Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Description
This policy setting specifies how often Group Policy for users is updated while the computer is in use (in the background). This setting specifies a background update rate only for the Group Policies in the User Configuration folder. In addition to background updates, Group Policy for users is always updated when users log on. By default, user Group Policy is updated in the background every 90 minutes, with a random offset of 0 to 30 minutes. If you enable this setting, you can specify an update rate from 0 to 64,800 minutes (45 days). If you select 0 minutes, the computer tries to update user Group Policy every 7 seconds. However, because updates might interfere with users' work and increase network traffic, very short update intervals are not appropriate for most installations. If you disable this setting, user Group Policy is updated every 90 minutes (the default). To specify that Group Policy for users should never be updated while the computer is in use, select the "Turn off background refresh of Group Policy" setting. This setting also lets you specify how much the actual update interval varies. To prevent clients with the same update interval from requesting updates simultaneously, the system varies the update interval for each client by a random number of minutes. The number you type in the random time box sets the upper limit for the range of variance. For example, if you type 30 minutes, the system selects a variance of 0 to 30 minutes. Typing a large number establishes a broad range and makes it less likely that client requests overlap. However, updates might be delayed significantly. Important: If the "Turn off background refresh of Group Policy" setting is enabled, this setting is ignored. Note: This setting establishes the update rate for user Group Policies. To set an update rate for computer Group Policies, use the "Group Policy refresh interval for computers" setting (located in Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy). Tip: Consider notifying users that their policy is updated periodically so that they recognize the signs of a policy update. When Group Policy is updated, the Windows desktop is refreshed; it flickers briefly and closes open menus. Also, restrictions imposed by Group Policies, such as those that limit the programs a user can run, might interfere with tasks in progress.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/GroupPolicyRefreshRateUser 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: Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System]
"GroupPolicyRefreshTime"=dword:0000005a
"GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset"=dword:0000001eMore formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTime' -Value 90 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset' -Value 30 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/GroupPolicyRefreshRateUser
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="GPRefreshRate3" value="90"/>
<data id="GPRefreshRateOffset3" value="30"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTime' -Expected 90 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset' -Expected 30 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTime' -Value 90 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset' -Value 30 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
# 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: Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTime' -Expected 90 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset' -Expected 30 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set Group Policy refresh interval for users
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTime' -Value 90 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset' -Value 30 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.