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How do I stop Windows from restarting without my consent?!

Anonymous
2023-08-30T09:17:38+00:00

I run Windows 10 on my computer and am fed up with it restarting without my consent. I get the message that restart will be required for installing updates, but I want to be in control of when MY computer restarts with MY operating system on it. As it is now, I click on "restart later" (or whatever options are given), but then at one point I open up my laptop to find that it has restarted, without my consent.

With the settings that I can reach in Windows I can't stop Windows overruling my will. Please advise how I can take back control and do the restart when it suits ME. Me the customer, me the one who paid for this software and for this computer, therefore feeling more than entitled to have the final word of when a restart is happening.

Thank you in advance.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

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
    2023-08-30T12:00:02+00:00

    People/companies paid for their Microsoft Windows software. Let them decide how much risk they are willing to take with delaying updates! I would be willing to sign a waver, just let me have the final say of what happens on MY computer with MY software!

    I think Microsoft's approach with this is outrageous.

    20+ people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2023-08-30T10:51:12+00:00

    Hi Dave,

    and thank you for your reply.

    I don't want to have active hours. I want my computer to restart when I am restarting it and no other time. I definitely don't want my laptop to restart in the middle of the night.

    The system could show me a message that it's my own risk if I am only later restarting, but forcing a restart on me is just not acceptable and it can ruin my work. There is no other product that does this.

    I did write here to the Community forums, because Microsoft's support is impossible to even get to, and they will likely not tell me any 'tricks' that would allow me to overrule what's built in to Windows. But the community of other users might be able to help, I hope.

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
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  3. DaveM121 867.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-08-30T11:32:02+00:00

    Every time a back door or hack is posted on a forum, they block them, they do not want people stopping updates, but they really do nee to provide more control for people over when the updates will be installed

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. DaveM121 867.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-08-30T10:54:38+00:00

    The only options provided are to either set Active Hours or to pause updates until you are ready to manually install the updates, there is no other method remaining, they have blocked all the old registry hacks that could be used.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  5. DaveM121 867.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-08-30T09:52:17+00:00

    Hi, I am Dave, I will help you with this, Community is just a user to user forum.

    Open the Settings app, then go to Update & Security - Windows Update.

    Select 'Change active hours'.

    Set that to a start and end time that you will be active on your PC that you do not want updates to be installed in, the updates will still download, but your PC should not restart to install the updates during those hours you have set.

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