How to Specify Max Active Hours Range for Auto-restarts in Windows 10
Active hours identify the period of time when you expect the device to be in use. Automatic restarts after an update will occur outside of the active hours.
By default, active hours are from 8 AM to 5 PM. Users can change the active hours manually with a max active hours range of 18 hours by default.
Starting with Windows 10 version 1703, administrators can specify the max active hours range users can set. This option gives you additional flexibility to leave some of the decision for active hours on the user's side, while making sure you allow enough time for updating. The specified range will be counted from the active hours start time.
This tutorial will show you how to specify the maximum number of hours from the start time that users can set their active hours for Windows Update auto-restarts in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to specify the max active hours range.
Contents
- Option One: Specify Max Active Hours Range in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Specify Max Active Hours Range using a REG file
EXAMPLE: When max active hours range has been specified
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two below.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
3 In the right pane of Windows Update in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Specify active hours range for auto-restarts policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (default) or step 6 (specify) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Enabled, select a Max range of 8 to 18 hours in the drop menu you want, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
7 When finished, close the Local Group Policy Editor.
8 Restart the computer to apply.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD values in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
SetActiveHoursMaxRange DWORD
(delete) = Default
1 = Specify
ActiveHoursMaxRange DWORD
(delete) = Default
8 (decimal) = 8 hours
9 (decimal) = 9 hours
10 (decimal) = 10 hours
11 (decimal) = 11 hours
12 (decimal) = 12 hours
13 (decimal) = 13 hours
14 (decimal) = 14 hours
15 (decimal) = 15 hours
16 (decimal) = 16 hours
17 (decimal) = 17 hours
18 (decimal) = 18 hours
1 Do step 2 (default), step 3 (8), step 4 (9), step 5 (10), step 6 (11), step 7 (12), step 8 (13), step 9 (14), step 10 (15), step 11 (16), step 12 (17), or step 13 (18) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Default_active_hours_range.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_8_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_9_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_10_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_11_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_12_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_13_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_14_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_15_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_16_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_17_hours.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 14 below.
Set_max_active_hours_range_to_18_hours.reg
Download
14 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
15 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
16 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
17 Restart the computer to apply.
18 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Change Active Hours for Windows Update in Windows 10
- How to Turn On or Off Automatically Adjust Active Hours in Windows 10
- How to Enable or Disable Windows Update Active Hours in Windows 10
- How to Schedule a Restart Time for Windows Update in Windows 10
- How to Configure Auto-restart Required Notification for Updates in Windows 10
- How to Configure Auto-restart Reminder Notifications for Updates in Windows 10
- How to Configure Auto-restart Warning Notifications Schedule for Updates in Windows 10
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