• The AWS Systems Manager CloudWatch Dashboard will no longer be available after April 30, 2026. Customers can continue to use Amazon CloudWatch console to view, create, and manage their Amazon CloudWatch dashboards, just as they do today. For more information, see [Amazon CloudWatch Dashboard documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/monitoring/CloudWatch_Dashboards.html). 

# Setting an existing patch baseline as the default
<a name="patch-manager-default-patch-baseline"></a>

**Important**  
Any default patch baseline selections you make here do not apply to patching operations that are based on a patch policy. Patch policies use their own patch baseline specifications. For more information about patch policies, see [Patch policy configurations in Quick Setup](patch-manager-policies.md).

When you create a custom patch baseline in Patch Manager, a tool in AWS Systems Manager, you can set the baseline as the default for the associated operating system type as soon as you create it. For information, see [Working with custom patch baselines](patch-manager-manage-patch-baselines.md).

You can also set an existing patch baseline as the default for an operating system type.

**Note**  
The steps you follow depend on whether you first accessed Patch Manager before or after the patch policies release on December 22, 2022. If you used Patch Manager before that date, you can use the console procedure. Otherwise, use the AWS CLI procedure. The **Actions** menu referenced in the console procedure is not displayed in Regions where Patch Manager wasn't used before the patch policies release.

**To set a patch baseline as the default**

1. Open the AWS Systems Manager console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/).

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Patch Manager**.

1. Choose the **Patch baselines** tab.

1. In the patch baselines list, choose the button of a patch baseline that isn't currently set as the default for an operating system type.

   The **Default baseline** column indicates which baselines are currently set as the defaults.

1. In the **Actions** menu, choose **Set default patch baseline**.
**Important**  
The **Actions** menu is not available if you didn't work with Patch Manager in the current AWS account and Region before December 22, 2022. See the **Note** earlier in this topic for more information.

1. In the confirmation dialog box, choose **Set default**.

**To set a patch baseline as the default (AWS CLI)**

1. Run the [https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/ssm/describe-patch-baselines.html](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/ssm/describe-patch-baselines.html) command to view a list of available patch baselines and their IDs and Amazon Resource Names (ARNs).

   ```
   aws ssm describe-patch-baselines
   ```

1. Run the [https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/ssm/register-default-patch-baseline.html](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/ssm/register-default-patch-baseline.html) command to set a baseline as the default for the operating system it's associated with. Replace *baseline-id-or-ARN* with the ID of the custom patch baseline or predefined baseline to use. 

------
#### [ Linux & macOS ]

   ```
   aws ssm register-default-patch-baseline \
       --baseline-id baseline-id-or-ARN
   ```

   The following is an example of a setting a custom baseline as the default.

   ```
   aws ssm register-default-patch-baseline \
       --baseline-id pb-abc123cf9bEXAMPLE
   ```

   The following is an example of a setting a predefined baseline managed by AWS as the default.

   ```
   aws ssm register-default-patch-baseline \
       --baseline-id arn:aws:ssm:us-east-2:733109147000:patchbaseline/pb-0574b43a65ea646e
   ```

------
#### [ Windows Server ]

   ```
   aws ssm register-default-patch-baseline ^
       --baseline-id baseline-id-or-ARN
   ```

   The following is an example of a setting a custom baseline as the default.

   ```
   aws ssm register-default-patch-baseline ^
       --baseline-id pb-abc123cf9bEXAMPLE
   ```

   The following is an example of a setting a predefined baseline managed by AWS as the default.

   ```
   aws ssm register-default-patch-baseline ^
       --baseline-id arn:aws:ssm:us-east-2:733109147000:patchbaseline/pb-071da192df1226b63
   ```

------