Would you like to learn how to use a group policy to configure the interval Windows Defender will use to check for Security Intelligence Updates? In this tutorial, we will show you how to create a group policy to set the interval number of hours Windows Defender will use to check for updates.

• Windows 2012 R2
• Windows 2016
• Windows 2019
• Windows 2022
• Windows 10
• Windows 11

Equipment list

Here you can find the list of equipment used to create this tutorial.

This link will also show the software list used to create this tutorial.

Tutorial GPO Defender - Interval to check for security updates

On the domain controller, open the group policy management tool.

Windows - Group Policy management

Create a new group policy.

Windows 2012 - Group Policy Objects

Enter a name for the new group policy.

Windows - Add GPO

In our example, the new GPO was named: MY-GPO.

On the Group Policy Management screen, expand the folder named Group Policy Objects.

Right-click your new Group Policy Object and select the Edit option.

Windows - Edit GPO

On the group policy editor screen, expand the Computer configuration folder and locate the following item.

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Access the folder named Security Intelligence Updates.

GPO - DEFENDER UPDATES

Enable the item named Specify the interval to check for security intelligence updates.

Enter the desired interval in hours to check for updates.

GPO - DEFENDER SPECIFY INTERVAL FOR UPDATES

To save the group policy configuration, you need to close the Group Policy editor.

Congratulations! You have finished the GPO creation.

Tutorial GPO Defender - How often to check for security intelligence updates

On the Group policy management screen, you need to right-click the Organizational Unit desired and select the option to link an existent GPO.

Windows-2012-Applocker application

In our example, we are going to link the group policy named MY-GPO to the root of the domain.

GPO- tutorial linking

After applying the GPO you need to wait for 10 or 20 minutes.

During this time the GPO will be replicated to other domain controllers.

In our example, we configured the interval Windows Defender will use to check for Security Intelligence Updates.