How to Schedule Windows Update Restarts in Windows 11

How to Schedule a Restart for Windows Update in 🪟 Windows 11

The quickest way to stop restarts during your workday is to set Active hours. These are the hours you normally use the PC, and Windows avoids restarting during them. The steps for this come after the restart steps below.

Update KB5101684 changed how restarts are bundled. Eligible updates now install together with the monthly security update whenever possible, which reduces the number of restarts. Individual updates are still available under Settings › Windows Update › Available updates, where you can view and install them yourself. Expedited or critical updates may still install separately, so an extra restart is possible.

If an update is already waiting for a restart, the steps below show how to schedule updates in Windows 11 by choosing the exact restart time yourself.

1. Watch for the restart prompt after Windows finishes installing💿 updates. It may let you pick a restart time right there. A message like this appears:

   

2. Open the Start menu⊞, then click Settings. The Start menu⊞ is the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner, and the Settings⚙️ window opens after you click.

   

3. Click Windows Update🔃 on the left side. The update status page opens on the right.
4. Click Schedule restart. This option only appears when an update is installed and waiting for a restart. If you do not see it, nothing is pending, so check back after the next update installs.

   

5. Choose the day and time for the restart. Pick a time when you will not be using the PC, such as overnight or during lunch. Leave the PC on and plugged in then, or the restart will not happen as planned.

   

6. Click Schedule restart again to save your choice. Windows now shows the restart time you picked on the Windows Update🔃 page.

That’s it! Your computer will restart at the time you picked to finish installing updates. To change your mind, go back to Settings › Windows Update and pick a new time.

Active hours work well alongside a scheduled restart. Follow these steps to set them:

1. Go to Settings › Windows Update🔃 › Advanced options. The advanced options page opens.
2. Select Active hours. Two choices appear: Automatically and Manually.
3. Choose Automatically to let Windows learn your usage. Windows then picks the hours based on when you use the PC.
4. Choose Manually to enter your own times instead. Set the start time and the end time to match your workday.

You should now have active hours that keep Windows from restarting while you work. To change them later, return to the same page.

If you need more time before any update installs, go to Settings › Windows Update and use the Pause updates drop-down. It delays updates for up to 35 days. Once the pause ends, Windows has to install the pending updates before you can pause again.

You can manage restart schedules in Windows 11 through the Settings app, the Group Policy Editor, or the Windows Registry. The Settings app suits everyday users who want quick control over active hours. The Group Policy Editor and the Registry give administrators and Pro edition users finer control.

Windows 11 Home has no Group Policy Editor, but you can change the same behavior in the Windows Registry. Proceed with caution, as incorrect registry edits can cause system instability. Before you start, create a restore point or export the key you are about to change so you can undo your edits.

These steps set the update and restart behavior through the Registry:

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. If Windows asks for permission, click Yes. The Registry Editor opens.
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate in the left pane.
3. Right-click Windows if WindowsUpdate does not exist. Select New > Key, and name the new key WindowsUpdate.
4. Right-click WindowsUpdate to add the next key. Select New > Key, and name it AU.
5. Right-click the AU key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new value appears in the right pane with its name ready to edit.
6. Name the new value AUOptions.
7. Double-click AUOptions. Set the Value data based on the following:

   • 2: Auto download and notify for install.
   • 3: Auto download and schedule the install.
   • 4: Auto download and install, and restart automatically at the scheduled time.
   • 5: Auto download and install, and restart automatically without warning.
8. Create a DWORD (32-bit) Value named ActiveHoursStart to control active hours. Set its value to the hour active hours begin (for example, 8 for 8 AM). Create another DWORD (32-bit) Value named ActiveHoursEnd and set it to the hour active hours end (for example, 17 for 5 PM).
9. Add a DWORD (32-bit) Value named SetActiveHours if you want Windows Update🔃 for Business. Set it to 1.
10. Restart your🔄 computer so the changes take effect.

That’s it! After the restart, Windows follows the update and active-hours values you set in the Registry.

To undo the registry changes, delete the values you created, or restore the key you exported, and restart the PC.

Using Group Policy Editor (for Pro, Enterprise, Education editions)

If you have Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, the Group Policy Editor gives you more advanced control. It is a Windows tool that applies settings through named policies rather than registry values.

1. Press Windows key + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. The Group Policy Editor opens.
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update. The policy list appears in the right pane.
3. Double-click Configure Automatic Updates. A settings window opens.
4. Select Enabled. Then, under Options, choose a setting like 2 - Auto download and notify for install or 3 - Auto download and schedule the install.
5. Look for the settings⚙️ related to restart behavior. You can configure options like Always automatically restart at the scheduled time or No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations.
6. Find the settings⚙️ to Specify deadline for automatic updates and restarts if you need a deadline. This forces an update installation and restart after a set number of days, overriding active hours if needed. It helps make sure updates reach managed devices promptly.

You should now have your restart policy in place. It applies the next time Windows Update checks the settings on that PC.

Why Scheduling Restarts is Helpful

• Windows updates keep your computer safe and running smoothly, so scheduling restarts is better than avoiding updates.
• Scheduling restarts lets you choose a time that won’t interrupt your work or play.
• It helps prevent sudden restarts when you’re busy using your computer.
• Update KB5101684 bundles eligible updates with the monthly security update, so you should see fewer restarts overall. Critical or expedited updates may still install separately.
• The steps above give you control over when your PC restarts. Use Settings for everyday control, and use Group Policy or the Registry when you need more.

Scheduling your Windows Update restarts prevents your computer from rebooting in the middle of an important task or game. Instead of letting Windows restart at random times, you decide when your PC installs updates and reboots.

Knowing how Windows Update restarts are managed helps you keep the system secure without disrupting your workflow. The Settings app offers basic controls. Group Policy and the Registry give IT professionals the tools to enforce update policies across an organization, so critical updates are applied even if users try to postpone them.