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Corey
Asked: 2016-03-26 10:16:24 +0800 CST

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

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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?

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group-policy

4 Answers

  1. 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.).

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  2. Best Answer

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

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  3. 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?

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  4. 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.

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