This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable allowing Automatic Maintenance to wake up the computer to run scheduled maintenance tasks in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Windows automatically runs scheduled maintenance on a daily schedule when you're not using your computer.
This includes tasks such as updates, security scanning, and system diagnostics. This maintenance will run daily if you aren't using your computer at 2 AM by default. If your computer is in use at the scheduled time or maintenance is behind schedule, Automatic Maintenance will run the next time the computer is not being used.
You can change the default 2 AM time to run daily maintenance tasks to when you're not using your computer while running or sleeping.
You can allow scheduled maintenance to wake up your computer at the scheduled time if wanted. This will not work when you shut down (turn off) the computer.
Reference:
Automatic maintenance (Task Scheduler) - Win32 apps
Maintenance activity refers to an application or process that helps maintain the health and performance of a Windows PC.
learn.microsoft.com
You must be signed in as an administrator to change Automatic Maintenance settings.
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer in Control Panel
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer using REG file
- Option Three: Enable or Disable Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Four: Enable or Disable Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer using REG file
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Security and Maintenance icon.
2 Click/tap on Maintenance to expand it open, and click/tap on the Change maintenance settings link under Automatic Maintenance. (see screenshot below)
3 Check (on) or uncheck (default - off) Allow scheduled maintenance to wake up my computer at the scheduled time for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
4 You can now close the Security and Maintenance control panel if you like.
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.
2 Turn On Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_ON_Allow_Automatic_Maintenance_to_wake_up_computer_at_scheduled_time.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\Maintenance]
"WakeUp"=dword:000000013 Turn Off Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_OFF_Allow_Automatic_Maintenance_to_wake_up_computer_at_scheduled_time.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\Maintenance]
"WakeUp"=dword:000000004 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Four to configure the same policy.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
2 Navigate to the registry key location below in the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Maintenance Scheduler
3 In the right pane of Maintenance Scheduler, double click/tap on the Automatic Maintenance WakeUp Policy policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable), step 6 (disable), or step 7 (default) below for what you want.
5 Always Enable Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8.
6 Always Disable Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Disabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8.
7 Default User Choice Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
This is the default setting to allow using Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8.
8 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
1 Do step 2 (enable), step 3 (disable), or step 4 (default) below for what you want.
2. Always Enable Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Enable_Automatic_Maintenance_Wakeup_Policy.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler\Maintenance]
"WakeUp"=dword:00000001 3. Always Disable Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Disable_Automatic_Maintenance_Wakeup_Policy.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler\Maintenance]
"WakeUp"=dword:00000000 4. Default User Choice Automatic Maintenance to Wake Computer
This is the default setting to allow using Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Default_Not_Configured_Automatic_Maintenance_Wakeup_Policy.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler\Maintenance]
"WakeUp"=-5 Save the REG file to your desktop.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Attachments
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Reliability_Monitor.png -
Turn_ON_Allow_Automatic_Maintenance_to_wake_up_computer_at_scheduled_time.reg
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Turn_OFF_Allow_Automatic_Maintenance_to_wake_up_computer_at_scheduled_time.reg
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Default_Not_Configured_Automatic_Maintenance_Wakeup_Policy.reg
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Disable_Automatic_Maintenance_Wakeup_Policy.reg
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Enable_Automatic_Maintenance_Wakeup_Policy.reg
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