Cisco Switch Reboot Command: How to Reload Safely

Q: What is the command to reboot a Cisco switch?

Use reload in privileged EXEC mode (after enable), then press Enter at the confirm prompt. Save first with write memory if you want to keep your changes.

Q: How do I schedule a Cisco switch reboot?

Use reload in 30 for 30 minutes from now, or reload at 23:30 for a set time. Cancel it with reload cancel.

By Madan Kc, ISP/GPON engineer at DG Link Network · Updated 5 November 2026

Quick answer: To reboot a Cisco switch, log in, enter privileged mode with enable, save your work with write memory, then type reload and press Enter at the Proceed with reload? [confirm] prompt. The switch restarts and loads its saved startup configuration. To reboot later, use reload in 10 (minutes).

Reboot a Cisco switch now

These steps work on Catalyst switches running IOS or IOS XE. Connect by console, SSH or Telnet, then:

Switch> enable
Switch# write memory
Building configuration...
[OK]
Switch# reload
Proceed with reload? [confirm]

Press Enter to confirm. Your SSH or Telnet session drops straight away. Most switches are back in two to five minutes, so wait before you try to reconnect. If the switch says System configuration has been modified. Save? [yes/no], answer yes unless you want to throw away your recent changes.

write memory and copy running-config startup-config do the same job: they copy the running configuration into flash so it survives the reboot.

Reload command options

Common forms of the Cisco reload command
Command	What it does
`reload`	Reboots the switch immediately after you confirm.
`reload in 10`	Reboots in 10 minutes.
`reload at 23:30`	Reboots at 23:30 by the switch clock (check `show clock` first).
`reload reason Maintenance`	Reboots and records a reason in the log.
`reload cancel`	Cancels a pending scheduled reload.
`show reload`	Shows whether a reload is scheduled.

Exact options depend on the model and software version. Type reload ? on your switch to see what it supports.

Schedule or cancel a reload

Switch# reload in 30
Reload scheduled in 30 minutes
Proceed with reload? [confirm]

Switch# show reload
Switch# reload cancel

Use a scheduled reload for planned maintenance windows so you do not have to stay up at night. The switch warns the console a few minutes before it restarts.

The reload-in trick before risky changes

If you are about to change something that could lock you out, such as a management VLAN, an ACL or a trunk, schedule a reload first and do not save the new config:

Run reload in 10 and confirm. If asked to save, answer no.
Make your change.
If it works and you can still reach the switch, run reload cancel and then write memory.
If you are locked out, wait. The switch reboots in 10 minutes and returns to the last saved configuration.

Check first: this only protects you if the change has not been saved. Never run write memory before you know the change is safe.

Stacks, reload vs erase, and checks

Switch stacks

On a stack, reload restarts the whole stack. To restart one member, use reload slot N where N is the switch number from show switch.

Reload does not erase anything

reload only reboots. It keeps the startup configuration. To wipe the config you need write erase (and then a reload), which is a different and destructive command. Do not mix them up.

Check before and after

show version shows uptime and the software version, so you can confirm the switch really restarted.
show boot shows the boot variable. Check it if you have just upgraded software.
show running-config | include hostname is a quick way to confirm you rebooted the right switch.

If the switch carries customer traffic, tell the customers first. A reload takes down every port. For how switches fit into a provider network, see how an ISP network works from OLT to home.

Reload did not work?

Command not found: you are not in privileged mode. Type enable.
Permission denied: your account lacks privilege level 15. Use an admin account.
Switch never comes back: connect by console cable and watch the boot messages. A wrong boot variable or damaged image can leave it in ROMMON.
Config missing after reboot: you did not save. The switch loaded the old startup configuration.
Lost remote access afterwards: a saved change may have broken management access. Use the console.

Run an ISP network? See the MikroTik PPPoE server complete setup guide and the Huawei OLT complete setup guide.

FAQ

What is the command to reboot a Cisco switch?

Use reload in privileged EXEC mode (after enable), then press Enter at the confirm prompt. Save first with write memory if you want to keep your changes.

Does reload delete my configuration?

No. Reload only restarts the switch and loads the saved startup configuration. Unsaved changes are lost, but saved ones stay.

How do I schedule a Cisco switch reboot?

Use reload in 30 for 30 minutes from now, or reload at 23:30 for a set time. Cancel it with reload cancel.

How long does a Cisco switch take to reboot?

Usually two to five minutes. Larger or stacked switches can take longer.

Is reload the same as restart?

Yes. Cisco IOS has no separate restart command. People search for reboot, restart and reload, but the command is reload.

Sources: Cisco IOS and IOS XE command reference for the reload command, plus my own use of it on production switches. Options vary by model and software version; check reload ? on your device.