In this article, we’ll show you how to create and use Cloud PC maintenance windows. A maintenance window for Cloud PCs defines when Windows 365 service maintenance can be performed with the least impact on end users.
Starting with Windows 365 Service Release 2403, a new feature now allows you to create and schedule maintenance windows for performing remote actions on cloud PCs. When the maintenance window schedule begins, it will notify users in-session about the impending remote action period.
Note: Microsoft is currently testing this new Windows 365 feature and that’s why it’s still in preview. Once the testing is completed, any existing bugs (if any) will be fixed, and this feature will be available to everyone.
Also Read: 3 Ways to Find SCCM Maintenance Windows for a Computer
Scheduling options for Maintenance window
When you create a maintenance window for Cloud PCs, you specify when the changes should occur. This maintenance window schedule that you define will allow Windows 365 service to perform cloud PC actions.
As per Microsoft, the following windows help you efficiently plan and manage Cloud PC maintenance activities, reduce disruption to user productivity, and comply with organizational policies.
- Daily.
- Weekly.
- Weekends.
- Specific hours within the day (Cloud PC local time).
- With two or more hours per window.
- For specific Microsoft Entra groups.
- With notifications to users of the upcoming window.
- For bulk resize actions.
We will look at creating maintenance windows and explore the scheduling options in the next section.
Create a maintenance window for Cloud PCs
To create a maintenance window for Windows 365 Cloud PCs, follow these steps:
- Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center.
- Go to Tenant administration > Cloud PC maintenance windows and select Create.
On the Basics page, type a Name and Description for the maintenance window. Select Next.
On the Configuration page, you define a schedule for maintenance windows. You’ll have to create a schedule to define the period for when the maintenance window can start and end for the selected Cloud PCs as per their local time.
The schedule you define here will apply to the Cloud PC’s local time. Each window must be at least two hours in duration. There are two schedules that you must configure:
- Weekday schedule (Cloud PC local time): Define the weekday schedule when changes can begin and when changes need to be finished in the local Cloud PC time.
- Weekend schedule (Cloud PC local time): Define the weekend schedule when changes can begin and when changes need to be finished in the local Cloud PC time.
- User notification: Under User notification, for Upcoming change, select the lead time you’d like to use for notifying the user of the impending disruption. The user is notified in-session and can’t override or postpone the maintenance window.
As a best practice, we recommend configuring the Cloud PC maintenance window schedule based on your organization’s requirements.
When done, click Next.
On the Assignments page, select Add groups. In the Select groups to include pane, select the groups containing your Cloud PCs that you want included in this maintenance window. Click Next.
On the Review + create page, select Create. That completes the steps for creating a maintenance window for Cloud PCs.
After creating a maintenance window for Cloud PCs, you can verify them by going to Intune admin center > Tenant Administration > Cloud PC maintenance windows.
Using Cloud PC maintenance windows
Now that you have created a maintenance window for Cloud PCs, where do you use it? Let’s take an example here of bulk resizing Cloud PCs. When you need to introduce changes to your Windows 365 Cloud PCs remotely, you use bulk device actions. When you use the bulk device actions for resizing the Cloud PCs, you can select the Use Cloud PC maintenance windows box on the Basics page.
The bulk device action that you have chosen will occur during the maintenance window schedule that you’ve defined for cloud PCs.
Limitations
The maintenance windows for Cloud PCs have certain limitations, which are described below.
- Maintenance Windows bears no responsibility for the success or failure of remote actions. They don’t cover service maintenance, Windows updates, the Intune payload, OS updates, or other activities.
- Avoid using the Use Cloud PC Maintenance Windows option if you need to resolve a problem urgently and cannot wait for the maintenance window. When you don’t select this option, the remote action runs immediately on Cloud PCs.
