How to configure Active Hours automatically in Windows

In this blog post, we will see how to configure Active Hours automatically in Windows 11/10. Nobody wants their computer to restart while they’re working on a project or playing a game. When it comes to active hours, you can instruct Windows to not restart the PC during those times when you are actively using it.

Windows Updates require restarting your computer after they’re installed. However, unexpected reboots can disrupt work in progress or degrade computer performance.

During active hours, a record is kept of the time spent on a system, preventing updates from being installed. In cases where you need to restart your computer to finish installing an update, this feature delays the launch of the update so you can focus on your work.

Using the Settings option
Using Local Group Policy Editor
Through Registry Editor
Reschedule Automatic Restart
Override Your Active Hours

Configure Active Hours automatically in Windows 10

By default, the active hour is set from 8 AM to 5 PM. You can change this manually to fix the max active hours range as per your working schedule. This feature allows users to halt the current installation thus providing them more time. Here is how to adjust Active Hours to prevent reboot in the middle after updating the system.

1. Using the Settings option

Here is the procedure for configuring and using Active Hours in Windows 11/10:

Windows 11:

Right-click on the Start button and choose Settings.
On the left-hand side, click Windows Updates.
Click Advanced options in the right-hand pane.

Select Active hours on the next page.
On the Adjust active hours drop-down, select Manually.
The Active hours can now be changed according to your preferences.

Windows 10:

Press Windows+X and select the Settings form list.
Click on the Update & Security category.
Thereafter change active hours on the right pane.
Now set the Start time when you generally open your system.

Click on the Save option.

Note: You can only set the specified time within 18 hours. If you set a time more than what is allowed, it will show an invalid message.

When this task is finished, your system will not interrupt/ Restart within a specified period even if the system got the update.

2. Using Local Group Policy Editor

If you have Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education version, you can use Local Group Policy Editor to Specify Max Active Hours. Here is how to proceed-

Go to Start and type Local Group Policy Editor.
Then select the result from the search list.
Once the windows open up, go to the following path:

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update

In the right pane of the current window, locate the “Specify active hours range for auto-restarts” option and double-click on it.

On the visible screen, select the Enabled radio button and set the time between 8 to 18 hours.
Close this app then tap the OK button to save the changes. It will set the default Max Active Hours range.
At last, Restart your system to apply the changes.

3. Through Registry Editor

Active Hours can also be configured and changed within the Registry. Before you proceed to the next step, make sure you know how to run the registry because a single mistake in the registry could cause your PC to malfunction:

Click on the Start button, type Regedit, and press Enter.
When UAC appears on the screen, click on the Yes button.
Now navigate to the following location-

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings

Here, switch to the right pane and create a 32-bit DWORD value.
Rename this to SmartActiveHoursState.
To enable Active Hours automatically, double-click on the recently created key and set its value to 0.
Finally, click on the OK button to save the changes.

Note: In case you need to disable Active Hours then set its value to 2.

4. Reschedule Automatic Restart

In case you want to postpone the restart after the update for a huge time rather than 18 hours, you can postpone it up to 7 days. You can also set a specific date on which you want to do this process. To specify the particular date, you need to follow below steps –

Go to Cortana and type Settings, once found click on it.
Click on the Update & Security category.
At the right pane click on the Schedule the Restart option.
This option gets highlighted only when the reboot is due after installing the Update.
Henceforth turn ON the toggle switch under the “Schedule a time” section.

After that set the Time & Date until you like to halt the Restart. (Up to 7 days).
If you set the time, your system will not reboot within the specified date.

Note: In case you can’t locate this option, the possible reason is your system does not have this option. Manually configuring the “Adjust your Active hours” option will be applicable after the Windows 10 April 2019 Update or a later version.

5. Override Your Active Hours

If your System reboots at the scheduled custom time, this is set to turn off automatically. Thus Windows update does occur only outside of this custom time range. You can turn off this custom restart time manually too.

Windows device requires a Reboot after each update. Therefore, you can set custom Restart so that it doesn’t interrupt the current work. Once you specify the fixed timing on your PC, it will temporarily override active hours to finish the installation. To perform this, go to the path-

Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Restart Options

Now set the Custom Restart option when you want to Restart after installing the pending Update.

The system will automatically start at this scheduled time and thus finish the pending installation.