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How to stop Windows from auto-restarting after an update
There are several reasons I switched to a Mac from a Windows PC a few years ago. Frequent BSODs, issues with drivers, and Windows updates that ruin the experience from time to time are some of them. Speaking of updates, I appreciate the fact that Microsoft keeps pushing bug fixes and improvements frequently. However, it takes unusually long to install some of these updates, followed by an even longer wait time for the PC to restart. What's also annoying is how my PC automatically restarts after an update, hampering my workflow.
If this behavior is impacting the experience of using your PC or laptop, there's thankfully a simple solution. You don't have to switch to a new OS like I did. Microsoft allows users to turn off the auto-restart functionality after an update -- albeit not in the most straightforward manner. There are two methods primarily that you can employ. The first one is more of a workaround but is simpler to execute, while the second one lets you disable automatic restarts altogether. Let's go over both of them.
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Changing the active hours of your PC
Windows 11 allows users to set what's known as the active hours of a PC. This is to let the OS know that you're constantly using the computer to perform important tasks during these set hours. Once you set the relevant timings, Windows updates will not bother restarting your PC within the set interval of time. Here's how you can set the active hours of your PC on Windows 11.
- Open the Settings app on your PC. Head to the Windows Updates section using the left pane and select Advanced options.
- Click on Active hours and switch to Manually in the drop-down menu.
- Select the relevant start and end time as per your usage. Ensure that the selected time is when you don't want your PC to automatically restart after an update.
The maximum duration for Active hours is 18 hours. So, I suggest picking the start time as the time you generally begin work and the end time as 18 hours from the start time.
- While you're at it, also enable the toggle next to Notify me when a restart is required to finish updating for good measure. This way, even if your computer needs to restart in the midst of an important task, you will be notified beforehand so you can save your work.
Your computer will not restart automatically anymore when you're working on it within the active hours. But, what if you keep your PC switched on at all times, and you don't want it to restart at all? You'll have to follow the second method in order to do that.
Using the Group Policy Editor
Group Policy Editor is a built-in tool on Windows 11 that allows you to tweak certain settings or options on your PC. For example, you can disable OneDrive, temporarily disable access to USB ports, etc. It's a powerful tool aimed at pro users, which is why you will only find it on the Windows 11 Pro or higher editions. So, does that mean this method isn't valid if you're using the Home edition of Windows 11? Of course not! You can get the Group Policy Editor to work on all versions of Windows 11 by following a simple process.
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If your PC is running Windows 11 Pro or higher, you can skip to the subsequent section.
How to get the Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 Home
Here's how to install the Group Policy Editor on your PC via a few simple steps.
- Open the Start menu on your PC and type in Command Prompt. Right-click on the app and select Run as administrator.
- Paste the following code into the Command Prompt window and hit the Enter key. FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~*.mum") DO (DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F")
- Once the code is executed, paste the next line of code and hit the Enter key once again. FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~*.mum") DO (DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F")
Wait for the installation to complete. Group Policy Editor should now be accessible on your PC.
How to disable auto-restart using the Group Policy Editor
Now that you have the right resources installed on your PC, here's how to disable automatic restart after an update.
- Use the Windows+R key combo to open Run on your PC. Type in gpedit.msc and hit the Enter key. This will launch the Group Policy Editor.
- Expand the Computer Configuration menu in the left pane by clicking on the small arrow beside it. Select Administrative Templates.
- Then, double-click on Windows Components in the window on the right.
- Navigate to the Windows Update section by double-clicking on it.
- Finally, double-click on Legacy Policies.
- Select No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations and then click on Edit policy setting in the left pane.
- Change the setting to Enabled. Click on Apply followed by OK to save the changes.
That's pretty much it. Now, every time your PC installs an update, it will notify you that it needs a reboot to complete but will not automatically restart the computer.
If you want to skip all the hassle and don't mind not running the latest software builds on your PC, you can turn off Windows auto-update altogether. This way, there won't be any installation of updates, so no question of automatic reboots at all.
Take control of your PC
It's borderline unacceptable how Microsoft doesn't allow you to take control of your own PC by default, by not allowing you to restart whenever you are comfortable. The active hours feature isn't useful for everyone since lots of users may be running or compiling programs that require the PC to be switched on overnight. Thankfully, you can use this procedure to stop this erratic behavior and wait till you finish your work before restarting your PC.
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