diff --git a/changes/48368-setup-experience-install-order-tooltip b/changes/48368-setup-experience-install-order-tooltip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..021f2f30a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/48368-setup-experience-install-order-tooltip
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Updated the "installed during setup" tooltip on Controls > Setup experience > Install software to clarify that installation order depends on software name (0-9, then A-Z), and that software without a policy is installed before software with a policy.
diff --git a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tests.tsx b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tests.tsx
index 5acc6f58d1..ae864ab2b0 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tests.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tests.tsx
@@ -87,7 +87,47 @@ describe("InstallSoftware", () => {
 
     await waitFor(() => {
       const tooltip = screen.getByText(
-        /Installation order will depend on software name, starting with 0-9 then A-Z./i
+        "Installation order will depend on software name, starting with 0-9 then A-Z."
+      );
+      expect(tooltip).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("should render the policy-aware order tooltip for Windows and Linux when there are software titles that have been selected to install at setup", async () => {
+    const { user } = render(
+      <InstallSoftwareForm
+        savedRequireAllSoftwareMacOS={false}
+        currentTeamId={1}
+        softwareTitles={[
+          createMockSoftwareTitle({
+            software_package: createMockSoftwarePackage({
+              install_during_setup: true,
+            }),
+          }),
+          createMockSoftwareTitle(
+            createMockSoftwareTitle({
+              software_package: createMockSoftwarePackage({
+                install_during_setup: true,
+              }),
+            })
+          ),
+          createMockSoftwareTitle(),
+        ]}
+        hasManualAgentInstall={false}
+        platform="windows"
+        router={createMockRouter()}
+        refetchSoftwareTitles={noop}
+      />
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByText(/2 software items/)).toBeVisible();
+    expect(screen.getByText(/installed during setup/)).toBeVisible();
+
+    await user.hover(screen.getByText("installed during setup"));
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      const tooltip = screen.getByText(
+        "Installation order will depend on software name (0-9, then A-Z). Software without a policy is installed first, then software with a policy."
       );
       expect(tooltip).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
diff --git a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tsx b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tsx
index 912ccbe0c2..036217bb8e 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/SetupExperience/cards/InstallSoftware/components/InstallSoftwareForm/InstallSoftwareForm.tsx
@@ -214,10 +214,16 @@ const InstallSoftwareForm = ({
   };
 
   const renderCustomCount = () => {
-    const orderTooltip =
-      platform === "android"
-        ? "Software order will vary."
-        : "Installation order will depend on software name, starting with 0-9 then A-Z.";
+    let orderTooltip: string;
+    if (platform === "android") {
+      orderTooltip = "Software order will vary.";
+    } else if (platform === "windows" || platform === "linux") {
+      orderTooltip =
+        "Installation order will depend on software name (0-9, then A-Z). Software without a policy is installed first, then software with a policy.";
+    } else {
+      orderTooltip =
+        "Installation order will depend on software name, starting with 0-9 then A-Z.";
+    }
 
     return (
       <div>