Windows 10: Disable Active Hours and Stop Automatic Restarting

My laptop is often left in my work bag overnight, or other places where having said laptop running for hours is not convenient or downright bad for the system.


If I get hoe from work and I don't use the laptop that evening, it stays in my backpack all night. There have been mornings where I've gotten up and the backpack was HOT because Windows had decided to wake itself up, install updates, and then NOT GO BACK TO SLEEP, which left the computer running in a closed and confined space until it overheated or drained the battery!


This is NOT healthy for the computer! I shouldn't be waking up to an overheated or dead laptop when I left it with a full charge and in hibernate mode.


Is there ANY way to stop this from happening? I'm afraid that it's making my computer wear out faster, and it's definitely a strain on the internal components. And overheating every few months most certainly isn't good for the system!


Don't get me wrong, I don't mind installing Windows updates, but so far the ONLY solution I've found is to actually shut the computer down completely in between using it. Which isn't ideal if I'm in the middle of working on a document or other project! Especially because one of the writing programs I use (Scrivener) DOESN'T automatically reopen after a restart!


Please, Microsoft, we need an option to disable this ridiculousness! It's damaging my computer and interrupting my workflow!

:)

 

Disabling "Active Hours" (Windows Update Automatic Restart)

Hi,

Windows 10 provides the latest updates that automatically download and install once it's available. The active hours helps you to prevent inconvenient restarts. You may only change the active hours set on your device. To do this you may follow the steps
provided on this
link. Should you need any assistance, feel free to share your thoughts with us.

We'll keep an eye out for your response.

 

Disable Active hours?

Hello Daniel,

If you wish to add more hours or to have an option to turn off the Active Hours, then the feature is currently unavailable on Windows phone. It is best if you can send a suggestion to make the features available using the
Feedback Hub app. To send a suggestion on your Windows phone, you can follow the steps provided below:

• Go to All Apps, search for the Feedback
  Hub app.
• Open the menu icon at the top left side.
• Select Feedback, then at the top right side, tap the
  add button (+).
• Select Suggestionand fill up the box with the details needed.
• Select the right category and then Submit.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask the community.

 

Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours for All Users in Settings

How to Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours in Windows 10


Windows Update keeps Windows 10 updated by downloading and installing the latest updates, drivers, and hotfixes released by Microsoft.

Starting with active hours. Active hours lets Windows know when you usually use this device. When a restart is necessary to finish installing an update, Windows won't automatically restart your device during active hours.

When a restart is scheduled, you can use a custom restart time to temporarily override active hours and schedule a custom time to finish installing the current update(s). When your computer restarts on the scheduled custom time, custom restart time will automatically be turned off, and Windows Update will only restart outside of active hours again. You can also manually turn off custom restart time at anytime if you change your mind.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18282, Windows can automatically adjust active hours for you based on your device activity.

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off letting Windows automatically adjust active hours for you based on your daily usage to avoid rebooting your Windows 10 PC to finish installing a Windows Update.

*note The Intelligent Active Hours setting will affect all users on the computer.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours for All Users in Settings
• Option Two: Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours for All Users using a REG file

OPTION ONE

Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours for All Users in Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & Security icon.

2. Click/tap on Windows Update on the left side, and click/tap on Change active hours on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3. Turn on or off (default) Automatically adjust active hours for me based on my daily usage for what you want. (see screenshots below)





4. You can now close Settings if you like.







OPTION TWO

Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours for All Users using a REG file

*note You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings

SmartActiveHoursState DWORD

1 = On
2 = Off


1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Turn On Automatically Adjust Active Hours for All Users
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_on_Auto_adjust_active_hours.reg





3. To Turn Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours for All Users
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_off_Auto_adjust_active_hours.reg




4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Change Active Hours for Windows Update in Windows 10
• How to Specify Max Active Hours Range for Auto-restarts in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Windows Update Active Hours in Windows 10