Disable Windows 10 automatic restart after updates

Anonymous
2019-02-14T12:17:31+00:00

Is there any REAL way to disable this cancer feature?

This is not the first time i have lost unsaved work due to this annoying function, that almost every Windows user hates.

I'm trying to behave, but it is really hard to keep calm after loosing unsaved work multiple times.

Why is it that Windows cannot just wait until the user decides to restart at a convenient time? It's not like the end of the world that users doesn't restart at a specific time.

In a time where Apple's Mac is already "stealing" a lot of Windows customers, it is a very risky (and dumb) feature to add to Windows.

This alone is very difficult to argue against in a Mac vs. Windows discussion.

Luckily (for Microsoft) Microsoft have secured themselves from a law suit in their policy.

MS knows that all Windows users hates this feature, and yet they still have it. WHY?

So back to the question. Is there any official/unofficial way (FOR GOOD)  that allows me to disable this annoying feature?

I tried following some tutorials on YouTube, but little did it help obviously, as i just came home and found my computer restarted, and my work deleted.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Settings

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-03-12T03:13:04+00:00

    This in response to Microsoft on how to set "....scheduled updates" or how how to hack the reboot process. I have read all 342 posts from 14 Feb 2019 to 11 Mar 2020. 

    It does not appear Microsoft or others who like the auto-update feature understand that many of are looking for a solution to prevent an auto-reboot without the user manually excepting the reboot time or manually pressing the restart now button. 

    This is how my Mac works and oddly my Windows 10 at work works, but I cannot find manual reboot, reboot in x minutes option in Windows. The Mac and my Work PC both ask if I want to apply and restart in x minutes, later tonight or defer till tomorrow.  Why does this matter? Because some of us have our computers performing batch operations or acting as a light duty server. In the morning we find a batch job stopped and we lot valuable work time or a photo server or webservice is not responding, because the computer rebooted, but did not relogin a user which kick-off a auto start of app or service.

    Provide an unattended reboot after hours or system prompt and user acceptance of before rebooting.

    Is this only a feature in enterprise editions? If I would have known this I would have never got rid of my Mac. I really do not want a second computer (Mac or nix) just for batch jobs and light server duties.

    Come on MS embrace the *nix ways you are integrating, look at Ubuntu, BSD and Mac, they all have similar methods or services to control when a reboot occurs post or pre-updates.  Yes, Linux and BSD may require a little more knowledge, but the Mac is dead simple to disable or postpone under user control.

    Perfectly summarised Kevin!!!

    It is the Home edition of Windows 10 that is inflicted with this issue. Pro and Enterprise editions can use group policies to make this issue go away.

    If I had known I needed the "pro" edition on my laptop simply to get rid of this annoyance, I would have gotten a new Macbook Pro instead of a W10 laptop.

    Currently I have the update service disabled, so I get no updates at all until I do them manually. This is not a very good solution, but it is the best I have found so far. If I forget, I get no updates.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-01-06T17:09:02+00:00

    gpedit.msc is not available on my machine.

    Windows 10 Home,

    The random reboots are unacceptable and unprofessional and if I did not need Windows for my professional work I would remove it completely.

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  3. Reported
    Paul Chou 1,461 Reputation points
    2019-04-14T17:56:30+00:00

    1: Only some hate this feature and I am not one of them. So happy!

    1. What update is it? Only updates like the cumulative ones and cumulative.net... requires a restart. Plus, it will only ask for a restart after the update (cumulative) is done downloading and finished installing. Actually, after restarting, then it will counts as a successful install. Normally, Windows will not ask for a restart, or automatically restart, never heard off automatically restart unless it pertains to that update. I never have that issue before.
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  4. Anonymous
    2019-12-27T14:39:13+00:00

    Your number 3 doesn't exist. Mine says No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations

    And that doesn't mean what your line means..

    So is this more of Microsoft playing games with people because they can or think it's funny?

    Not laughing

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-11-26T17:37:55+00:00

    1: Only some hate this feature and I am not one of them. So happy!

    1. What update is it? Only updates like the cumulative ones and cumulative.net... requires a restart. Plus, it will only ask for a restart after the update (cumulative) is done downloading and finished installing. Actually, after restarting, then it will counts as a successful install. Normally, Windows will not ask for a restart, or automatically restart, never heard off automatically restart unless it pertains to that update. I never have that issue before.

    If u are fine with W10 restarting your system without permission that's great. And I can see how the average user might not have an issue with it either. However I run a gaming server that a great many people play on. When W10 restarts without my input it causes issues like damaged save files. Then there is the fact that people can't log on cuz W10 shut everything down. I've also wasted a bunch of time compiling video overnight just to find out it was interrupted by a W10 shutdown. And no it's not everyday but once or twice is enough. I am my own admin. Make it an advanced option. Updates are fine and needed. But allow me to use my computer(s) when and how I see fit.

    I agree 100%. This is similar to the issues I am having. We should have the choice. And if there is an update that for whatever reason absolutely MUST be installed, then pop a warning that says "Your computer will force restart in 3 days" then 2 days, then 1 day, etc. SOMETHING would help.

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