Specify deadline before auto-restart for update installation

Policy ID: AutoRestartDeadline
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: Windows Server 2016 through Windows Server 2022, or Windows 10
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › Windows Update › Legacy Policies

Description

Specify the deadline before the PC will automatically restart to apply updates. The deadline can be set 2 to 14 days past the default restart date.

The restart may happen inside active hours.

If you disable or do not configure this policy, the PC will restart according to the default schedule.

Enabling either of the following two policies will override the above policy:
1. No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations.
2. Always automatically restart at scheduled time.

Options

Specify the number of days before a pending restart will automatically be executed outside of active hours:
Quality Updates (days):
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
Feature Updates (days):
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30

Registry

ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate View registry values

SetAutoRestartDeadlineREG_DWORD
AutoRestartDeadlinePeriodInDaysREG_DWORD
AutoRestartDeadlinePeriodInDaysForFeatureUpdatesREG_DWORD

Other policies in the same category

View all policies in this category (19)