Computer policy could not be updated successfully, The processing of Group Policy failed

If, while using the GPUPDATE.exe tool, you see an error message Computer policy could not be updated successfully, then this post will help you. The GPUPDATE command-line tool helps users update the Group Policy change forcefully.

Computer policy could not be updated successfully. The following errors were encountered:

The processing of Group Policy failed. Windows could not apply the registry-based policy settings for the Group Policy object LocalGPO. Group Policy settings will not be resolved until this event is resolved. View the event details for more information on the file name and path that caused the failure.

Local Group Policy Editor is a sophisticated in-built tool for administrators to make Windows behave they want it to. Most of the changes affect the system almost immediately and automatically. However, if you need to update the changes immediately, you can use this command-line tool called GPUPDATE.exe.

Sometimes, this tool may not work as usual due to any reason. The primary cause is a specific corrupted internal file called Registry.pol. Therefore, follow this troubleshooting tutorial if you see this error message in the Command Prompt window.

Computer policy could not be updated successfully

To fix the Computer policy could not be updated successfully issue on Windows 10, follow these steps-

1. Close the Command Prompt window
2. Open the Machine folder in the system drive
3. Rename Registry.pol file

Read on to learn more about this tutorial.

S0 first, you need to close the Command Prompt window showing the error message. After that, navigate to this path-

C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy\Machine

Here, C is your system drive where you installed Windows OS.

There are two ways to do that. First, you can open File Explorer > This PC > your system drive (C drive) > Windows > System32 > GroupPolicy > Machine.

Alternatively, you can press Win+R to open the Run prompt, type the path, and hit the Enter button. A

After opening the Machine folder, you can find two files named comment.cmtx and Registry.pol. You need to rename the Registry.pol file. You can use any name, but it is suggested to call it Registry.bak.

People use the BAK file extension for backup files, and you can use it here to recognize the old Registry.pol file correctly in the future.

After renaming, you need to restart your computer and try to use the GPUPDATE.exe tool again.

Hopefully, you won’t face any problems anymore.

Similar reads:

• The processing of Group Policy failed, Event ID 1058
• The processing of Group Policy failed because of lack of network connectivity to a domain controller.

How do I force a GPO policy update?

You can run the gpupdate /force command on Windows Terminal to initiate a GPO policy update on the local computer. While it may take some time, it will ensure the policies are updated and reflected across the PC. You can also do the same for a remote PC if you have the correct privileges and the PC is on the network. Use the command gpupdate /force /computer:computer_name to force a GPO policy update on that PC. Lastly, make sure to restart your PC.

Read: GPUpdate Force not working on Windows computers

How do I know if the group policy is updated?

To check if a Group Policy Object (GPO) has been updated on a computer, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu and type gpresult into the search bar.
2. Click on the gpresult icon to open the Group Policy Results tool.
3. Click on the Details tab in the Group Policy Results tool.
4. Scroll down to the GPO Results section and look for the GPOs you want to check.

The GPO Results section will show you a list of all the GPOs that have been applied to the computer, along with the date and time of the last update for each GPO. If a GPO has been updated recently, it will appear near the top of the list. You can also use the command gpresult /r to get a detailed report.

Similar: Group Policy keeps reverting on Windows.