How to Enable or Disable Windows 11 Update Restart Notifications

How to Turn On or Off Restart Notifications Using Windows Settings

The Settings app is the safest way to control these alerts. You open Settings, go to Windows Update, open its advanced options, and change one switch. The switch works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro.

The steps below follow the current Windows 11 layout (22H2 and later). Older builds may word things slightly differently.

1. Open the Windows Settings⚙️ app. Click the Start button⊞ and select the gear icon, or press Win+I. The Settings⚙️ window opens, with a list of categories down the left side.
2. On the left side, click Windows Update🔃. The right pane now shows your update status, such as “You’re up to date” or a list of pending updates, along with a few option tiles.
3. On the right side, click the Advanced options tile. A page of extra update settings opens, mostly made up of on/off switches.
4. Find the option called Notify me when a restart is required to finish updating. It sits in the list of toggles near the top of the page. If it is missing, check that you are on the Advanced options page and not the main Windows Update🔃 page. Also make sure the PC is fully updated, because very old Windows 11 builds may not show it.
5. Set the switch to On if you want notifications, or Off if you want to stop them. The switch moves right away and the change takes effect at once. There is no Save or Apply button.
6. Close the Settings⚙️ window. To undo the change later, come back to the same page and flip the switch the other way.

That’s it. Windows now shows or hides its restart notifications according to the switch you chose, and you did not need a restart or any extra tool.

You will see the difference the next time Windows installs an update that needs a reboot. The setting applies to all such notifications, not only one update.

If the toggle is greyed out, or you see the message “Some settings are managed by your organization”, a work or school policy controls it. Only your IT administrator can change it on that PC.

Update KB5101684 also changed how often restarts happen. Eligible updates now install together with the monthly security update whenever possible, so Windows asks for one restart a month instead of several. You can still view and install individual updates under Settings › Windows Update › Available updates. Expedited or critical updates may install separately, so an occasional extra restart prompt is still possible.

How to Turn On or Off Restart Notifications Using the Registry Editor (For Advanced Users)

Advanced users can control the same behavior by editing the Windows Registry, the database where Windows stores its settings. You open the Registry Editor, go to the right key, and create or change one value. This works on both Home and Pro.

It is a system-level change, so use the Settings method above unless you have a reason to use the registry. The value involved is RestartNotificationsAllowed2, and the steps below show how to find it or create it.

Here’s how:

1. ⚠️ Admin privileges required — Open the Windows Registry Editor by typing regedit in the search🔍 box and pressing Enter. Click Yes if a User Account Control prompt appears. You need an administrator account to change this value. The Registry Editor window opens, with a folder tree on the left.
2. Navigate to this folder path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings. Expand the folders in the left pane one at a time. Once the key is selected, its values are listed in the right pane.
3. Look for an entry named RestartNotificationsAllowed2 on the right side. Whether it is already there decides which of the next two steps you follow.
4. If it exists, double-click it. The Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value box opens. In the Value data field:

   • Set the value to 1 to enable restart notifications.
   • Set the value to 0 to disable them.

   Click OK to save the value. The box closes and the new number shows in the Data column.
5. If it doesn’t exist, create it:

   • Right-click in the blank area of the right pane and choose New › DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new entry appears with its name highlighted for editing.
   • Name it RestartNotificationsAllowed2 and press Enter. Check the spelling carefully, because Windows ignores a value with the wrong name.
   • Double-click it and set the value to 1 or 0 as above, then click OK.
6. Close the Registry Editor.
7. Restart your🔄 computer to apply the changes. To undo the change later, open the same value and set it back, or delete the value you created.

That’s it. After the restart, Windows follows the value you set and shows or hides its restart notifications. The Settings toggle and the registry value control the same behavior, so keep them in agreement.

In the Registry Editor you can also use File › Export to save a copy of the key you are about to change. If something goes wrong, double-click the exported file to restore it.

Choose a Time to Restart After Updates

If you would rather keep the notifications and only control the timing, Windows 11 lets you pick a convenient time to restart after updates. This way a reboot does not interrupt you unexpectedly.

1. When an update is waiting for a restart, open Settings › Windows Update🔃. The page shows that a restart is pending.
2. Choose the option to schedule the restart. A date and time picker appears.
3. Pick a date and time that suits you and confirm it.
4. To set active hours, open Advanced options on the same page and adjust Active hours. Windows avoids restarting automatically during those hours.

You should now have a restart time that fits your day, with Windows steering clear of your active hours.

Because update KB5101684 installs eligible updates together with the monthly security update, you schedule one restart a month in most cases. Check Settings › Windows Update › Available updates to see or install individual updates. Expedited or critical updates may install separately and can bring their own restart prompt.

Summary

• You can turn Windows Update restart notifications on or off with one switch in the Settings app, under Windows Update › Advanced options.
• Advanced users can also manage these notifications by editing the Windows Registry.
• Always be careful when changing registry settings, and back up your system or create a restore point first.
• Restart your computer after a registry change to make sure it takes effect. The Settings toggle applies immediately.
• By managing these notifications, and scheduling restarts or setting active hours, you can control when and how your PC restarts after updates. Since KB5101684, eligible updates also install together with the monthly security update, so restarts are less frequent.

You can manage Windows 11 restart notifications with the standard Settings app or with the Registry Editor, depending on your preference. For most people the Settings toggle is enough, and it is quick to reverse.

Whichever you use, remember that updates still need a restart to finish installing. Pick a time that suits you and don’t put it off for too long.