10 Ways to Shut Down and Restart a Windows 11 PC

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Often, a quick PC restart is all you need to resolve issues that randomly crop up with Windows 11 and the applications that run on it. Troubleshooting aside, you’ll encounter many instances requiring you to shut down and restart your computer—e.g., after a Windows update.

If you use a Windows 11 PC, you have multiple ways to perform a system reboot. Although you probably won’t need them all, it’s always better to know about alternative methods should the situation arise.

1. Restart Windows 11 via Start Menu

The most straightforward way to restart a Windows 11 PC is through the Start menu—simply select thePowericon on the right corner and chooseRestart.

If you’re restarting your computer after installing an update from Microsoft, you’ll see an additionalUpdate andrestartoption and a time estimate. Select it if you want to complete the update.

2. Restart Windows 11 via Power User Menu

One more quick way to restart your computer is to use the Power User Menu. Right-click theStartbuttonon the taskbar (or pressWindows+X), point toShut downor sign out, and selectRestart.

3. Restart Windows 11 via Keyboard Shortcut

You can also restart your computer with the help of a keyboard shortcut. Just visit your desktop and pressAlt+F4(orFn+Alt+F4if the keyboard has a Function key). On the “Shut Down Windows” dialog pop-up that appears, choose theRestartpower option on the drop-down menu and selectOK.

4. Restart Windows 11 via Ctrl-Alt-Del Screen

Another way to restart your PC is through the Ctrl + Alt + Del screen (a.k.a. the Windows Security screen) in Windows 11. PressCtrl+Alt+Delete, select thePowericon at the bottom right corner of the screen, and selectRestart.

The Ctrl + Alt + Del screen is accessible even when your system freezes, making it an ideal way to restart a stuck PC. It even provides immediateaccess to the Task Manager, so you may want toend any stuck processesbefore you resort to a system reboot.

5. Restart Windows 11 via Lock/Login Screen

You don’t have to be logged into your user account to reboot your PC. If you’re at the Login or Lock Screen and want to restart Windows 11 for some reason, select thePowericon on the lower right corner and chooseRestart.

6. Restart Windows 11 via Command Line

If you’re an aspiring terminal geek, you can restart your Windows 11 PC via the Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell console.

Start by opening Command Prompt (search forcmd.exeon the Start menu) or Windows PowerShell (selectWindows Terminalon the Power User Menu). Then, typeshutdown/rand pressEnter. Your computer will reboot in 60 seconds.

If you want your computer to restart immediately, run the command with additional switches:

shutdown/r /t 0

Feel free to change the numerical value in the command above to determine how long the operating system takes to reboot itself in seconds—e.g.,3600if you want to delay the restart by one hour.

7. Restart Windows 11 via Run Box

It’s also possible to execute the commands above using Run. PressWindows Key+Rto open a Run box, typeshutdown /r(Windows 11 will restart in 60 seconds) orshutdown /r /t time_in_seconds(if you want to perform an immediate or delayed reboot), and pressEnter.

8. Hard Reboot Windows 11

If your computer is completely frozen and none of the methods above help, a hard reboot is on the cards. It could lead to file corruption and data loss, so we don’t recommend it unless necessary.

To perform a hard reboot, simply press and hold thePowerbutton (some laptops may require you to hold down an additional button) until the screen darkens. Then, press thePowerbutton again to turn on your PC.

On desktop PCs, the CPU casing may sport a dedicatedRestartbutton; if yours does, use that to hard reboot your computer.

9. Schedule a Windows 11 Restart

It’s possible to schedule a restartusing the Task Scheduler built into Windows. You also have the option of making that a one-off or recurring task. To do that:

C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe

You have 60 seconds until your system reboots when the task begins running. Add the-t time-in-secondsswitch in step8if you want to adjust the delay duration.

10. Restart Windows 11 via Desktop Shortcut

If you want a super-fast way to restart Windows, you always have the option of creating a desktop shortcut! To do that:

Shutdown vs. Restart: What’s the Difference?

Before we wrap up, it’s best to point out the difference between manually powering down your PC andthenturning it back on versus instructing the system to reboot on its own. Although both actions appear to accomplish the same thing, that’s not the case due to a feature calledFast Startup.

When you selectShutdown(available as an option in many of the above methods), Fast Startup caches various forms of system data, allowing your computer to boot faster from a cold start. However, that can cause issues while troubleshooting persistent problems with the operating system.

Fast Startup does not kick in if you pickRestart, making it the better option if you intend to fix issues. It’s also the most convenient unless you don’t plan on turning on your PC anytime soon.

Nevertheless, you do have the option of disabling Fast Startup if you want.Open the Windows Control Panel, go toHardware and Sound>Power>Choose what the power buttons do, and uncheck the box next toTurn on fast startup (recommended).

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn’t hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube.Read Dilum’s Full Bio

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