Windows 11 Update Will Limit Most Forced Restarts to Once a Month

Microsoft is rolling out a fix that reduces how often Windows 11 forces reboots for updates. Starting with updates released on and after July 28 of this year, Windows now bundles driver, .NET Framework, and firmware updates with monthly security updates, so PCs will restart just once a month instead of multiple times. Microsoft says the old behavior caused "more interruptions than necessary"—not an uncommon opinion by any means.

In the past, different types of updates could each require users to restart at different points throughout the month. Microsoft now groups Windows 11 updates that require a restart with its monthly security update on Patch Tuesday. The system then schedules a single restart, ideally outside configured Active hours, and completes everything at once. Users can also manually trigger the restart sooner.

Technically, not everything is bundled. Security updates, major AI updates, critical driver updates, and emergency fixes will install separately to ensure overall security.

This change applies to Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1, and began rolling out this summer, with wider distribution starting with the August 14 Patch Tuesday.