ScheduleOSUpdate

MDM command to schedule download/install of OS updates. Can force updates on supervised devices.

What to Know

ScheduleOSUpdate enables proactive patch management by allowing IT to remotely trigger OS updates across the fleet, ensuring devices receive critical security patches and feature updates on a predictable timeline. Without this capability, organizations must rely on users to manually initiate updates — a process that is frequently deferred, forgotten, or avoided, leaving devices vulnerable to known exploits. Automated OS update management is essential for maintaining security compliance and meeting audit requirements that mandate timely patching.

For supervised devices, ScheduleOSUpdate can force installation even if users attempt to defer or cancel updates, ensuring critical security patches are applied regardless of user behavior. This is particularly important for “zero-day” vulnerabilities where delays in patching create immediate organizational risk. The command also supports sophisticated scheduling scenarios like enforcing updates during maintenance windows, ensuring devices download updates over Wi-Fi before cellular installation, or staggering rollouts to avoid disrupting all users simultaneously.

Common Scenarios

Enterprise IT: Schedule quarterly OS updates to maintain supported versions across the fleet, targeting updates during maintenance windows (overnight, weekends) to minimize user disruption. Force immediate security updates on supervised devices when critical vulnerabilities are disclosed (e.g., zero-day exploits), ensuring the fleet is patched before attackers can weaponize the vulnerability. Stage updates by department, updating IT staff first to validate stability before rolling out to production users.

MSP: Coordinate OS update schedules with client maintenance windows to avoid disrupting business-critical operations. For clients with strict uptime requirements (retail, healthcare), schedule updates during known low-activity periods and provide rollback plans. Use phased rollout strategies where updates are initially deployed to a pilot group of devices per client, then expanded to the full fleet after confirming stability.

Education: Schedule OS updates for student devices during extended breaks (summer, winter holidays) when devices aren’t in active classroom use. For staff devices, coordinate update schedules with the academic calendar to avoid disrupting critical periods like standardized testing, report card deadlines, or enrollment windows. Use supervised mode enforcement to ensure student devices receive required updates before being issued for the new school year.

In Addigy

Addigy supports ScheduleOSUpdate through both the traditional MDM command (for older devices) and the modern Declarative Device Management (DDM) protocol for compatible macOS and iOS versions. Admins configure update policies through Addigy’s System Updates interface, specifying target OS versions, enforcement deadlines, and installation windows. Addigy automatically issues the appropriate command type based on device capabilities and tracks update compliance across the fleet. Addigy also provides reporting on update status, deferral counts, and compliance exceptions, allowing IT to identify devices that are out of compliance or have repeatedly deferred updates beyond acceptable thresholds.