Operating system updates - Microsoft Intune method

The Windows updates can be categorised into two areas:

• Monthly Windows updates
  • Can take 5 - 20 minutes and may require a restart
• Windows version upgrade
  • Can take 30 minutes up to 2+ hours and may require several restarts

Windows monthly and version updates are deployed automatically to computers managed via Microsoft Intune.

Monthly updates are sent out over the course of seven working days following the third Tuesday of each month.

Version updates are sent out once per year.

Installation of updates

After updates are deployed to your computer, they will install silently in the background without interrupting your usage of the computer.

Once an update has completed its installation, you will see a restart notification icon in the bottom right of the screen.

Clicking on this icon will bring you to the main Windows Update settings page. From here you will have the option to 'Restart now' or 'Schedule restart'.

Should you ignore the initial icon, and fail to restart the computer within a certain time period, the below notification will appear in the bottom right of the screen.

This notification gives you the option to 'Restart now', or 'Pick a time' or 'Restart tonight'.

Should you dismiss this notification, and fail to restart the computer within a certain time period, the notification will reappear in the bottom right of the screen after a certain time period has passed.

Once you receive a restart notification, we strongly recommended you restart the computer as soon as possible - so that you can complete the update at a time that is convenient for you.

If you fail to restart the computer within 7 days of the update, a restart deadline will be enforced.

Restart deadline

Should you fail to restart the computer within 7 days of the update installing, then a restart deadline will be enforced on the computer.

On the day of the restart deadline, the below notification will be shown.

You won't be able to interact with any other applications on your computer until you select either 'Restart now' or 'Confirm'.

Your computer will not automatically restart if you fail to click on either button.

Impact of button choices

The impact of your button choices will differ depending on when you select them plus the status of applications on your computer.

• Restart now
  • - Choosing this option will restart your computer straight away. It won't provide you with a chance to save and close any open applications
  • - Should you need time to save unsaved work, choose the 'Confirm' button instead. This will give you time to save and close all open applications

• Confirm
  • - Choosing this option will initiate a restart of your computer at the time specified on the restart deadline notification
  • - If the time stated on the notification has already passed, then a new notification will pop up with a time in the future. Clicking 'Confirm' on this new notification will initiate a restart at that time
  • - The listed restart time is usually around 15 minutes after the notification appears
  • - You have the option to manually restart the computer before the listed restart time

• Choosing neither option
  • - If you ignore the notification, then your computer will not automatically restart until you select either 'Restart now' or 'Confirm' button
  • - No activity in other applications on your computer will be possible until you choose an option

The macOS updates can be categorised into two areas:

• Monthly macOS updates
  • Can take 5 - 20 minutes and may require a restart
• macOS version upgrade
  • Can take 30 minutes up to 2+ hours and may require several restarts

macOS monthly and version updates are deployed automatically to computers managed via Microsoft Intune.

Updates have an installation deadline date and time.

All updates will require a computer restart to complete.

If updates are not installed by the deadline, they will be applied automatically, and your Mac will restart.

'Managed Update' notification

After updates are deployed to your computer, you will see a 'Managed Update' notification such as the below.

The deadline date and time is shown in the notification. This deadline will normally be seven days after the deployment of the update.

Once the notification has been sent, you have the flexibility to manually install the update at any time before the deadline has been reached.

Manual installation

Clicking on the update notification will reveal two installation options: 'Install' or 'Install Tonight'.

We encourage updates be installed in the days before the deadline, so as to allow for greater control of computer restart times.

Deadline day

If the updates have not been installed by the deadline day, then the notification options will change to: 'Details' or 'Update'.

Clicking 'Details' will show information about the update, while clicking 'Update' will start the installation of the update.

If the update has not been installed by the deadline day time, it will be applied then and your Mac will automatically restart.

Computers that are powered off during the deadline

For computers that are powered off during the deadline, once that computer is powered on again a notification saying the update is overdue will appear.

The update can be installed immediately, or if no action is taken, it will install automatically one hour after the computer was turned on.

Automatic restarts times

Automatic restarts, after the deadline has passed, are scheduled to occur outside of regular working hours. However, if your Mac is off at that time, the restart will occur the next time the computer is switched on.

To avoid unexpected automatic restarts, install updates and restart before the deadline or leave your Mac powered on during the deadline day.