How to Manually Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Windows 10


Automatic Maintenance is when Windows automatically runs maintenance on a daily schedule when you're not using your computer.

This includes tasks such as software updates, Windows Updates, security scanning, and system diagnostics. This maintenance will run daily if you aren't using your computer at the time you've chosen. 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.

The goal of Automatic Maintenance is to combine all background maintenance activity in Windows and help third-party developers add their maintenance activity to Windows without negatively impacting performance and energy efficiency. Additionally, Automatic Maintenance enables users as well as enterprises to be in control of maintenance activity scheduling and configuration.

This tutorial will show you how to manually start or stop Automatic Maintenance on demand in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to start and stop Automatic Maintenance.


 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: To Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Control Panel
  • Option Two: To Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Command Prompt
  • Option Three: To Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in PowerShell





OPTION ONE

To Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Control Panel


1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Security and Maintenance icon.

2. Do step 2 (start) or step 3 (stop) below for what you would like to do.


 3. To Start Automatic Maintenance

A) Expand open Maintenance, and click/tap on the Start maintenance link under Automatic Maintenance. (see screenshot below)

Manually Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Windows 10-start_automatic_maintenance_control_panel.png


 4. To Stop Automatic Maintenance

A) Expand open Maintenance, and click/tap on the Stop maintenance link under Automatic Maintenance. (see screenshot below)

Manually Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Windows 10-stop_automatic_maintenance_control_panel.png






OPTION TWO

To Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Command Prompt


1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Do step 2 (start) or step 3 (stop) below for what you would like to do.


 3. To Start Automatic Maintenance

A) Copy and paste the command below in the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

MSchedExe.exe Start

Manually Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Windows 10-start_automatic_maintenance_command.png


 4. To Stop Automatic Maintenance

A) Copy and paste the command below in the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

MSchedExe.exe Stop

Manually Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Windows 10-stop_automatic_maintenance_command.png






OPTION THREE

To Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in PowerShell


1. Open an elevated PowerShell.

2. Do step 2 (start) or step 3 (stop) below for what you would like to do.


 3. To Start Automatic Maintenance

A) Copy and paste the command below in the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

MSchedExe.exe Start

Manually Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Windows 10-start_automatic_maintenance_powershell.png


 4. To Stop Automatic Maintenance

A) Copy and paste the command below in the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

MSchedExe.exe Stop

Manually Start or Stop Automatic Maintenance in Windows 10-stop_automatic_maintenance_powershell.png


That's it,
Shawn


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