Disabling Automatic Reboot after a Windows Update

Written by Barry Dysert (last updated May 29, 2017)

3

Often times (maybe once per week) Microsoft does us the favor of supplying automatic updates to our systems. Sometimes, these updates require that your system be rebooted afterwards. If you're like me, you leave your computer on all the time and often have applications running or files open. To have a reboot happen in the middle of the night could very well disrupt what I'd been working on. If you want to get the updates but not have your system automatically rebooted, there is something you can do about it.

Right-click Start and click Control Panel. In the new window that appears click Administration Tools. Now double-click Task Scheduler. Expand the nodes in the left pane from Task Scheduler Library through Microsoft | Windows. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. Navigating the Task Scheduler.

Now scroll down the left pane until you get to UpdateOrchestrator and click it. In the top center pane, look for Reboot. Right-click this line and select Disable from the Context menu. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. Disabling automatic reboot.

Now the updates will occur, but your system won't automatically be rebooted. If it turns out you don't like this behavior and you want to return to the automatic reboots, just go through the same process, but when you right-click Reboot choose Enable from the Context menu. Close all open windows. The changes take effect immediately.

 This tip (641) applies to Windows 10.

Author Bio

Barry Dysert

Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." ...

MORE FROM BARRY

Using Your Own Picture as an Account Picture

You can easily customize your computing experience by using your own picture as your account picture. This tip explains how.

Discover More

Displaying All the Files in a Folder using the Command Prompt

Displaying all the files a folder contains is an easy task in Windows. One way you can display the files is using command ...

Discover More

Changing Sounds Associated with Windows Events

You can customize Windows so that various sounds (or none) are associated with various Windows events. This tip explains ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Picking a Desktop Icon Size

Are the icons on your desktop displayed at the right size for your preference or needs? Windows provides three different ...

Discover More

Look to the Background

Windows 10 has several apps that run in the background that help improve performance and function for your system. Some ...

Discover More

Changing Screen Resolution

Screen resolution is a key attribute of your monitor. You usually have choices for resolution, which provides you with a ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is two more than 7?

2017-09-02 21:11:07

JW

Windows update re-enables this task or otherwise causes a reboot so this fix doesn't work


2017-05-31 10:43:48

LD

Wow, big help, thank you! This reboot has been miserable,never knew ho tot stop it


2017-05-30 00:30:30

Lanier Dodson

A simpler to remember method is to press the Windows key on the keyboard, or click on the Start button on the Taskbar, then select "Settings" and then "Update & Security."

Make sure "Windows Update" is selected in the left pane, then in the right pane under "Update Settings" select "Restart Options. Under "Schedule a time" select "Off."

Now Windows will not restart the computer following an update, but it will remind you frequently to do so.


Newest Tips