Configure maintenance windows for automatic updates
This policy allows you to configure maintenance windows during which Windows Update operations can be performed. Enable this policy to specify repeatable maintenance windows for the device to perform specified update actions: • Update Actions: Select which update actions are allowed during maintenance windows: - Download, install, and restart: Complete update cycle including download, installation, and system restart - Install and restart: Install already downloaded updates and restart the system - Restart only: Only perform a system restart for pending updates • Basic Schedule Configuration: - Start Date: Specify the initial date when maintenance window begins (format: yyyy-mm-dd, example: 2025-10-30) - Start Time: Set the time when maintenance window starts (format: hh:mm, example: 23:30 for 11:30 PM) - Duration: Define how long maintenance window remains open (in hours, example: 2 for a 2-hour window) • Recurring Schedule Options: - None: One-time maintenance window on the specified start date only - Daily: Maintenance window repeats every day or at specified day intervals - Weekly: Maintenance window repeats weekly on selected days of the week - Monthly: Maintenance window repeats monthly on specific dates or weekday occurrences • Daily Schedule Settings (when Daily is selected): - Days Interval: Specify how many days are between each maintenance window (example: 1 for daily, 2 for every other day) • Weekly Schedule Settings (when Weekly is selected): - Weeks Interval: Specify how many weeks are between each maintenance window (example: 1 for weekly, 2 for bi-weekly) - Weekday Selection: Choose which days of the week the maintenance window occurs. * Sunday through Saturday: Check boxes to select specific weekdays for the maintenance window • Monthly Schedule Settings (when Monthly is selected): - Monthly Schedule Type: * Month-based: Maintenance window occurs on a specific day of the month * Week-based: Maintenance window occurs on a specific weekday occurrence within the month - Months Interval: Specify how many months are between each maintenance window (example: 1 for monthly, 3 for quarterly) - Day of Month: When using month-based scheduling, specify which day of the month (1-31) - Occurrence in Month: When using week-based scheduling, select which occurrence (First, Second, Third, Fourth, or Last) - Day of the Week: When using week-based scheduling, select which day of the week (Sunday through Saturday) Examples of Monthly Configurations: - Month-based: "3rd day of every month" = Day of Month: 3, Months Interval: 1 - Week-based: "Second Tuesday of every month" = Occurrence: Second, Day of Week: Tuesday, Months Interval: 1 - Week-based: "Last Friday of every quarter" = Occurrence: Last, Day of Week: Friday, Months Interval: 3 When this policy is enabled, Windows Update will only perform the specified update actions during the configured maintenance windows. Specified update actions outside these windows will be deferred until the next maintenance window begins. If you disable or do not configure this policy, Windows Update will follow its default scheduling behavior.
Policy Details
- Policy Name
- MaintenanceWindow
- Registry Key
- Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\MaintenanceWindow
- Value Name
- StartDate
- Supported On
- At least Windows 11 Version 24H2
- Policy State Values
- Enabled: 1Disabled: 0
- Available Languages
- en-us
Configuration Elements
Maintenance Window:
The following settings are only required and applicable if Daily is selected:
The following settings are only required and applicable if Weekly is selected:
The following settings are only required and applicable if Monthly is selected:
The following settings are only required and applicable if Month-based type is selected:
The following settings are only required and applicable if Week-based type is selected:
Update actions only allowed inside the maintenance window:
Type: enum
- 0 Download, install, and restart
- 1 Install and restart
- 2 Restart only
Select repeat schedule:
Type: enum
- 0 None
- 1 Daily
- 2 Weekly
- 3 Monthly
Monthly Schedule Type:
Type: enum
- 0 Month-based
- 1 Week-based
Occurrence in Month
Type: enum
- 1 First
- 2 Second
- 3 Third
- 4 Fourth
- 5 Last
Day of the Week
Type: enum
- 0 Sunday
- 1 Monday
- 2 Tuesday
- 3 Wednesday
- 4 Thursday
- 5 Friday
- 6 Saturday
- 7 Weekdays
- 8 Weekends
Duration (hours):
Type: decimal
Default: 2
Days interval (days):
Type: decimal
Default: 1
Weeks interval (weeks):
Type: decimal
Default: 1
Months Interval (months):
Type: decimal
Default: 1
Day of the Month:
Type: decimal
Default: 1
Start date (Format: yyyy-mm-dd example: 2025-10-30)
Type: text
Start time (Format: hh:mm example: 23:30 for 11:30 PM)
Type: text
Sunday
Type: boolean
Monday
Type: boolean
Tuesday
Type: boolean
Wednesday
Type: boolean
Thursday
Type: boolean
Friday
Type: boolean
Saturday
Type: boolean