Patch Policy Did Not Reboot Device

Issue

Automatic reboot is enabled on a patch policy, but a device did not restart after patching as expected.

Environment

• Automox (current agent release)
• Windows 11, Windows Server

Understanding reboot behavior

Automox reboots a device only when the installed update's package manifest indicates a reboot is required. Even when the policy setting Automatically Reboot After a Patch Policy Runs is enabled, a reboot occurs only if an installed update explicitly requires one. If none of the patches applied in that run flagged a required reboot, Automox does not restart the device — this is expected behavior.

How to verify whether a reboot was required

Use any of the following to confirm whether the installed patches required a reboot.

Method 1 — Software page

1. Open the Software page.
2. Review the Required Reboot column to see whether the installed updates call for a restart.

Method 2 — Device Details page

1. Open the device's Device Details page.
2. Navigate to the Software section at the bottom of the page.
3. Review the Requires Reboot field to check whether pending updates necessitate a reboot.

Method 3 — API

1. Open Reports → Activity Log and locate the device that was expected to reboot. Note the packages installed in that run.
2. Make the getSoftwarePackages API call (see the Automox API Guide) and find each installed package.

3. Check the requires_reboot field for each. If every installed package returns "requires_reboot": false, no reboot will occur. Example response:

   {
     "packageName": "<installed update, for example a cumulative update KB",
     "requires_reboot": false
   }
   

If a reboot was required but the device still did not restart

A required reboot can still be deferred. Windows active hours, or a scheduled maintenance/deferral window, can delay an otherwise-required restart. Confirm the timing before concluding the package did not need a reboot — the restart may simply be pending until the next allowed window.

Notes

If an installed package required a reboot, no active-hours or deferral window applies, and the device still will not restart, contact Automox Support with the device name/ID and the device logs.

Related: "Needs Reboot Flag Not Clearing on a Windows Device."