The “It’s almost time to restart” notification in Windows 11 is part of Windows Update’s reminder system. It appears when updates are installed but require a reboot to finish. While the intent is good, the pop-up can be distracting, especially during work, gaming, presentations, or long-running tasks.
If you’re tired of seeing this message repeatedly, there are safe and effective ways to stop or significantly reduce it—without breaking Windows Update.
This guide explains why the message appears and shows you multiple ways to disable or control it, depending on how strict you want the solution to be.
Why Windows 11 Shows “It’s Almost Time to Restart”
Windows displays this message when:
- Updates are installed but pending a restart
- Restart deadlines are approaching
- Active hours are about to end
- Update restart notifications are enabled
- Update policies are enforcing reminders
The notification is not an error—it’s a reminder mechanism built into Windows Update.
1. Extend or Configure Active Hours (Recommended)
Active Hours tell Windows when not to bother you with restart reminders.
- Open Settings using Windows + I.
- Go to Windows Update.
- Click Advanced options.
- Scroll to Active hours.
- Set Adjust active hours to Manually.
- Choose a long time range that covers your working hours.
As long as Windows stays within Active Hours, restart reminders are greatly reduced.
2. Turn Off Restart Notifications from Windows Update
Windows allows you to disable restart prompts entirely.
- Open Settings → Windows Update.
- Click Advanced options.
- Scroll to Notifications.
- Turn Off:
- Notify me when a restart is required to finish updating
This directly disables the “It’s almost time to restart” message.
3. Pause Windows Updates Temporarily
If the notification appears repeatedly and you don’t want to restart yet, pausing updates stops reminders.
- Open Settings → Windows Update.
- Click Pause updates.
- Choose a pause duration (up to 5 weeks).
While updates are paused:
- Restart reminders stop
- No new updates are installed
This is safe for short-term use.
4. Disable Restart Reminders Using Group Policy (Pro & Higher Editions)
If you’re on Windows 11 Pro, Education, or Enterprise, this is the most reliable method.
- Press Windows + R, type
gpedit.msc, and press Enter. - Navigate to:
Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Update - Double-click No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations.
- Set it to Enabled.
- Click Apply → OK.
- Restart your PC.
This prevents forced restart notifications when you’re logged in.
5. Disable Restart Notifications via Registry (All Editions)
This method works even on Windows 11 Home.
- Press Windows + R, type
regedit, and press Enter. - Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Policies \Microsoft \Windows \WindowsUpdate - If WindowsUpdate doesn’t exist, create it.
- Inside it, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named:
SetAutoRestartNotificationDisable - Set its value to 1.
- Restart your PC.
This suppresses restart-related update notifications.
6. Disable Windows Update Notifications Completely
If you want zero update pop-ups (not recommended long-term, but effective):
- Open Settings → System → Notifications.
- Scroll down and find Windows Update.
- Turn Notifications off.
This disables all update-related alerts, including restart reminders.
7. Schedule a Restart to Stop the Reminder
Once you schedule a restart, Windows stops nagging.
- Go to Settings → Windows Update.
- Click Schedule the restart.
- Choose a date and time that works for you.
This is the simplest fix if you plan to restart later anyway.
Wrapping Up
The “It’s almost time to restart” message in Windows 11 is meant to be helpful, but it doesn’t fit every workflow. Fortunately, Windows gives you multiple built-in ways to disable or control these reminders—ranging from simple notification toggles to advanced Group Policy and Registry settings.
By applying the method that best matches your Windows edition and usage style, you can stop the pop-ups while staying fully in control of when your PC restarts.
