4 Ways | How to Prevent a Pending Windows 11 Update from Restarting

Windows regularly releases both feature and security updates, which are crucial for maintaining the security of our PCs against potential threats. These updates also contribute to enhancing our productivity. However, if you're not ready to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and you're looking for guidance on how to stop the "Windows 11 update pending restart" notification, here's what you can do.

Continue reading this article provided by tools, as we'll guide you on how to put an end to the pesky Windows 11 update pending restart notification.

Why Is My PC Stuck on Windows 11 Update Pending Restart

The reason your PC's update menu displays and remains stuck on the "Windows 11 pending to restart" notification is because your computer is eligible for an upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft is encouraging you to update your PC so you can experience the new features it offers.

However, most apps and games aren't yet compatible. If avoiding incompatibility and disruptions to your productivity due to this issue is why you don't want to upgrade your PC to Windows 11, you can prevent Windows from displaying the notification.

Another possibility is that you've downloaded the update but haven't given Windows permission to install it on your PC yet, and it's requesting a restart to complete the process. Lastly, the message might appear if the updated files are corrupted.

In the section below, we'll demonstrate exactly how to accomplish that.

Pro Tip: Always Back Up Your Computer to Prevent Data Loss

When adjusting your PC's settings, there's a risk of accidentally deleting or modifying a file that could cause issues with your system. This is why backing up your PC is crucial. Tools like Todo Backup are excellent programs that can assist in backing up your computer to Cloud or an external hard drive to prevent data loss. If you're looking for backup software, it could be a great fit for you.

Todo Backup Home is a practical and versatile backup and recovery tool that enables you to safeguard your data and computer. It allows you to back up your files, systems, disks, partitions, and applications, and create automated, scheduled, full, and incremental and differential backups to cater to your diverse backup requirements.

Moreover, it enables you to create a hard drive image for your computer and generate an ISO image of your operating system. It's worth mentioning that you get 250GB of free cloud storage and a Security Zone to store your backups.

Here's what makes this backup software highly recommended and useful:

Todo Backup is an all-in-one solution for your data security needs. So, what are you waiting for? Download it now and give it a try to ensure the safety of your computer's data.

Step 1. Launch Todo Backup on your computer, and click Create Backup on the home screen. Then, hit the big question mark to select backup contents.

Step 2. To back up your Windows operating system, click "OS" to start the backup task.

Step 3. Your Windows operating system information and all system-related files and partitions will be selected automatically, so you don't need to make any manual selections here. Next, you need to choose a location to save the system image backup by clicking on the highlighted area.

Step 4. The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, network, cloud, or NAS. Generally, we recommend using an external physical drive or cloud to store the system backup files.

Step 5. If interested, you can access customization settings such as enabling an automatic backup schedule for daily, weekly, monthly intervals, or upon specific events, as well as options for differential and incremental backups by clicking on the Options button. Press "Backup Now" to initiate the Windows system backup process. Once completed, the backup task will be displayed on the left side in a card format.

How to Prevent Windows 11 from Displaying a Pending Restart

There are four methods in total to prevent your PC from displaying the notification message stating that a Windows 11 update is pending restart. You can attempt these four approaches to resolve this issue. Let's delve into the details.

• Solution 1: Clear the SoftwareDistribution Folder
• Solution 2: Pause Windows 11 Update
• Solution 3: Modify the Windows Registry
• Solution 4: Change Group Policy Settings

Solution 1: Clear the SoftwareDistribution Folder

Windows stores update files in the SoftwareDistribution folder, and by removing these files, you can prevent Windows from continuously prompting you to restart your PC for the Windows 11 installation. Here's how to clean the SoftwareDistribution folder: 1. Press the "Win + X" keys on your keyboard and select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)" from the context menu to open an elevated command prompt. 2. Type or paste the following command and press "Enter" to stop the Windows Update service: ``` net stop wuauserv ``` 3. Now, navigate to the SoftwareDistribution folder using the following command, and then press "Enter": ``` cd %windir%\SoftwareDistribution ``` Note: `%windir%` is a system variable that typically points to `C:\Windows`. 4. Once inside the SoftwareDistribution folder, type the following commands to delete its contents, and press "Enter" after each one: ``` del /f /s /q DataStore\* del /f /s /q Download\* ``` These commands will delete all the files inside the "DataStore" and "Download" subfolders. 5. After deleting the files, start the Windows Update service again with the following command, and press "Enter": ``` net start wuauserv ``` 6. Close the command prompt, and Windows should no longer bother you about the pending Windows 11 update until new updates become available. Please note that clearing the SoftwareDistribution folder may temporarily disable your ability to receive updates. Ensure you restart the service and allow Windows to check for updates once you're ready to resume the normal update process.

