Introduction
Reboot a device as part of an automation — silently in the background, or with an end-user prompt that gives them a chance to save their work before the restart happens.
⚙️ PREREQUISITES
An automation must exist before adding actions. See Getting Started with Automations if you haven't set one up yet.
The Level agent must be installed and the device must be online when the action runs.
Adding a Restart Action
From the automation pipeline in edit mode, click + Add action and select Restart from the System category.
The action panel opens with two configuration sections: Action type (pre-set to Restart) and Step configuration.
Configuring the Step
Restart immediately
Performs the restart without any notification to the end user. The device reboots as soon as the action runs.
Use this for off-hours maintenance windows, devices without active users, or situations where the restart is non-disruptive.
⚠️ WARNING: There's no grace period. Any unsaved work on the device will be lost.
Prompt user for approval
Shows a message to the end user with Restart now and Remind me later choices. With User scheduled enforcement, the prompt also lets them choose a restart date and time within your scheduling window.
When Prompt user for approval is selected, configure the following:
Prompt The message displayed to the end user. Keep it specific — tell them why the restart is needed and what happens if they accept. Click {x} to insert variables (such as device name or automation name) into the message.
Prompt frequency (in minutes) How often Level re-prompts if the end user dismisses or ignores the initial message.
💡 TIP: A prompt frequency of 60 minutes is reasonable for most cases. Drop it to 15–30 minutes if the restart is time-sensitive — for example, immediately after deploying a critical security patch.
Force compliance When enabled, choose Max attempts, Max time, or User scheduled to enforce the restart. With User scheduled, the end user can choose a time before the deadline, and the restart proceeds at the deadline if they haven't chosen one. Without force compliance, a logged-in user can keep deferring the restart.
Enforcement method | Behavior |
Max attempts | Forces restart after the user dismisses the prompt N times |
Max time | Forces restart after N minutes have passed since the first prompt, regardless of how many times the user was prompted |
User scheduled | Lets the end user choose a restart time within the scheduling window. If they don't choose a time, the restart proceeds at the deadline. |
Enter the threshold in the field that appears next to the enforcement method selector.
ℹ️ NOTE: Force compliance is only available when Prompt user for approval is selected. It has no effect with Restart immediately.
Let the end user schedule a restart
Select Prompt user for approval and enter the Prompt and Prompt frequency (in minutes).
Enable Force compliance.
Set Enforcement method to User scheduled.
Set User can schedule within and choose Days or Hours. The form accepts whole numbers from 1 to 30 days or 1 to 24 hours. For example, choose 7 Days to allow the end user to pick a time within the next 7 days.
Click Save.
The scheduling window begins when the agent starts this Restart action. Time spent asleep or powered off counts toward the deadline. The prompt shows the deadline and uses the device's local time.
The end user has 3 choices:
Restart now: Restart without waiting for the selected time or deadline.
Schedule restart: Enter a future date and time no later than the displayed deadline, then confirm. The prompt closes, reminders stop, and the restart proceeds at that time.
Remind me later: Dismiss the prompt and show it again at the configured frequency. This does not extend the deadline.
⚠️ WARNING: End-user restart prompting and scheduling are available on Windows and macOS. On Linux, the Restart action restarts without an approval prompt. On Windows and macOS, if no user is logged in and no restart time has already been chosen, the action restarts immediately. A time already chosen is honored after the user logs out.
User scheduling is configured on the Restart action. You don't need a separate User Approval action or another Restart action to carry out the scheduled restart.
Conditions
The Conditions section lets you restrict when this action runs based on device attributes or the outcome of a previous action. Expand the section to add conditions.
See Action Conditions for the full reference on condition types, operators, and values.
Additional Options
Expand Additional options for additional execution settings including action name, failure behavior, output variables, and retries.
See Actions Overview for the full reference on additional options available on every action.
FAQ
What if the device is asleep or powered off at the scheduled restart time? The chosen time and deadline are retained. If the time passes while the agent isn't running, the restart proceeds when the agent resumes this action. It cannot restart a powered-off device at the selected time.
What if the end user keeps dismissing the prompt and Force compliance isn't enabled? While a user remains logged in, Level re-prompts at the configured interval until they accept. If no user is logged in and no restart time was already chosen, the action restarts immediately. Enable Force compliance with User scheduled to enforce a deadline while letting the user choose a time.
Can I customize the message the end user sees? Yes. The Prompt field accepts free text and supports variables via the {x} button. Write something specific — users are more likely to comply when they understand why the restart is needed.
Who can add or modify Restart actions in an automation? Technicians with permission to edit automations in the relevant group. See Workspace → Permissions for access control configuration.
Does Force compliance give the end user any warning before forcing the restart? With User scheduled, the prompt shows the automatic restart deadline. Remind me later does not extend it. Use the Prompt field to explain why the restart is needed and ask users to save their work before the time they choose or the deadline.