A progress bar reaches 100%, so you close Settings and carry on. Later, Windows asks for a restart. The percentage may have described downloading or another installation stage, not the whole update. Read the status beside the update rather than relying on the bar alone.
Look for the next action
On Windows 11, open Settings and Windows Update. If a restart is requested, that update still has a step to complete. Microsoft provides a restart-scheduling option when applicable, and Update history records installation results.
Consider a laptop needed for a presentation in ten minutes. Starting a restart immediately leaves little room for an unexpected delay. Instead, save the presentation, choose a suitable maintenance window from the options shown and leave time afterwards to open the files and apps you will need. Do not promise yourself a fixed five-minute finish.
Active hours describe your working day
Under Windows Update, Advanced options, Active hours, Windows 11 can learn your usual hours or let you set them manually. This helps plan restarts around use. On a managed work computer, organisational deadlines and policies can affect the available choices; follow the instructions from your IT team.
Microsoft is also gradually introducing combined restarts for some Windows 11 updates, described in its July 2026 guidance. Availability varies. A different restart pattern on two computers is therefore not enough to diagnose a fault.
Check the result after signing back in
Save work before proceeding and keep a laptop connected to power. Use the offered update-and-restart action when you are ready. After signing back in, revisit Windows Update and check the current status and history.
If the same update reports an error or repeatedly requests another restart, note its identifier and exact message before seeking the matching Microsoft guidance. Avoid a loop of blind retries. The useful finish is a checked result and a working computer, not merely a screen that went dark and came back.