Step 1. Click on the "Start" button and then type "Command Prompt" in the search bar.

Step 2. Select "Run as administrator."

Step 3. Type and enter the command "net stop wuauserv" to stop the Windows Update Service.

Step 4. Type "net stop bits" and press Enter.

Step 5. Open "File Explorer" and navigate to the following location: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.

Step 6. Select all the files and press CTRL+SHIFT+DEL.

Solution 2: Pause Windows 11 Update

Alternatively, you can pause the Windows 11 update to prevent Windows from bothering you for 7 to up to 35 days. However, after this period, you can extend the timeframe if you still wish to delay updating your PC to Windows 11. Here's how to pause your Windows updates:

Step 1. Click on the "Start" button and search for "Settings."

Step 2. Choose "Update & Security," and on the right-hand side of the window, select "Pause updates for 7 days."

Step 3. However, if you wish to prevent Windows from reminding you to update to Windows 11 for more than 7 days, click on "Advanced options." Under the "Pause until" section, click on the "Select date" dropdown and choose the maximum allowed date to暂停更新.

Fix 3: Modify the Windows Registry

We hope you've utilized a tool like Todo Backup to create a backup of your computer, as incorrect editing of the Windows registry can potentially cause serious issues with your system. Here's what you should do next:

Step 1. Press the Win+R keys on your keyboard and type "regedit" to open the Registry Editor.

Step 2. Go to the following location:

 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

Step 3. Right-click on the right-side window and select "New" followed by "DWORD (32-bit) Value."

Step 4. Rename the value to TargetReleaseVersion and change the data from 0 to 1.

Step 5. Right-click again and select "New," then choose "String Value."

Step 6. Name the String Value as TargetReleaseVersionInfo and open it by double-clicking it.

Step 7. Under "Value data," type "21H2" and press the "Enter" key.

Step 8. Restart your PC.

Step 4: Modify Group Policy Settings

Incorrectly modifying group policies can potentially cause issues with your PC, hence the importance of backing up your computer before proceeding with any changes. Here's what you need to do:

Step 1. Press Win+R, then type gpedit.msc to open the Group Policy Editor window.

Step 2. Choose "Turn off auto-restart for updates during active hours," then navigate to "Computer Configuration" and "Administrative Templates."

Step 3. Next, choose "Windows Components," then "Windows Update."

Step 4. Choose "Enable" and set the start and end times to match your computer's active hours.

Step 5. Go back and choose "Select the target feature update version," then "Computer Configuration" and "Administrative Templates."

Step 6. Finally, select "Windows Components," then "Windows Update," and "Windows Update for Business."

Step 7. Click on "Disable," followed by "OK."

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The Ultimate Verdict

We hope this article has assisted you in learning how to stop the "Windows 11 update pending restart" message on your Windows PC. All of our solutions have been meticulously selected and are safe to apply. However, it's crucial to back up your PC before attempting methods involving Registry files or Group Policy settings.

If you accidentally modify or delete a specific registry file or alter the group policy, your PC might encounter issues. Therefore, it's essential to backup your PC. Fortunately, the Todo Backup tool is an excellent program that can quickly backup your PC. You can follow our guidance to get started immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Stop Windows 11 Update Pending Restart

Here are further responses to your inquiries about Windows updates.

1. How do I pause a Windows update while it's downloading?

To halt a Windows update while it's downloading, follow these steps: 1. Launch the "Settings" app by either searching for it in the taskbar or by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard. 2. In the Settings window, navigate to the "Update & Security" section. 3. On the left sidebar, click on "Windows Update." 4. On the right panel, you'll find an option labeled "Pause updates for 7 days." Click on this option. Doing so will immediately cease the download process, and it will resume after a 7-day period. 5. If you wish to extend the pause, you can click on "Pause updates for 7 days" again. This will stop the updates for an additional 7-day interval. Remember that continually pausing updates may expose your system to security vulnerabilities, so it's recommended to keep your Windows up-to-date whenever possible.

2. What would occur if I turned off my PC while it was updating?

There is a significant risk that system files may become corrupted, causing your PC to have difficulty starting up or leading to issues with your computer later on. You might also encounter a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD), and there is a chance that your storage device could become corrupted, resulting in permanent data loss.

3. How long does it take for Windows to update a PC?

It depends on various factors, including the speed of your internet connection, the size of the update, and the write speed of your SSD or HDD. If the update is relatively small to medium and you have a fast internet connection, the downloading process will be quick. Furthermore, if your SSD or HDD has a high write speed, the installation of the update on your PC will be swift. However, if your internet speed is slow, the update is large, and your storage device's write speed is lower, it will take longer for Windows to install the updates on your computer.