GPUPDATE.exe

Update Group Policy settings.

Syntax
       GPUpdate  [/Force] [/Logoff] [/Boot] [/Sync]
           [/Target:{Computer | User}] [/Wait:value]

Key:

   /Force         Apply all policy settings, not just those that have changed.

   /Logoff        Logoff after the Group Policy settings have been updated. 
                  Some group policy client-side extensions are only processed when a
                  user logs on. (Software Install, Folder Redirection.)

   /Boot          Restart after the Group Policy settings are applied. 
                  Some group policy client-side extensions are only processed at startup
                  (e.g. computer-targeted Software Install)

   /Sync          Apply the next foreground policy synchronously (in the background).
                  This can be applied to computer boot and/or user logon. (see /Target)

   /Target:       Update only User or only Computer policy settings
                  default = both

   /Wait:         The number of seconds to wait for policy processing.
                  '0'  = do not wait.
                  '-1' = wait indefinitely.
                  default = 600 (10 minutes)
                  If the time limit is exceeded, the command prompt returns, but policy
                  processing continues.

Group Policy changes triggered by the GPUPDATE command, run under the Group Policy service, which runs with system-level privileges. Because of this it is not necessary to run the command from an elevated prompt.

/Logoff and /Boot will have no effect if there are no client-side extensions called that require a logoff/reboot. /Force and /Wait parameters will be ignored if /sync is specified.

GPUPDATE will apply new and changed policies, it will not remove an existing setting where the policy is set to "not configured"

Examples

Run a background update to install any new Group Policy settings:

C:\> GPUpdate

Force a background update of all Group Policy settings, regardless of whether they have changed:

C:\> GPUpdate /Force

When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called "The People’s Stick” ~ Mikhail Bakunin (Statism and Anarchy)

Related commands

GPRESULT - Display Resultant Set of Policy information
NTRIGHTS - Edit user account rights.
LGPO - Local Group Policy Object utility.
Copy and Merge Group Policies (GPOs) with PowerShell [script]
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GroupPolicy\History
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GroupPolicy\History