In today's tech-driven world, Windows updates are essential for keeping your computer secure and running optimally. However, Windows can be overly aggressive when it comes to prompting users to restart their computers after an update has been installed. Restarting your computer can be an inconvenience, particularly if you're in the middle of an important task. As an IT admin, it's important to ensure that your users have the best experience possible while using their Windows computers. Fortunately, there are a few methods you can use to prevent Windows from prompting to restart your computer after an update.
The most straightforward way to prevent Windows from prompting to restart your computer after an update is to use the Windows Group Policy Editor. This tool is available on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, and can be used to disable the automatic restart prompt. To do this, open the Group Policy Editor by typing ‘gpedit.msc’ into the Windows search bar.
Once the Group Policy Editor is open, navigate to the following path:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
From here, you will find a setting titled ‘No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations’. Selecting this setting will prevent Windows from prompting to restart after an update. You can also use this setting to disable the automatic restart entirely, or to delay the restart for a set amount of time.
Another tool that can be used to prevent Windows from prompting to restart your computer after an update is the Windows Registry. The Windows Registry is a powerful tool that can be used to make changes to the operating system. In order to use the Registry to prevent Windows from prompting to restart after an update, you must first create a new key. To do this, open the Registry Editor by typing ‘regedit’ into the Windows search bar.
Once the Registry Editor is open, navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\WindowsUpdate
From here, you will need to create a new key. To do this, right-click on the WindowsUpdate folder, and select New > Key. Name the key ‘NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers’.
Once you have created the key, double-click on it and select the ‘Enabled’ option. This will prevent Windows from prompting to restart your computer after an update.
Finally, if you are running Windows 10, you can also use the Windows Settings app to prevent Windows from prompting to restart your computer after an update. To do this, open the Settings app, and navigate to Update & Security > Windows Update. From here, select ‘Advanced options’, and then select ‘Choose how updates are installed’.
From here, select the ‘Notify to schedule restart’ option. This will prevent Windows from automatically restarting your computer after an update, and instead will allow you to choose when to restart your computer.
As an IT admin, it's important to ensure that your users have the best experience possible when using their Windows computers. By using the methods outlined above, you can prevent Windows from prompting to restart your computer after an update, thus avoiding potential disruption and inconvenience.
