5 ways to stop Windows Update from rebooting your PC

There’s another method to take control over updates: While Windows 11 and Windows 10 don’t offer any kind of built-in alternatives for shutting off automated updates, they do offer a way to stop automatic updates. You can stop briefly updates for up to 5 weeks.

Windows Update hit rock bottom in the very early years of Windows 10. At that time, lots of people I recognize grumbled to me that Windows Update had automatically rebooted their computer and screwed up their work– usually to mount a major update that made that reboot take a specifically long time!

. That’s why I set Windows Update to tell me when it requires an upgrade. Windows Update will value this and won’t automatically download updates on metered networks.

If you’re utilizing a PC handled by your employer, it may be updated on your company’s timetable. It’s up to the IT department to configure automated update behavior. Businesses have a number of team plan choices to manage just exactly how these automatic restarts function.

To get updates, you’ll need to open up the Windows Update pane in Settings and click a button to download them. To do this on either Windows 11 or Windows 10, head to Setups > Network & internet. If you’re attached to a Wi-Fi network, click “Wi-Fi” and after that the name of the network. If you’re connected to a wired network, click “Ethernet.” Then, toggle on the “Metered connection” or “Establish as metered connection” choice.

Chris Hoffman is a technology journalist and columnist that’s been writing about Windows for over a years. His Windows Intelligence column helps you maximize your Windows computer– and comprehend what Microsoft depends on.

The bright side is that Windows Update is much less bothersome now; whether you have actually upgraded to Windows 11 or are still utilizing Windows 10, Windows Update has actually learned some restraint. The trouble is that Windows Update still schedules the right to reboot your computer when it wishes to immediately mount updates. If you leave your computer system running overnight, Windows Update may immediately reboot it.

Windows Update would then just reboot immediately for updates between midnight and 6 a.m

Ideally, this will come to be less necessary in the future. Microsoft appears to be working on “hotpatching” for Windows 11, which would certainly allow Windows install some protection updates and make them work instantly– no reboot required. That’s something to eagerly anticipate.

. This functions on both Windows 11 and Windows 10. Altering it may not be necessary: Windows will certainly discover when you usually utilize your Computer and attempt to instantly establish hours that make feeling for you.

When an update is necessary– which you’ll recognize when you see that bothersome system tray symbol– you can select to upgrade and restart. Simply make use of the power food selection in the Begin menu and pick “Update and reboot.”

I pick when to reboot for any type of updates. That’s why I establish Windows Update to tell me when it needs an update.

This works together with active hours. Windows Update will not reboot during the 18 hours of the day that are your active hours. If you plan on leaving your Computer on overnight to perform a vital job, you can choose to reactivate it prior to you tip away. (That’s what I do.).

The best thing you can do to stop Windows Updates from disrupting your work (or play) is to change your PC’s “active hours.” These are the hours you normally use your computer; Windows Update will not restart your computer throughout these times.

To do this, you have to establish a link as “metered.” This is what you would certainly do if you were utilizing a cellular data connection without much information. Windows Update will respect this and won’t automatically download updates on metered networks.

Like any kind of os, Windows has security susceptabilities that require to be dealt with when they’re uncovered. And, even after Windows Update installs those updates, they usually don’t take effect till your PC restarts, leaving it susceptible.

Remember that Windows Update will instantly download and install updates when it attaches to a connection that isn’t marked metered. If you note your home Wi-Fi connection as metered and after that take your laptop to a coffee store, it will instantly start downloading and install updates when you connect it to the coffee shop’s Wi-Fi hotspot.

If you require your PC to run for days on end, energetic hours aren’t the suitable option. Probably you’re doing a crucial long-running job overnight and need to make sure Windows Update does not obstruct and begin rebooting things.

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Thankfully, this puts on many modern Windows applications. After that, if your computer unexpectedly needs to shut down– whether due to Windows Update, a blue display of fatality, or a power failure– you will not shed any kind of information.

This isn’t something I advise to most people, as you will certainly be do without safety and security updates. It’s a method to make sure Windows will not install any kind of updates– and reboot– for a period of time, if you have a pushing factor to do so.

Chris was previously the Editor-in-Chief of How-To Nerd, where he racked up over a billion page views to useful tips, beneficial repairing guides, and insightful editorials– with Windows always as his main emphasis. Past that, he’s also created for The New York Times, PCWorld, Visitor’s Digest, and a lot more.

The great news is that Windows Update is much less annoying now; whether you’ve upgraded to Windows 11 or are still using Windows 10, Windows Update has actually found out some restriction. The negative information is that Windows Update still reserves the right to reboot your Computer when it wants to automatically set up updates. Windows Update would certainly then only restart automatically for updates between midnight and 6 a.m

This isn’t an overall getaway from Windows Update’s automated reboots. If you ignore the notice, Windows Update may instantly reboot beyond energetic hours. But at the very least you can select to do it at a practical time.