5

Can Windows Update be configured to also update other Microsoft products via Group Policy?

In other words, how can I check the "Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows." box via a GPO?

enter image description here

Corey
  • 2,031
  • 12
  • 39
  • 54

4 Answers4

4

I've been looking for a solution to this issue for a while, but it seems even now with Windows 10 Microsoft hasn't made available a GPO setting for automatically enabling Microsoft Update (i.e. checking updates for all installed Microsoft products).

The only solution I've ever found is using a VB script:

Set ServiceManager = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.ServiceManager")
ServiceManager.ClientApplicationID = "My App"

'add the Microsoft Update Service, GUID
Set NewUpdateService = ServiceManager.AddService2("7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d",7,"")

The script can of course be deployed as a machine startup script via GPO.

The same page also mentions setting a Registry key, which can be done via GPO in a number of ways (natively, via reg.exe, using a custom administrative template, etc.).

Massimo
  • 70,200
  • 57
  • 200
  • 323
  • +1, and I would add that the script work too if you find yourselft on a machine that refuse to install the microsoft update's app. It happened to me in the past on some windows 7 that didn't had the link 'Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows' displayed. – yagmoth555 Mar 25 '16 at 18:40
4

Configure policy Configure Automatic Updates (either local or domain policy) and check the box for "Install updates for other Microsoft products"

KWinegardner
  • 56
  • 1
  • 2
    This Group Policy setting is only available with the new .admx from Windows 10 v1607 (Win 10 Anniversary Edition). Before then, the .admx does not include this setting. – Dom Oct 19 '16 at 02:50
  • Extra information: 1. The Group Policy Administrative Templates can be downloaded via https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/3087759/how-to-create-and-manage-the-central-store-for-group-policy-administra. 2. The Group Policy Object path is `Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update`. – mythofechelon Aug 30 '18 at 10:37
0

Just a tangential observation . . . Despite appearances, WSUS will not install updates for one MS product and that is Office 365. Office 2010, yes. Office 365, no. Under "Products and Classifications," Office 365 Client and Office 2016 are offered up and updates do download, but they do not install. And MS knows this. As for SCCM, I believe it will deliver and install Office 365 updates.

This is likely due to Office 365 being CtR and handling its own updates. Or not. Who knows what contaminants lurk in the water of Redmond?

Malcolm E Hein
  • 1
-2

If you're working with multiple computers, then I suggest you to use Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Is free, simple and is configurable over GPO.

WSUS Download and Details

You can select the MS Products you wants to keep up-to-date through the WSUS console and you can force your computers to download Windows Updates (security, criticals and MS Products updates) over WSUS (can be a server or computer) using a GPO.

HEMAN85
  • 415
  • 3
  • 9
  • This is completely unrelated to the question. Of course you can use WSUS to deploy updates for all Microsoft products, but client systems still need to be configured to check for them, otherwise they will only check for OS updates. – Massimo Mar 25 '16 at 20:53
  • Also, WSUS has been an OS role since Windows Server 2008 R2; there is no need to download and install it anymore. – Massimo Mar 25 '16 at 20:56
  • Read the question carefully. They never mention which OS he's using. That's why I suggest to download WSUS because you can use any OS (Win 7 or Win 10) to use as WSUS computer Not only Windows Servers. If you are using a server OS, you need to install WSUS as a role (Windows 2008 or later). Going back to the question, Yes you can set a GPO to deploy Windows Updates on your environment. Also Windows 10 provide a GPO to download Microsoft products updates. With a GPO, all the computers on your domain will be taking the WSUS configuration. – HEMAN85 Sep 26 '16 at 20:36