Forum Discussion

ctowens's avatar
ctowens
Copper Contributor
May 21, 2026

Updates Not Installing by Install Deadline

Hello all!


We have an organization with about 12,000 Windows 11 Workstations. I'm noticing that even though install deadline is set, and updates are allowed to be installed before install deadline hits, we are noticing in Software Center that updates say "will install after _____" (deadline date). How can I change this? I want updates to install during the maintenance window as well as a reboot. What am I missing?

 

Connor

 

 

cm current branch
Operating System Deployment
software update management

2 Replies

  • mertefekanlikilic's avatar
    mertefekanlikilic
    MCT
    May 22, 2026

    Hi ctowens​ ,

    Available time = The time when updates become visible in Software Center and can be manually installed. ConfigMgr does not force anything at this point, it just makes them available.

    Deadline = The time when automatic installation starts. If the client hasn't installed the updates by this date, ConfigMgr takes over and enforces the installation.

    If you manually installed before the deadline but Software Center still shows "will install after [deadline]", it's most likely just a compliance/status reporting delay or a pending restart state, not an actual deployment problem.

    To make updates install automatically during a Maintenance Window with a reboot, you only need to do two things:

    • Define a Maintenance Window on the collection and make sure "Apply this schedule to: Software updates" is selected
    • Set the deployment deadline to fall inside an active Maintenance Window

    For example, if your MW is 8:00 PM – 2:00 AM every day, set your deadline to 9:00 PM. Once the deadline is reached, the device is already inside an active MW, so ConfigMgr will automatically install the updates and reboot the device if needed.

    Hope this helps.

  • nlmitchell's avatar
    nlmitchell
    Iron Contributor
    May 22, 2026

    Hi Connor, this is expected behaviour with MECM as far as i'm aware.

    The config you've got above will allow the content for the patches to download into c:\windows\ccmcache (unless configured differently) from the 12th May, before they start installing at deadline date - 16th May.

    The only way to make them install earlier would be to bring the deadline (commit) date forward to probably coincide with your maintenance window that you mentioned.

    Hope that helps

    P.S, always worth ticking the bottom box on your second screenshot as well :-)