Windows Last Restart Time – CMD, PowerShell & systeminfo (2025 Guide)

If you want to check your Windows last restart time quickly without admin rights or third-party tools, this guide shows you 3 easy methods using built-in commands. These work on Windows 10, Windows 11, and most Server editions. As a result, they are ideal for tracking system uptime, validating maintenance windows, or troubleshooting unexpected reboots.

Why Windows Last Restart Time Matters

Knowing the Windows last restart time helps answer several questions quickly. For example, you can confirm whether Windows Update rebooted the machine overnight, check how long the system has been up, or verify if a scheduled maintenance window actually completed. For help desks and sysadmins, last boot time is a key diagnostic signal; for everyday users, it confirms whether planned restarts occurred successfully.

Method 1 — CMD (fastest, no admin)

The easiest way to check Windows last restart time is with a single Command Prompt command. First, open Command Prompt (a standard user session is fine) and run:

net statistics workstation

In the output, find the line that starts with Statistics since…. That timestamp reflects when Windows last started its current session; in other words, it shows your last reboot time. This is the simplest way to check Windows last restart time without installing anything.

Optional: tiny batch file for quick access

If you need to check this frequently, you can create a small batch file. This makes the process even faster and more consistent.

@echo off
net statistics workstation
pause

Save this as a .bat file on your Desktop. Afterwards, double-click it any time to instantly display the “Statistics since…” value.

Method 2 — systeminfo (built-in summary)

Another built-in way to verify Windows last restart time is the systeminfo command. It provides a full system summary and includes boot time details. To use it, run:

systeminfo

Look near the top for the System Boot Time line. This confirms the last boot timestamp. Therefore, it is useful for documenting incidents, audits, or support tickets where you must show exactly when Windows last restarted.

Method 3 — PowerShell (precise timestamp)

PowerShell gives you a very precise view of Windows last restart time. You can run a one-liner that reads the LastBootUpTime property. Open PowerShell and run:

Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem | Select-Object LastBootUpTime

This command provides an exact LastBootUpTime value. It is perfect for scripts, log entries, or documentation where you need an accurate system uptime check. In addition, you can format this value further in PowerShell if you want a friendlier date and time.

How to Read Windows Last Restart Time Correctly

After you have the Windows last restart time, it is important to read it correctly. Otherwise, you may misinterpret logs or incident timelines. The points below help you avoid common mistakes.

• Locale & date formats: Date order varies by language (for example, DD/MM/YYYY vs MM/DD/YYYY). Always verify the format first.
• Time zones: Some outputs are in UTC, while others use local time. Therefore, note the time zone when sharing results.
• Sleep vs reboot: Sleep or hibernate do not reset boot time; only an actual restart does.
• Service restarts: net statistics workstation usually aligns with OS boot, but you can validate with systeminfo or PowerShell for more accuracy.

Windows Last Restart Time – Practical Use Cases

Once you know how to read Windows last restart time, you can apply it in real support scenarios. The examples below show where this information becomes especially useful.

• Verify if Windows Update triggered a reboot overnight or during a maintenance window.
• Measure true system uptime before applying patches or installing software.
• Correlate incidents with last boot time when you investigate performance or crash reports.
• Add last boot time to diagnostic checklists, runbooks, or audit documentation.

Screenshot: Expected CMD Output

Troubleshooting

If the commands above do not behave as expected, you can try a few quick checks before assuming something is wrong with Windows itself.

• No output or strange text: Make sure you are in CMD (not PowerShell) when running net statistics workstation. If the command is restricted, use systeminfo or PowerShell instead.
• Language mismatch: On non-English systems, look for the first date under the statistics header rather than the English label.
• Deprecated method: wmic os get lastbootuptime can still work on some machines, but it is deprecated and not recommended for new scripts.

Helpful References

• Microsoft Learn — systeminfo

Related SupportSolved Guides

• How to Update All Apps Using Winget (Windows)
• BIOS vs UEFI – What’s the Difference?
• How to Edit the Hosts File in Windows Safely

Final Thoughts

The quickest way to check Windows last restart time is still net statistics workstation, supported by systeminfo and PowerShell as cross-checks. None of these methods require admin rights, and they are safe for managed systems. Finally, always record the timestamp, time zone, and method used so that your diagnostic notes stay reliable and repeatable.

Meta: Check Windows last restart time using CMD, PowerShell, and systeminfo. No admin needed — quick guide with commands, screenshot, and troubleshooting tips.