gpupdate

Group Policy Update Tool

What Does It Do?

The gpupdate command refreshes local and Active Directory-based Group Policy settings, including security settings.

Think of it like hitting "refresh" for your computer's security rules. When IT admins change security policies (like password rules, firewall settings, or software restrictions), this command applies those changes immediately without restarting.

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When Should I Use It?

After Policy Changes

Apply new security policies from your domain immediately.

Security Settings Not Applied

Force refresh when policies aren't applying correctly.

Testing Policy Changes

Test new Group Policy configurations quickly.

Domain-Joined Computers

Keep corporate machines in sync with security requirements.

Common Commands

gpupdate

Updates both computer and user policies (applies only changed policies).

gpupdate /force

Forces a refresh of ALL policies, even if they haven't changed.

gpupdate /target:computer

Updates only computer policies (firewall, software, security settings).

gpupdate /target:user

Updates only user policies (desktop settings, mapped drives, permissions).

gpupdate /logoff

Updates policies and prompts to log off (needed for some user settings).

gpupdate /boot

Updates policies and prompts to restart (needed for some computer settings).

Try It Yourself

Practice gpupdate commands in the interactive terminal below: