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How to Shut Down Windows 10

All the ways to reboot or restart a Windows 10 computer

Updated on July 30, 2020

When you can't shut down Windows the normal way, there are a number of alternative methods for turning off your system. To fully shutdown Windows 10, you must restart your PC, but there are several ways to restart or reboot Windows. Here's what you should know.

These instructions apply to Windows 10 PCs and tablets, but some devices may not support every shutdown method.

Shut Down Windows 10 From the Start Menu

The easiest way to shut down your PC is from the Windows 10 Start Menu:

Select the Start Menu.
Select the Power icon.
Select Shut down from the pop-up menu.

Shut Down Windows 10 From the Power User Menu

The Power User Menu contains several advanced options, one of which is to shut down your computer:

Right-click the Start Menu.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Window Key+X to open the Power User Menu.
Select Shut down or sign out.
Select Shut down in the new menu that appears.

Shut Down Windows 10 From the Sign-In Screen

You can shut down your PC from the log-in screen that appears when you switch users in Windows 10. Select the Power icon in the bottom-right of the screen, then select Shut down from the pop-up menu.

Shut Down Windows 10 From the Windows Security Menu

Another option is to use the Ctrl+Alt+Del shortcut and enter the Windows Security options:

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del on your keyboard shortcut to open the Windows Security menu.
Select the Power icon in the bottom-right corner.
Select Shut down from the pop-up menu.

If you're using Windows 10 on a tablet, hold down the Windows button and press the power button to bring up the Windows Security menu.

Shut Down Windows 10 With Alt+F4

The option to shutdown your computer using the Alt keys is a holdover from previous versions of Windows.

Select or tap an empty space on your desktop to make sure nothing is selected, then press Alt+F4.
Select Shut down from the drop-down menu.
Select OK to confirm you want to shut your system down.

Shut Down Using the Windows 10 Shutdown Command

It's possible to shut down Windows 10 from the Command Prompt using the Windows shutdown command:

Right-click the Start Menu.
Select Windows PowerShell to open the Windows Command Prompt.
Type the following command, then press Enter:
```
shutdown /s
```
To restart Windows, enter shutdown /r. You can also use the PowerShell commands Stop-Computer and Restart-Computer.