Stop Windows
update restarts
killing your work
Windows installs updates automatically and restarts to finish them, usually overnight. RebootGuard lets you say “not tonight” for a few hours or a few days, so a CAD render, video export, database import, backup, simulation or CNC job isn’t cut short. Updates still install. Only the restart waits.
- Free for home & business
- One self-contained installer
- No admin rights to place a hold
- Hold history & audit log
Updates install. The restart waits.
Updates still install
Only the restart is postponed. Nothing about your Windows security protection is switched off.
Postpone from the tray
Right-click the Restart control icon and pick hours or days. Hover to see how long is left.
Holds end by themselves
Forget to release a hold and it expires on its own, so normal restarts resume. You can’t block updates forever by accident.
No admin rights to use
Installing needs admin once. After that, any standard user can place and release holds.
Every hold is logged
Each hold records who set it, how long, and what was running, so IT can see restarts are managed on purpose.
Built for long jobs
CAD and 3D renders, video exports, database imports, backups, simulations and CNC runs.
Install in a minute
- Download
RebootGuard-Setup.cmd. If your browser or SmartScreen warns about a downloaded .cmd file, choose to keep and run it. - Double-click it and approve the administrator prompt. The installer adds a Restart control icon to the notification area and a desktop shortcut.
- Before you start a long job, click the icon and pick how long you need. When the job is done, click Finished — allow restarts again.
What you need
- Windows 10, Windows 11, or Windows Server 2016 or later
- Windows PowerShell 5.1 (included with Windows)
- Administrator rights to install; a standard user account is enough to place and release holds
Frequently asked
How do I stop Windows Update from restarting my PC overnight?
Install RebootGuard, then click its Restart control icon in the notification area and choose how many hours or days to postpone. Windows still downloads and installs updates, but waits to restart until the hold ends or you release it.
Does RebootGuard turn off Windows updates?
No. Updates keep installing as normal. Only the restart that finishes them is postponed, and every hold expires on its own.
Do users need administrator rights?
Only to install it once. After that, any standard user can place and release holds.
Is RebootGuard really free for business use?
Yes. It is free to use on any number of computers for personal, educational, business or government use. Optional donations help fund future development.
How do I uninstall it?
Run the same installer from a command prompt with the -Uninstall option: RebootGuard-Setup.cmd -Uninstall.
Get RebootGuard updates
Hear about new versions and features, at most once a week. Tell us what you’d like RebootGuard to do next.