Nothing is more annoying than when you’re in your workflow, getting things done, and Windows Update wants to reboot your machine. Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft has become much more aggressive with sending updates. For one thing, this can be good for keeping your system safe and stable. On the other hand, it is annoying when you get a message that your system will reboot to finish the updates. The good news is that Microsoft introduced a feature called Active Hours with Windows 10. The feature is intended to help prevent your PC from restarting while you are using it.
How to set and manage active hours in Windows 11
Managing the Active Hours feature is much the same as in Windows 10, but there are some subtleties that are worth noting. So, here is a refresher on how to configure and manage Active Hours in Windows 10.
To get started, click the button Beginning and in the icon Setting. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + I to open the application Setting directly.
Once you have Settings open, click Windows update at the bottom of the left column. In the right column, click Advanced Options.
Then scroll down and look for the entry “Active hours”. It will be configured by default of 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. This means that your computer will not automatically restart after a new Windows update during that time.
Change active hours in Windows 11
However, you may not work regular hours and need to change the hours that you are not actively using your PC. To change the time, click Active hours. Then click the button Automatically.
Then in the drop-down menu, click Manually.
Below you will find the start and end times. Click to change it to the one that best suits your situation. Keep in mind that the maximum time is 18 hours.
Click and change the start and end time to suit your schedule.
For example, here, I change the start and end times a few hours from 6 AM to 10 PM, giving myself a few more hours if I am working early or late. Keep in mind that you can change the Active Hours to whatever you need. Again, these are the times that Windows 11 will not restart when an update is available.
That is all. Back to Windows Update> Advanced Options It will show you the hours that you set Active Hours. If you need to change the hours, log back in and make the appropriate adjustments.
