No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 10, 2026
Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update\Legacy Policies Description
Specifies that to complete a scheduled installation, Automatic Updates will wait for the computer to be restarted by any user who is logged on, instead of causing the computer to restart automatically. If the status is set to Enabled, Automatic Updates will not restart a computer automatically during a scheduled installation if a user is logged in to the computer. Instead, Automatic Updates will notify the user to restart the computer. Be aware that the computer needs to be restarted for the updates to take effect. If the status is set to Disabled or Not Configured, Automatic Updates will notify the user that the computer will automatically restart in 5 minutes to complete the installation. Note: This policy applies only when Automatic Updates is configured to perform scheduled installations of updates. If the "Configure Automatic Updates" policy is disabled, this policy has no effect.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU Value name: NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
Enabled: NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers = 1
Disabled: NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers = 0
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU]
"NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU' -Name 'NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU' -Name 'NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 or At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.