This step-by-step guide covers the steps to create SCCM Windows 11 Servicing plan to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11. With SCCM servicing plans, you ensure that all the Windows 11 devices are kept up-to-date when new builds are released.
A Windows 11 Servicing Plan in SCCM is an ADR (Automatic Deployment Rule) that allows you to upgrade Windows 10 computers to Windows 11. You can also use ConfigMgr ADR to deploy Windows 11 updates.
Creating a ConfigMgr Windows 11 servicing plan and deploying it is effortless. What you really specify during the servicing plan creation matters a lot. You can manage Windows as a service using Configuration Manager.
Windows 11 upgrades are now available in SCCM, but you must first enable Windows 11 product for patching. Only then you can create a Servicing Plan to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11.
There are multiple methods to upgrade Windows 10 computers to Windows 11 using SCCM. For example, you can use a Windows 11 SCCM in-place upgrade task sequence to upgrade to Windows 11. Servicing plans are the best option to perform Windows 11 upgrade if you don’t prefer to use the task sequence.
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SCCM Windows 11 Servicing Plan Prerequisites
Before you create SCCM Windows 11 servicing plan, you must ensure the following prerequisites are met.
- Test the Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade on a pilot batch of computers. Once you determine that the upgrade works and all the applications work fine on Windows 11, you can then prepare a roll-out plan.
- Windows 11 system requirements are different from Windows 10. Ensure you read the system requirements before you upgrade the computers to Windows 11.
- Before you create a new SCCM Windows 11 servicing plan, ensure you have configured Software Update Point correctly.
- Enable Windows 11 product under Software update point. Windows 11 upgrades are visible only when you synchronize and download Windows 11 updates in SCCM.
- In addition, ensure you have enabled Heartbeat Discovery. I have covered more about these prerequisites in detail in the following guide – https://www.prajwaldesai.com/sccm-windows-10-servicing-plans/.
Note – You cannot use the SCCM servicing plans to upgrade Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 machines. So, the steps mentioned in this post strictly applies if you want to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11.
Check for Windows 11 Upgrades in SCCM
You can find the Windows 11 upgrades in SCCM using the below steps.
- Launch the Configuration Manager console.
- Go to Software Library\Overview\Windows Servicing.
- Select All Windows Feature Updates and here you should find Windows 11 upgrade files.
Create SCCM Windows 11 Servicing Plan
The below steps can be used to create SCCM Windows 11 servicing plan.
- In the SCCM console, go to Software Library > Overview > Windows Servicing.
- Right click Servicing Plans and click Create Servicing Plan.
Specify the servicing plan name as Windows 11 Servicing Plan and you may add a description as well. Click Next.
In this step, you choose the device collection for deploying the Windows 11 servicing plan. Select a Windows 10 device collection that includes Windows 10 computers that you wish to upgrade to Windows 11. Click Next.
Select Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) as deployment ring. Click Next.
On the Upgrades window, you must select the property and search criteria for Windows 11 upgrades. Defining the search criteria is important, and it varies for every setup.
Your search criteria should include the Windows 11 upgrades that you want to deploy. For example, consider the below criteria to deploy Windows 11 x64 en-us upgrades using SCCM.
Search Criteria
- Architecture – x64
- Product Category – Windows 11
- Title – Upgrade to Windows 11 (business editions) en-us x64
If you look at the Title criteria here, I have specifically used “Upgrade to Windows 11 (business editions) en-us x64“. If you use Windows 11 as Title Criteria, you will have several Windows 11 upgrades and each of them will be added to the deployment package.
When you define the Windows 11 upgrades criteria, click the preview button.
The preview updates window shows the Windows 11 upgrades based on defined search criteria. Click Close.
Alternate criteria that you can use to refine Windows 11 upgrades is listed below. This time instead of title, we are using Language as English. So, this should include en-us and en-gb updates.
- Architecture – x64
- Language – English
- Product Category – Windows 11
When you deploy a servicing plan for Windows 11, you define a schedule. You basically define when you want the servicing plan to be available and set the installation deadline.
You can go with the default deployment settings. I am going to select software available time to As soon as possible and installation deadline to specific time – 4 days.
Click Next.
Specify the user experience for the Windows 11 servicing plan. Under the Deadline behavior, I am going to enable – Software Update Installation and System Restart (If necessary).
Click Next.
Create Windows 11 Deployment Package for Servicing Plan
When you create a SCCM servicing plan for Windows 11, you specify the download location of Windows 11 upgrades. On the Deployment Package selection window, you can either choose an existing deployment package or create a new deployment package.
I am going to create a new deployment package for Windows 11 so that when you run the servicing plan, the Windows 11 upgrades are included in this package.
Specify the deployment package name and also the package source. The package source here is a folder that contains all the Windows 11 upgrade files that servicing plan downloads.
Click Next.
You must select the distribution points to host the content. Click the Add button and select the distribution points servers. Click Next.
Specify the Download Location for this Servicing Plan (ADR) to download software updates from the internet. Click Next.
On the Language Section window, you specify the additional Update languages for your products. I am going to with default ones, click Next.
The Summary window shows the entire list of settings that you have configured for the servicing plan. Click Next.
Close the Create Servicing Plan window. We have successfully created a Servicing Plan for upgrading Windows 11 in SCCM.
Run the Windows 11 Servicing Plan
When you create a Servicing Plan in SCCM, you can run the Windows 11 servicing plan on demand. In the ConfigMgr console, go to Software Library\Overview\Windows Servicing\Servicing Plans. Right click Windows 11 Servicing Plan and select Run Now.
The Run Now action immediately triggers the Servicing Plan.
You see a message box – You have initiated an action to run the selected rule. When new software updates are found by the rule, the software updates will be added to the software update group specified in the rule. Click OK.
To confirm if the servicing plan downloads the Windows 11 upgrade files, go the deployment package location. Here you should find the Windows 11 upgrade files.
- 22000.194.210913-1444.co_release_svc_refresh_CLIENTBUSINESS_VOL_x64FRE_en-us.esd
- WindowsUpdateBox.exe
If you had selected additional languages for Windows 11 while defining the search criteria in servicing plan, you should find more of these updates in the deployment package.
Perform Windows 11 Upgrade using SCCM Servicing Plan
Finally, it’s time to upgrade Windows 10 computer to Windows 11 using ConfigMgr Servicing Plan. On my client computer, it took approximately 45 minutes for Windows 11 upgrade to appear in software center.
Launch the Software Center and select Updates tab. Select Upgrade to Windows 11 and click Install. The in-place upgrade installs the Windows 11 over Windows 10 and expect a couple of restarts during the upgrade. The apps, data and settings are also migrated. To install the Windows 11 upgrade, click Install.
The Windows 11 upgrade files are first downloaded to the client computer and the upgrade process begins.
The Windows 11 upgrade is almost complete. The software center now shows a restart window required to complete the Windows 11 upgrade. If you wish to restart the computer later, use the snooze option otherwise just select Restart.
When you restart the computer, the final upgrade begins and after a computer restart, you should find your Windows 10 computer upgraded to Windows 11.
This completes the steps to create SCCM Windows 11 Servicing Plan to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11. If you have any question, let me know in the comments section.
