Having your Windows computer shut down on you while you are working can be quite frustrating, but is unfortunately, a common complaint among users of the OS. And it gets even worse when your computer fails to install the updates for which the reboot took place. That is why many users want to have greater control over the update settings so they can manually control when their computers restart. This is how you can do so and avoid forced restarts while you are working.

Method 1: Set Active Hours

If you wish to prevent active restarts while you are using your Windows 11 PC, you can use the Active Hours feature. This lets you specify a time period during which you will be using your computer and will prevent Windows from installing updates and restarting during that period.

  1. Open the Settings app using the Win + I shortcut and click on 'Windows Update' on the left.
  1. On the Windows Update page, click on 'Advanced Options'.
  1. Click on the 'Active Hours' option.
  1. When the Active Hours dropdown menu appears, click on it and select 'Manually'.
  1. Now click on the 'Start Time' and 'End Time' fields and specify the time during which you do not want Windows to restart.

Method 2: Pause and manually install updates

The main drawback of the Active Hours method is that it only lets you specify a maximum timeframe of 18 hours. This means that if you have an irregular schedule or need your computer to keep running continuously, this method won't work. In such a situation, you will need to pause updates and install them manually. You can pause updates for up to 35 days at a time.

  1. Open the Windows Update page in the Settings app and click on the 'Pause for 1 week' button on the right.
  1. You can also extend the time period for which you've paused the updates by clicking on the 'Extend for 1 week' button and then selecting the time. You can extend the period for up to four weeks at a time.
  1. Once you've paused the updates, you can resume them at any time by clicking on the 'Resume updates' button.

Method 3: Modify Group Policy settings

Some versions of Windows, such as Enterprise, Education, and Professional editions, allow you to make changes to the Local Group Policy Editor. This lets you ensure that your system will install updates only when you manually restart it yourself.

  1. Use the Win + R shortcut to open the Run dialog and type gpedit.msc before pressing Enter.
  1. When the Local Group Policy Editor opens, navigate to the following path on the left: Computer Configuration > Administrator Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.
  1. Click on the 'Legacy Policies' directory and then double-click on 'No auto-restart with logged-on users for scheduled automatic update installations' on the right.
  1. Click on the 'Enabled' option on the top left and then click on the 'Apply' button before clicking on OK.

Method 4: Make changes to the Registry

If you're using Windows Home edition, you will not have access to the Group Policy Editor and will have to rely on the Registry Editor. Just make sure to back up all registry files because making changes to the registry without proper knowledge can make your computer unusable.

  1. Open the Start menu, type regedit, and click on 'Run as administrator'.
  1. When the Registry Editor opens, navigate to the following directory: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows > WindowsUpdate.
  1. Find the AU folder within the 'Windows Update' key. If it isn't present, right-click on the key, go to 'New', and select 'Key'.
  1. Name the new key 'AU'.
  1. Now, right-click on the 'AU' key and go to 'New' and click on 'DWORD (32-bit) Value'.
  1. Name the DWORD NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers.
  1. Double-click on the DWORD and type 1 in the value field before clicking on OK. Then reboot your computer.

Things to know

  • When making changes to system settings, make sure to create a backup of your system. This will help you undo changes in case something goes wrong.
  • You can also disable Windows Update completely using tools like the Task Scheduler, Windows Services Utility, and Command Prompt. However, doing so can make your system vulnerable to threats like viruses and malware.
  • While pausing updates can help you prevent forced restarts while working, you shouldn't delay their installation for too long. Updates contain critical bug fixes and security patches that are required for your PC to keep running properly.