How to prevent Windows 10 from restarting the computer after installing updates

Solution 1:

Setting the "No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations" GPO didn't work for me. I woke up this morning and my machine had been rebooted. (I was using the computer last night and didn't even get a warning.)

This suggestion from techjourney.net looks more promising.

• Open Task Scheduler and navigate to Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > UpdateOrchestrator
• Right click the Reboot task and Disable it.

Windows will attempt to re-enable the task automatically, so you also need to modify permissions on the task file.

• Go to C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator
• Open the properties of the Reboot file, open the Security tab and open Advanced Permissions.

• Take ownership of the file by clicking the "Change" link next to the owner and typing in your name. Disable inheritance via the button at the bottom.

  

• Change all permissions to read or read & execute only.

  

Solution 2:

All the suggested hacks workarounds seems not to work with the anniversary update. But there is still an option: You can periodically update the "active hours" in the settings. However, this is no fun to do manually, but there is a small windows service that can do it for you: https://www.udse.de/en/windows-10-reboot-blocker