The correct answer is compliance policy, because Microsoft Intune’s compliance policies include a setting called "Maximum days since device last checked in," which directly addresses the requirement to automatically retire a device after inactivity. When a device fails to check in for 30 days, Intune marks it as noncompliant, and you can configure an automated action—such as retiring the device—to trigger immediately upon that noncompliance. On the MD-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how compliance policies enforce device health and inactivity thresholds, often appearing as a distractor against configuration profiles or device cleanup rules. A common trap is confusing compliance policies with device retirement policies in the admin center, but remember: compliance policies evaluate check-in frequency, while retirement is the resulting action. Memory tip: think "Compliance Checks Check-in" — the policy checks the last check-in date, then triggers the retirement action.
MD-102 Manage and maintain devices Practice Question
This MD-102 practice question tests your understanding of manage and maintain devices. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Your organization uses Microsoft Intune to manage devices. You need to configure a policy that automatically retires a device if it does not check in for 30 days. Which policy type should you configure?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Compliance policy
A compliance policy in Microsoft Intune can include a 'Maximum days since device last checked in' setting. When a device fails to check in for the specified period (e.g., 30 days), Intune marks it as noncompliant, and a conditional access policy or automated action (such as retiring the device) can be triggered. This directly meets the requirement to automatically retire a device after 30 days of inactivity.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Device configuration policy
Why it's wrong here
Device configuration policies manage settings, not compliance actions.
✓
Compliance policy
Why this is correct
Compliance policies can include a grace period and action for non-compliance, including retiring devices after a specified period of inactivity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Windows Update for Business policy
Why it's wrong here
Windows Update for Business policies manage update settings.
✗
Device health attestation policy
Why it's wrong here
Device health attestation policies verify health, not inactivity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse a device configuration policy (which controls settings) with a compliance policy (which enforces conditions and triggers actions like retirement), leading them to select Option A instead of B.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Intune compliance policies use the device's last sync timestamp stored in Azure AD/Intune. When the 'Maximum days since last check-in' value is exceeded, the device's compliance state changes to 'noncompliant,' and an automated action (configured in the compliance policy's 'Actions for noncompliance') can be set to 'Retire the device.' This action triggers the Intune service to issue a retire command on the device's next check-in, or if the device never returns, it remains marked for retirement in the portal. A real-world scenario is a lost or stolen device that hasn't synced for weeks; this policy ensures it is automatically retired to protect corporate data.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MD-102 question in full detail.
Manage and maintain devices — This question tests Manage and maintain devices — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Compliance policy — A compliance policy in Microsoft Intune can include a 'Maximum days since device last checked in' setting. When a device fails to check in for the specified period (e.g., 30 days), Intune marks it as noncompliant, and a conditional access policy or automated action (such as retiring the device) can be triggered. This directly meets the requirement to automatically retire a device after 30 days of inactivity.
What should I do if I get this MD-102 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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