How to Stop Windows 11 from Restarting After Update – Simple Solution

Dealing with those annoying automatic restarts after Windows 11 updates can be maddening. Luckily, there are ways to put a leash on this behavior. Whether it’s adjusting some settings in Windows or diving into the Group Policy Editor, there’s a fix here that can help.

How to Stop Windows 11 from Restarting on Its Own After Updates

Change Your Windows Update Settings

First off, let’s get into the Windows Settings:

1. Open Windows Settings: Just hit Windows key + I to launch the settings.
2. Find Windows Update: On the sidebar, click on Windows Update — it’s usually at the bottom.
3. Go to Advanced Options: Look for the Advanced options link and click on it.

In this part of the settings, you can tweak something pretty important:

• Notify me when a restart is needed: Make sure this is turned on. Doing this means that after updates, you’ll get a nudge asking if you want to restart. So you can decide to hit Yes or No, and avoid those random reboots.

Oh, and while you’re at it, there’s an option to set your active hours. In case it’s set to auto, play around with Change active hours and select times when you’re actually using the computer, so updates won’t interrupt your productivity.

Permanently Disable Automatic Restarts

If the workaround isn’t cutting it, and you want these restarts to stop for good, the Local Group Policy Editor comes to the rescue. Here’s how to get there:

1. Open Run Dialogue: Press Windows key + R.
2. Launch the Group Policy Editor: Type in gpedit.msc and hit OK.

Now that you’re in the Group Policy Editor:

1. Navigate to Configuration Options: Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components.
2. Locate Windows Update: Scroll down until you find Windows Update.
3. Set Restart Policy: Look for No Auto Restart with Logged On Users for Scheduled Automatic Updates. Double-click it.
4. Enable the Policy: Toggle it to Enabled, then hit Apply and OK.

Doing this should prevent those pesky automatic restarts when you’re logged in after an update.

Using Command Line to Manage Updates

If command lines are more your speed, you can check your update status that way too. Just open Command Prompt as an admin and run:

PowerShell -Command "Get-WindowsUpdateLog"

This might give a clearer picture of what’s happening with your updates if the settings aren’t enough.

Wrapping it Up

To recap, there are mainly three ways to curb those auto restarts:

1. Change Windows Update settings for notifications and active hours.
2. Head to the Group Policy Editor for a permanent block on restarts.
3. Use the command line for a quick peek at your update settings.

Adjusting settings through Windows is pretty user-friendly, while the Group Policy method gives solid control if that’s your jam. Depending on what’s needed, pick what works best, because let’s face it, Windows doesn’t always make things easy.