Personal computers running Microsoft Windows may restart two to three times during system updates while installing security certificates, technology publication Windows Latest reported.
The tech portal highlighted complaints from Windows users who noticed their devices restarting multiple times during a recent system update. Technical specialists explained that the repeated reboots are connected to the installation of Secure Boot certificates and generally do not indicate a system failure.
Secure Boot is a security standard built into computer firmware that ensures a device boots using only software trusted by the original equipment manufacturer. Windows is the flagship desktop operating system developed by Redmond, Washington based technology company Microsoft.
Secure Boot certificate updates
Windows Latest editor Mayank Parmar experienced the issue firsthand while updating his computer. Parmar said his machine restarted no more than four times during the update process before freezing on a black screen showing a 93 percent status.
Parmar noted that a spinning loading circle eventually appeared on the screen, allowing the installation to complete successfully. The journalist explained that the reboots, which appeared endless to concerned users, were not dangerous.
He cited official Microsoft documentation stating that installing a Secure Boot certificate requires a Windows computer to reboot several times, whereas standard operating system updates typically required only a single restart.
The additional system restarts occur because the installer must write changes directly to the computer firmware. Microsoft noted that in most automated updates, the repeated restarts are hardly noticeable to users because they take place at a very early stage of the system boot process.
Replacing 2011 security credentials
Microsoft assured users that the multiple reboots represent a temporary process. The company explained that updates in 2026 are replacing an expiring security certificate that was originally issued in 2011.
Despite those assurances, some Windows users reported that their personal computers have started rebooting several times during the installation of every major operating system update.
Separately, in mid-August, Microsoft reminded users of a simple method to speed up Windows performance. The company advised users to open the Startup section in system settings and remove unnecessary applications that launch automatically alongside the operating system.
