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Restart required

Restart required is a status meaning that, after a software installation or update, the computer or device must be restarted for the change to take full effect.

In plain English

Some software changes only become fully active after the system starts again. This status says an installation or update still needs the computer or device to restart before that change is fully in effect.

In context

Here, it warns that the installation or update will not take full effect until the computer or device is restarted.

Situation
Installing, updating, licensing, and checking compatibility for applications
What it communicates
warns that a restart is needed to finish applying changes

Meaning limits

By itself, this status does not say when the restart must happen or what specific change is waiting to take full effect.

Examples

“After the update finished, the computer still showed Restart required, and the change was not fully in effect yet.”

Core meaning

“When Restart required appeared at the end of the installation, they saved their work before restarting the device.”

In context