How to Disable Automatic Restart in Windows 10

Automatic restarts in Windows 10 can be frustrating, especially when they interrupt important tasks or disrupt workflow. By default, Windows updates and restarts on its own, but you can disable this feature if it’s hindering your productivity. Let’s walk through a few simple and effective methods to stop automatic restarts on your Windows 10 system.

1. Disabling through the “Local Group Policy Editor”

For users of Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions, it’s possible to adjust automatic restarts using the Local Group Policy Editor:

  1. Press Win + R and type gpedit.msc, then press Enter.
  2. Go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Update.
  3. Open the setting Do not allow automatic restart with logged-on users for scheduled automatic updates installations.
  4. Set this to Enabled, then click “Apply” and “OK”.

Now Windows won’t restart automatically as long as you’re logged in. If you’re unable to access this feature in your version of Windows, try one of the following methods.

2. Disabling Automatic Restarts via Task Scheduler

This method works for all versions of Windows 10:

  1. Open Task Scheduler by pressing Win + S and typing “Task Scheduler”.
  2. Navigate to Task Scheduler Library → Microsoft → Windows → UpdateOrchestrator.
  3. Locate the Reboot task, right-click it, and select “Disable”.

This will disable the task that’s responsible for restarting your system after updates.

3. Using the Registry Editor

Editing the registry is another way to prevent automatic restarts, but it requires careful attention. It’s recommended to create a system restore point before making changes.

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU.
  3. Right-click on the right panel and select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  4. Name the new entry NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers and set its value to 1.

This will prevent Windows from automatically restarting while a user is logged in.

4. Adjusting Settings in Windows Update

You can also configure Windows Update to notify you of updates without automatically installing them:

  1. Open “Settings” and go to Update & Security → Windows Update.
  2. Click on “Advanced options” and select Notify to schedule restart.

Now the system will notify you when a restart is required but won’t proceed without your permission.