Configure auto-update policy via MDM (UpdateFrequency)

Last updated: May 14, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows (MDM-managed devices)

IT admins can control how often Wispr Flow checks for and applies auto-updates by pushing a managed UpdateFrequency value via MDM. Use this to slow down rollouts across a fleet, align update cadence with change-management windows, or pin users to a less frequent check interval. When set by IT, users cannot override the value.

For broader MDM setup (installer choice, PPPC profiles, network allowlisting), see the MDM & Enterprise Deployment Guide and Deploy Wispr Flow via MDM.

Supported values

Value

Behavior

auto (default)

Randomized check every 30 minutes to 5 hours. Same as the unmanaged default.

weekly

Checks for updates once per week.

bi-weekly

Checks for updates once every two weeks.

monthly

Checks for updates once every 30 days.

Note: Values are case-insensitive, so Weekly and MONTHLY are both accepted. Any unrecognized value falls back to auto. The resolved value is logged at startup, so you can verify the policy applied by checking the app's logs.

How to configure the policy

The configuration path differs between macOS (managed preferences) and Windows (registry). Pick the option below that matches your platform and MDM type.

macOS — use the provided configuration profile

Wispr ships a ready-to-deploy wispr-flow-managed-config.mobileconfig profile that sets UpdateFrequency. It works with any MDM that supports Apple configuration profiles (Jamf, Kandji, Mosyle, Intune, and others).

  1. Request the profile by emailing support@wisprflow.ai.

  2. Edit the UpdateFrequency value in the profile to your desired cadence.

  3. Deploy the profile to devices (not users) via your MDM.

  4. Verify the policy is applied using the steps in the next section.

macOS — build your own custom profile

If you prefer to author the profile yourself, set a single string preference in the com.electron.wispr-flow domain:

Preference domain: com.electron.wispr-flow Key: UpdateFrequency Type: String Value: auto | weekly | bi-weekly | monthly

Wispr Flow reads this value from managed preferences at launch.

Windows — registry-based MDMs (Intune, SCCM, Group Policy)

Use your MDM's registry deployment or policy template to push the value:

Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\WisprAI\Flow Value name: UpdateFrequency Value type: REG_SZ Value data: auto | weekly | bi-weekly | monthly

Important: Write the value under HKLM, not HKCU. Wispr Flow only reads the policy from the machine hive.

Note: The app queries reg.exe with a 2-second timeout. If the query times out or fails for any reason other than the key not existing, the app silently falls back to the default (auto) and fromManagedPreferences will be false in the startup log.

Windows — script-based MDMs (Rippling, Chef, Chocolatey)

Wispr ships a wispr-flow-set-update-frequency.ps1 PowerShell script for MDMs that run post-install scripts.

  1. Request the script by emailing support@wisprflow.ai.

  2. Edit $value in the script to your desired cadence (auto, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly).

  3. Zip the file as wispr-flow-set-update-frequency.zip.

  4. Upload the zip as a post-install script in your MDM, attached to the Wispr Flow MSI deployment.

  5. Verify by checking your MDM's script execution logs for the confirmation message.

Important: The script must run as SYSTEM so it can write to HKLM.

Verify the policy is applied

Wispr Flow logs the resolved managed config on startup. Open the log file for your platform and look for a line like this:

[MDM] Resolved managed config {"updateFrequency":"monthly","fromManagedPreferences":true}

  • macOS log path: ~/Library/Logs/Wispr Flow/

  • Windows log path: %APPDATA%\Wispr Flow\Logs\

If fromManagedPreferences is true, the policy is active. If it's false, the app fell back to the default (auto) — confirm the macOS profile is scoped to the device (not just the user), or that the Windows registry value is written under HKLM.

FAQs

Can I fully disable auto-updates via MDM?

No. The slowest supported cadence is monthly. To pin a specific version across your fleet, manage installs by pushing the PKG or MSI through your MDM rather than relying on the in-app updater.

Does the policy take effect immediately after I push it?

No. The value is read once at app launch and cached for the process lifetime. Users need to restart Wispr Flow before the new cadence takes effect.

Does this affect manual "Check for updates"?

Yes. When a managed cadence (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) is active and the next check window hasn't arrived, the Check for updates item in both the app menu and tray is disabled and its label changes to "Next update check: <date>". This is by design so the MDM cadence is authoritative.

What other update behaviors does this control?

Only the check cadence. Download behavior, the 20-minute post-dictation cooldown, randomized rollout stagger, retry/backoff, and the restart prompt are unchanged. See the MDM & Enterprise Deployment Guide for the full update flow.

Limitations and notes

  • The policy controls update check cadence only. All other auto-update behaviors are unchanged.

  • The managed value is read once at app launch and memoized for the process lifetime. Changing the value requires an app restart.

  • Manual "Check for updates" is disabled between scheduled checks when a managed cadence is active. Users cannot trigger an early check.

  • There is no value that fully disables auto-updates. The slowest supported cadence is monthly.

  • There is up to ~5 hours of additional jitter on top of the configured cadence. The app polls at randomized 30-minute–5-hour intervals; the managed cadence gates whether each poll performs a network check. Plan rollouts accordingly.

  • If a downloaded update fails to install 3 times, auto-update is paused for 24 hours and the user sees an error notification. Attempts resume automatically after 24 hours.

Still need help?

Email support@wisprflow.ai if:

  • You need the wispr-flow-managed-config.mobileconfig profile or the wispr-flow-set-update-frequency.ps1 script.

  • The policy isn't being picked up after deployment, and the startup log shows fromManagedPreferences: false.

  • You'd like help wiring this into your specific MDM provider.

Include your MDM provider, OS version, the value you're pushing, and the relevant log lines. Most managed-config issues are resolved in one reply.