Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Description
This policy setting prevents Group Policy from being updated while the computer is in use. This policy setting applies to Group Policy for computers, users, and domain controllers. If you enable this policy setting, the system waits until the current user logs off the system before updating the computer and user settings. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, updates can be applied while users are working. The frequency of updates is determined by the "Set Group Policy refresh interval for computers" and "Set Group Policy refresh interval for users" policy settings. Note: If you make changes to this policy setting, you must restart your computer for it to take effect.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System Value name: DisableBkGndGroupPolicy
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/DisableBackgroundPolicy Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"DisableBkGndGroupPolicy"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBkGndGroupPolicy' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/DisableBackgroundPolicy
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'DisableBkGndGroupPolicy' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBkGndGroupPolicy' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'DisableBkGndGroupPolicy' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off background refresh of Group Policy
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBkGndGroupPolicy' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.