Windows Components › Windows Update
Reschedule Automatic Updates scheduled installations
Supported on Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP SP1 , Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2000 SP3
What it does
Specifies the amount of time for Automatic Updates to wait, following system startup, before proceeding with a scheduled installation that was missed previously. If the status is set to Enabled, a scheduled installation that did not take place earlier will occur the specified number of minutes after the computer is next started. If the status is set to Disabled, a missed scheduled installation will occur with the next scheduled installation. If the status is set to Not Configured, a missed scheduled installation will occur one minute after the computer is next started. Note: This policy applies only when Automatic Updates is configured to perform scheduled installations of updates. If the "Configure Automatic Updates" policy is disabled, this policy has no effect.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
- Registry key
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU- Value name
RescheduleWaitTimeEnabled- When enabled
- DWORD 1
- When disabled
- DWORD 0
In Intune
No native CSP; import the ADMX (Intune-ready).
From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.
Options
| Option | Type | Registry value | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| startup (minutes)Required | Number | RescheduleWaitTime |
1 to 60 |
Configure and deploy
Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.
Fix the highlighted options to generate output.
History 2 retained releases
- 22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
- 1607 · 2.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
Template
- Internal name
RescheduleWaitTime_Title- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate- Template file
WindowsUpdate.admx- Release
- Windows 10 22H2 · 1.0 · file set
bc15f6a5271783ee…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.RescheduleWaitTime_Title)" explainText="$(string.RescheduleWaitTime_Help)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" name="RescheduleWaitTime_Title" presentation="$(presentation.RescheduleWaitTime_Title)" valueName="RescheduleWaitTimeEnabled" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:WindowsUpdateCat" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1" />
<enabledValue>
<decimal value="1" />
</enabledValue>
<disabledValue>
<decimal value="0" />
</disabledValue>
<elements>
<decimal id="RescheduleWaitTime_Minutes2" maxValue="60" minValue="1" required="true" valueName="RescheduleWaitTime" />
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="RescheduleWaitTime_Title" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<text>Wait after system</text>
<decimalTextBox refId="RescheduleWaitTime_Minutes2">startup (minutes): </decimalTextBox>
</presentation>Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:category:WindowsUpdateCat
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsUpdateCat)" name="WindowsUpdateCat" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
</category>
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:definition:WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1
<definition displayName="$(string.WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1)" name="WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<or>
<range minVersionIndex="3" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows2000" />
<range minVersionIndex="1" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindowsXP" />
<range maxVersionIndex="6" minVersionIndex="3" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows" />
</or>
</definition>
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:unresolved:unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows
<unresolved reference="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows" />
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:unresolved:unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows2000
<unresolved reference="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows2000" />
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:unresolved:unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindowsXP
<unresolved reference="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindowsXP" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents">Windows Components</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents_Help">Contains settings for operating system components.</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:category:WindowsUpdateCat
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsUpdateCat)" name="WindowsUpdateCat" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
</category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:WindowsUpdateCat">Windows Update</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:definition:WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1
<definition displayName="$(string.WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1)" name="WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<or>
<range minVersionIndex="3" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows2000" />
<range minVersionIndex="1" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindowsXP" />
<range maxVersionIndex="6" minVersionIndex="3" ref="unresolved(products):MicrosoftWindows" />
</or>
</definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate:WU_SUPPORTED_Windows7_To_Win2kSP3_Or_XPSP1">Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP SP1 , Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2000 SP3</string></strings>