How to Turn On or off Automatically Adjust Active Hours in Windows 11

How to Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours Using Settings

The Settings app is the quickest way to change the active hours settings, and it needs no special tools. The path is Windows Update › Advanced options › Active hours. To undo the change, repeat the steps and pick the other option.

These steps open the active hours settings and turn Automatically Adjust Active Hours on or off.

1. Open Windows Settings⚙️. Click the Start menu button (the Windows icon at the bottom-left corner of the taskbar🖥️), then click Settings.
   
   Or press Windows key + I on your keyboard to open Settings⚙️ directly. Either way, the Settings window should now be open.
2. Click Windows Update🔃 in the left-side menu. The update status and buttons appear on the right.
3. Click Advanced options on the right side. You may need to scroll down a little to see it.
4. Click Active hours to expand the section. The active hours settings now appear below it.
5. Find the option called Automatically adjust active hours for this device based on activity. It controls whether Windows or you decide when updates may restart the🔄 PC.
6. Open the dropdown menu and choose your option. Select On if you want Windows to set your active hours automatically, or Off if you want to set them yourself.
7. Set the times if you chose the manual option. Windows shows start and end times that you can change. A manual active hours window can cover up to 18 hours.

That’s it. Windows now follows the option you picked, either learning your active hours from your activity or using the start and end times you set.

If you don’t see the option, install any pending updates and check again. Menu layouts can differ slightly between Windows 11 versions. If your PC is managed by an employer or school, an administrator may control this setting, and your choice can be locked or reset.

Closing the Settings window saves the changes automatically. Background update services apply the new scheduling rules right away. You don’t need to restart the PC or click a Save button for this method.

How to Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours Using Registry Editor (Advanced)

In Registry Editor, choose File › Export, pick All as the export range, and save the file somewhere safe. To restore it later, double-click the saved file. Creating a System Restore point first is also a good idea.

These steps add the SmartActiveHoursState value, which turns Automatically Adjust Active Hours on or off.

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run box. A small box appears at the bottom-left of the screen.
2. Type regedit and press Enter. This starts the Registry Editor.
3. Click Yes if a User Account Control window appears. The Registry Editor window should now open.
4. Go to the key path below. You can expand the folders in the left pane, or paste the path into the address bar at the top of the window:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings
5. Create the Settings⚙️ key if it is missing. If the Settings folder is not inside UX, right-click UX, choose New › Key, and name it Settings.
6. Create a new DWORD value. Inside the Settings folder, right-click an empty area on the right side and choose New › DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new entry appears with its name highlighted for editing.
7. Name the new value SmartActiveHoursState and press Enter.
8. Double-click SmartActiveHoursState and set the Base to Decimal.
9. Enter the value for the result you want:

   • 1 to turn On Automatically Adjust Active Hours
   • 0 to turn Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours
10. Click OK to save. The new value should now show in the right pane.
11. Close the Registry Editor. Restart your🔄 computer or sign out and back in for the change to take effect.

That’s it. The SmartActiveHoursState value now holds the setting you chose, and Windows uses it after the restart or sign-in.

To undo the change, open the same key, set the value to the opposite number, and restart or sign out and back in. You can also right-click SmartActiveHoursState and delete it, or import the backup you made earlier.

Summary

• Automatically Adjust Active Hours helps Windows choose when to avoid restarting your PC during the times you use it most.
• You can turn this feature on or off in Windows Settings, or with the Registry Editor if you prefer. Settings applies the change at once. The registry method needs a restart or a sign-out and sign-in.
• Using this feature helps keep your computer updated without interrupting your work.
• Follow the steps above to control how Windows handles your update restarts, and switch to manual hours if your schedule changes often.

Windows 11 active hours help prevent unexpected system reboots by letting your PC know when you are actively using it. You can manage this feature through the main Settings app or by changing values in the Registry Editor, so your computer stays updated without interruptions.