From Windows 10 version, when installing a new update, there will be a notification notifying you that your computer will restart automatically outside of “active hours” to apply the changes. However, do you know that you can reschedule a restart in the Windows Update settings?
In Windows 10, you can only postpone a restart for the maximum of 7 days, and the manual process requires you to do every time a new update is available. But if you find rescheduling a deadline on every update, you can configure it in Group Policy or modify the Registry file to get a new default deadline.
In this post, we’ll show you steps to change the default auto-restart schedule for updates on your Windows 10 computer.
How to change auto-restart deadline for updates with Group Policy
If you want to change a new default schedule for restarting your device to apply new updates, the first method is using Local Group Policy Editor to do so:
- Press Windows + R keys to launch the Run
- Enter gpedit.msc to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
- Go to the following path: Configuration > Administrative Templates. From there, choose Windows Update
- In the right side, double-click on the Specify deadline before installing auto-restart for the update.
- Choose the Enabled
- Below “Options,” specify the number of days to wait before your computer restart automatically from the drop-down menu.
- Click on OK to apply the change
After the steps are completed, your computer will automatically restart outside your active hours on the schedule.
How to change auto-restart deadline for updates with Registry
If your computer is running Windows 10 Home, you cannot access the Local Group Policy Editor. However, you can still change the default auto-restart schedule for your computer to complete installing updates with the Registry.
Use these steps to adjust the restart settings for updates:
- Press Windows + R keys to open the Run
- Type in regedit to launch the Registry.
- Go to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
- Right-click on the Windows key, choose New > Key.
- Name the key WindowsUpdate and hit Enter
- Right-click on the WindowsUpdate key, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the key SetAutoRestartDeadline
- Double-click on the new DWORD and change the value from 0to 1 and click OK.
- Next, right-click on the WindowsUpdate key, choose New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the key AutoRestartDeadlinePeriodInDays and hit Enter.
- Next, double-click the new DWORD file, and select Decimal under “Base”
- Change the value from 0to 14.
- Click on OK to apply the changes
Once steps are done, and when there is a new update available, your Windows 10 computer will reboot outside the active hours in the day specified.
Although these two can set a new default auto- restart schedule, you can still manually override a reboot for an update by heading to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and click on Schedule a restart link.