This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of apply.

Windows-10

Ane of Windows 10'due south least-liked features is its tendency to automatically reboot when updates take finished installing. When it launched, Windows 10 quickly developed a reputation for rebooting entirely on its own timeline, as opposed to yours. The Windows 10 Ceremony Update introduced the concept of "Active Hours," which could be used to limit updates to off-hours when the auto was not in use, but you can't always depend on such timers to prevent unwanted beliefs — become stuck working late at dark, and you could yet be impacted by a surprise reboot at an inconvenient moment.

Credit for this fix goes to Winaero. First, open the Authoritative Tools department of the Control Panel. The simplest way to do this is to printing the Start push and type "Administrative Tools." Choose the "Task Scheduler" option from the Authoritative Tools window. By default, that window may wait something like this:

TaskScheduler1

Open up the following path: Task Scheduler Library\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator. Information technology should await similar the beneath, except your "Reboot" option will exist enabled. Right-click on that selection and cull "Disable" from the card.

WindowsRebooter

Users have also reported that in some cases, Windows 10 can switch this setting dorsum on automatically. To forbid that from happening, open C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator and find the "Reboot" file with no suffix or file attachment. Rename it "Reboot.bak". If you lot need to take ownership of the file before you tin can rename it, you can find instructions for doing then here. There are also means to add the "Take Ownership" choice every bit a correct-click menu capability; you can download a file that will allow you to add this capability from HowToGeek.

Windows-Rebooter2

Once yous've inverse the Chore Scheduler and renamed Reboot.bak, you should take no further problem with unwanted Windows reboots. Be brash, however, that this will not prevent Windows updates from actually installing. This option gives you the ability to control when your auto reboots, just it doesn't delay installation. Windows 10'south Creators Update will requite users somewhat more control over which updates are delivered by allowing you to opt out of driver updates, merely the only mode to finish updates altogether is to disable the Windows Update service. That'due south non something ExtremeTech formally recommends, due to the risky nature of opting out of security updates, but it's bachelor should y'all choose to avail yourself of information technology.

I installed this fix on my ain organisation to measure whether or not it worked. To examination information technology, I deliberately changed my "Active Hours" to be between 8 AM and 2 PM, equally shown in the screenshot beneath:

SecurityUpdates

90 minutes later, with no other deportment taken to prevent the OS from rebooting, the organisation has remained solid. Based on that, I'one thousand willing to believe the method works. Users should note, still, that many security updates do require reboots to role properly. You tin use this pick to prevent unexpected reboots at off times, just don't forget the demand to manually reset your automobile, or you won't be protected by the security updates.

At present read: Windows x: The all-time hidden features, tips, and tricks