Can I make Windows Update install updates but defer rebooting?

Joined
10 May 2004
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Sunny Stafford
As the title please. I just want Windows Update to locate and install updates as usual, but hold off the reboot until I'm back at my PC. I leave an AI server running on 127.0.0.1 (my own PC) overnight and my Synology NAS does a daily backup at 08:00. If the PC restarts without my knowledge, then the AI server is stopped and the NAS can't backup my PC on that day. I also lose some of my open Windows, although to be fair, Windows does re-open any unsaved Notepad and Notepad++ Windows with their unsaved data still in them. Windows 11.

I searched on here and on Google and attempted 2 solutions:

1. Go to Settings > Windoiws Upate > Advanced > Notify me when a restart is needed (toggle this on)

2. Go to regedit > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows. In Windows create a key called WindowsUpdate. In WindowsUpdate, create a key called AU. In AU, create a 32-bit DWORD called NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers and set the value to 1.

Both solutions are still in place now after a few months (just to be absolutely certain) but neither of them had worked.
 
Nope, you can make it defer for awhile/extend it but you can't stop it AFAIK, the only way to take control of that behaviour is the nuclear option and install Windows Update Blocker and stop everything :(

Annoys me on a nearly daily basis.
 
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