How to Stop “It’s Almost Time to Restart” Message in Windows?

The “It’s almost time to restart” message appears when Windows finishes installing critical updates that require a system reboot to complete. This prompt can appear in slightly different forms depending on your Windows version or how the update was scheduled. That’s why users may see several variations of this message, including (but not limited to):

• “It’s almost time to restart your device”
  
• “Automatic restart scheduled”
  
• “Update required by your organization”
  

Despite the wording differences, they all mean the same thing: Windows can’t finalize the installation of critical updates while your system is active, so it schedules a restart automatically.

The restart is required because certain updates, such as security patches and driver updates, need system-level access that isn’t available during normal use. If you postpone it, Windows may force a reboot later or keep showing the message every time you log in until the update completes.

Simply closing the prompt or pausing updates won’t solve the issue. At this point, the system is already waiting to restart. This guide will show you how to delay, control, or clear the pending restart so it doesn’t interrupt your work.

Note: The first few solutions are simple for all users to follow. Further down, the steps become more advanced for those who want deeper control.

1. Save Your Work and Restart Your Device (if possible)

Note: If restarting your computer isn’t an option right now, move to the next solution.

The easiest way to remove the prompt is to restart your computer. A restart clears the update queue, replaces in-use components, and removes the message immediately.

2. Schedule the Restart or Extend Active Hours

This method gives you control over when the restart happens. Scheduling or setting active hours prevents automatic reboots during work, avoids interruptions, and ensures updates finish at your chosen time.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Windows Update.
3. Click Schedule the restart.
   
4. Turn on Schedule a time and select a convenient date and time.
   
5. (Optional) Click Change active hours and set your work hours to stop forced restarts during that period.
   
6. Uncheck “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available”. This setting allows Windows to install updates instantly when Microsoft releases them. Disabling it delays non-critical updates until regular cycles, reducing unexpected restart prompts and keeping only essential updates active.
   

If you prefer to stop automatic restarts entirely, use one of the advanced methods below.

3. Disable the Update Orchestrator’s “Reboot” Task

The Reboot task forces Windows to restart after updates. Disabling it stops automatic restarts, allowing the PC to reboot only when you choose. This helps avoid unexpected restarts and prevents the message from appearing again.

1. Press Win + R, type taskschd.msc, and press Enter.
   
2. In Task Scheduler, go to:
   Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > UpdateOrchestrator
3. Find the task named Reboot.
4. Right-click it and select Disable.
   

4. Stop Automatic Restarts with Group Policy or Registry Editor

This method uses Windows’ built-in Group Policy to stop forced restarts after updates. Once enabled, Windows won’t restart automatically while someone is logged in. You’ll have complete control over when the restart happens, preventing work interruptions.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
   
2. Go to:
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Legacy Policies.
   
3. Double-click No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations.
4. Select Enabled and click Apply.
   
5. Restart your PC to save the changes.

If you don’t have the Group Policy Editor, use this registry tweak command. This tweak works the same way and applies to Windows Home editions as well. It prevents Windows from rebooting automatically after updates, ensuring restarts happen only when you choose.

1. Press Win + S, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
   
2. Paste the following command and press Enter:

   reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

   

3. Once you see “The operation completed successfully,” close Command Prompt.
4. Restart your PC to apply the change.

After completing these steps, Windows will no longer restart unexpectedly, and you’ll have full control over when updates finish. You can re-enable these settings later if you want to restore the default behavior.