Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
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\Scripts Description
This policy setting determines how long the system waits for scripts applied by Group Policy to run. This setting limits the total time allowed for all logon, logoff, startup, and shutdown scripts applied by Group Policy to finish running. If the scripts have not finished running when the specified time expires, the system stops script processing and records an error event. If you enable this setting, then, in the Seconds box, you can type a number from 1 to 32,000 for the number of seconds you want the system to wait for the set of scripts to finish. To direct the system to wait until the scripts have finished, no matter how long they take, type 0. This interval is particularly important when other system tasks must wait while the scripts complete. By default, each startup script must complete before the next one runs. Also, you can use the ""Run logon scripts synchronously"" setting to direct the system to wait for the logon scripts to complete before loading the desktop. An excessively long interval can delay the system and inconvenience users. However, if the interval is too short, prerequisite tasks might not be done, and the system can appear to be ready prematurely. If you disable or do not configure this setting the system lets the combined set of scripts run for up to 600 seconds (10 minutes). This is the default.
Registry
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Scripts/MaxGPOScriptWaitPolicy 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: Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"MaxGPOScriptWait"=dword:00000258More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
# 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 'MaxGPOScriptWait' -Value 600 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Scripts/MaxGPOScriptWaitPolicy
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="MaxGPOScriptWait" value="600"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'MaxGPOScriptWait' -Expected 600 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
# 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 'MaxGPOScriptWait' -Value 600 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
# 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: Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'MaxGPOScriptWait' -Expected 600 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts
# 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 'MaxGPOScriptWait' -Value 600 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.