with mobile device management (MDM)? If so, check if the system has upgraded to at least Windows 10, version 1703.

Reference: /en-us/windows/configuration/customize-windows-10-start-screens-by-using-mobile-device-management

For the parameters of XML with MDM policy, please refer to following article:

/en-us/windows/configuration/windows-10-start-layout-options-and-policies

Best regards,

Cici Wu

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact tnmff@microsoft.com.

_{Tuesday, June 25, 2019 10:07 AM}

I'm trying to configure them through Intune's device configuration. All systems are alteast windows 1809.

_{Wednesday, June 26, 2019 6:14 AM}

Yes, what mentioned before MDM is the Intune Device configuration. Here are the steps:

1. In the Microsoft Azure portal, search for Intune or go to More services > Intune.

2. Select Device configuration.

3. Select Profiles.

4. Select Create profile.

5. Enter a friendly name for the profile.

6. Select Windows 10 and later for the platform.

7. Select **Device restrictions for the profile type.

8. Select Start.

9. In Start menu layout, browse to and select your Start layout XML File.

10. Select OK twice, and then select Create.

11. Assign the profile to a device group.

For the parameters of XML with device configuration, please refer to following article:

/en-us/windows/configuration/windows-10-start-layout-options-and-policies

Best regards,

Cici Wu

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact tnmff@microsoft.com.

_{Friday, July 24, 2020 1:56 PM}

Hi Brian, 

   hope this is not to late to help. I have run into the same issues but run across THIS article which states the export comandline has changed from 1809+. i had a similar layout to you, the Taskbar would apply but not the start menu.

essentially you need to export the start layout using:

Export-StartLayout -UseDesktopApplicationID -Path layout.xml

This changes the DesktopApplicationLinkPath to DesktopApplicationID and the paths of the apps change.

hope this helps