Vision Tech

Home / Windows laptops & PCs

Windows laptops & PCsMedium2 min read

My computer restarts by itself

A PC that restarts without being asked is annoying, and sometimes a sign of a deeper fault. The cause could be an update, overheating, a faulty driver or a failing power supply or memory.

Is it just updates?

Windows will restart to finish installing updates, but should warn you first. Open Settings, then Windows Update, then Advanced options (Windows 10: Update & Security, Windows Update, Change active hours) and set Active hours to when you use the PC.

Check for overheating

  • Make sure vents are not blocked. Laptops need to sit on a hard surface, not a bed or sofa.
  • If the fan is very loud before a restart, dust is a likely cause. See our guide on hot and noisy computers.
  • A PC that restarts under heavy load, such as games, often has a heat or power problem.

See what Windows recorded

  1. Press the Windows key, type Reliability history and open it.
  2. Look at the chart. Red crosses show crashes. Click one to see what failed.

A note of the stop code or the program named helps us to find the cause.

Stop the automatic restart so you can read the error

  1. Open Settings, System, About, then Advanced system settings (Windows 10: Settings, System, About).
  2. On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
  3. Untick Automatically restart and click OK.

If Windows crashes now, a blue screen stays on screen long enough for you to photograph it.

Other safe steps

  • Unplug USB devices you do not need.
  • Install pending updates.
  • If it began after a new device or driver, use System Restore.
  • Do not tamper with drivers from unofficial sites.

When to get more help

Get in touch if the PC restarts several times a day, restarts while idle, shows a blue screen, or smells hot. Restarts can damage the drive over time, so back up your important files soon.

Did this help? If you are still stuck, email Vision Tech and tell us what you can see on the screen. Menus and button names can differ slightly between versions and makes. If something does not match, stop and ask rather than guess.

Related guides

Windows laptops & PCsEasyHow to fix a slow computerA computer usually slows down because it is short of memory or storage, is doing too much at start-up, or is waiting for updates.Windows laptops & PCsEasyMy computer will not turn onDo not worry yet.Windows laptops & PCsEasyMy computer is frozenWhen a computer stops responding, it is often just busy, but sometimes a program has got stuck.