Disable gradual rollout of Microsoft Defender updates.

ComputerNeeds changes for IntuneDisableGradualRelease

Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows_10_RS1 (defined in the Windows templates)

23H2 · 1.0

What it does

Enable this policy to disable gradual rollout of Defender updates. Current Channel (Broad): Devices set to this channel will be offered updates last during the gradual release cycle. Best for datacenter machines that only receive limited updates. Note: This setting applies to both monthly as well as daily Defender updates and will override any previously configured channel selections for platform and engine updates. If you disable or do not configure this policy, the device will remain in Current Channel (Default) unless specified otherwise in specific channels for platform and engine updates. Stay up to date automatically during the gradual release cycle. Suitable for most devices.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry key: Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine
Value name: DisableGradualRelease
When enabled: DWORD 1
When disabled: DWORD 0

Why it needs changes for Intune

Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE

In Intune

No native CSP; import the ADMX (needs changes first).

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Configure and deploy

Choose a state; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine]
"DisableGradualRelease"=dword:00000001

PowerShell

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Disable gradual rollout of Microsoft Defender updates.
# Name: DisableGradualRelease
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: WindowsDefender.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine' -Name 'DisableGradualRelease' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsDefender/DisableGradualRelease

ADMX SyncML candidate

<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
  <SyncBody>
    <Replace>
      <CmdID>1</CmdID>
      <Item>
        <Meta>
          <Format>chr</Format>
          <Type>text/plain</Type>
        </Meta>
        <Target>
          <LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsDefender/DisableGradualRelease</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;</Data>
      </Item>
    </Replace>
    <Final/>
  </SyncBody>
</SyncML>

Intune remediation scripts

Detection

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: Disable gradual rollout of Microsoft Defender updates.
# Name: DisableGradualRelease
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: WindowsDefender.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine' -Name 'DisableGradualRelease' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine\DisableGradualRelease') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

Remediation

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Disable gradual rollout of Microsoft Defender updates.
# Name: DisableGradualRelease
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: WindowsDefender.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine' -Name 'DisableGradualRelease' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 3 retained releases

22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

2 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name: DisableGradualRelease
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender
Template file: WindowsDefender.admx
Release: Windows 11 23H2 · 1.0 · file set d784d0ea5f14a680…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.MpEngine_DisableGradualRelease)" explainText="$(string.MpEngine_DisableGradualRelease_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine" name="DisableGradualRelease" valueName="DisableGradualRelease" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
            <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:MpEngine" />
            <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows_10_RS1" />
            <enabledValue>
                <decimal value="1" />
            </enabledValue>
            <disabledValue>
                <decimal value="0" />
            </disabledValue>
        </policy>

Editor controls

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.WindowsDefender:category:AntiSpywareDefender
<category displayName="$(string.AntiSpywareDefender)" name="AntiSpywareDefender" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
            <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
        </category>
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:category:MpEngine
<category displayName="$(string.MpEngine)" name="MpEngine" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:AntiSpywareDefender" />
      </category>
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows_10_RS1
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows_10_RS1" />
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.WindowsDefender:category:AntiSpywareDefender
<category displayName="$(string.AntiSpywareDefender)" name="AntiSpywareDefender" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
            <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
        </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:AntiSpywareDefender">Microsoft Defender Antivirus</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:category:MpEngine
<category displayName="$(string.MpEngine)" name="MpEngine" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:AntiSpywareDefender" />
      </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDefender:MpEngine">MpEngine</string></strings>