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How to shutdown or shutdown the Windows PC correctly? Step by step guide

Log off the computer or turn off the Windows PC it is always a function to be performed when it is done use of the machine and that it is generally very easy to use, so anyone can be able to easily turn off the computer.

It is also important to mention that there are many ways to turn off the computer either from the most common way that is through the Start menu, keyboard, with voice command, even through a shortcut. All this allows users to have different Alternatives to start the machine shutdown at any time.

However, it is important to mention that as the years of use of the computer this becomes much slower to turn off, which can be due to many reasons. That is why we are going to teach you how to such as turning off the PC, the risks of turning it off incorrectly and how to make it turn off more quickly. For this, follow in detail everything that we will teach you below.

What are the risks of incorrectly turning off the PC?

On many occasions when you are using the computer and you have many open programs or it is presenting problems in the hardware or hard disk usually remains stuck for a few minutes which prevents it from being followed using fluently. All this means that the user must carry out a forced shutdown of equipment in order to restart it and use it again.

However, performing this type of off to the machine It is not recommended as this could end worsen team health. It is for this very reason that computers include more than one way to shutdown properlye, and is that when you turn off the PC from its own operating system it sends all the necessary tasks to the hardware for you to do a correct shutdown.

This means that, if you turn off the team forced, both the programs and all the content being running on the machine at that moment are not going to close properly, what can cause software damage or even risk damaging the hard drive at the software level what is practically impossible to repair.

Therefore, the most recommended is to carry out a correct shutdown from the operating system itself once they have finished all processes That are running on the pc. In the event that the equipment is stuck, then you must take the risks of performing a forced shutdown to try to solve this problem.

Steps to properly shutdown or shutdown your Windows computer

As already mentioned above, there are different ways to turn off Windows computer. This will allow you to have At your disposal different methods of closing the PC at the moment of some type of problem in the system without it ending up suffering irreparable damage. That is why, here we are going to show you each of the available ways of turn off your Windows computer quickly and easily.

To do this, follow each of the methods that we will teach you below:

From the start button

The most common way to perform this procedure is through the Windows start button and this is The most popular way to turn off these types of equipment once they are finished.

To carry out this procedure you must perform the following steps:

  • The first thing you should do is go to Windows start button.
  • Once you click on it, a list of all the programs installed on the PC, as well as the off button right at the bottom left of your screen.
  • Here you must click on it, now three options will appear "Shutdown", "Restart" or "Suspend", in this case you must click again on "To turn off" so that this process can be executed correctly.

From keyboard commands (Alt + F4)

Another form of power starting the shutdown process on the PC is through the keyboard, in this case you must there are two ways to do it, the first one is by pressing the key combination "ALT + F4", there will open a new windows window where you just have to press "To accept" to confirm that you want turn off the computer.

From keyboard commands (Alt + F4)

The other way you can also close the computer is by pressing the key combination. "Windows + X", this is the same as doing right click on the button start. This will allow you to manually select what action you want to take if "Shutdown", "Restart", or "Suspend".

Finally, you can also press twice followed the keys "Windows + X" followed by the key "G" so that the process turn off automatically startThis will prevent you from having to choose which process you want to run.

With a direct access

Another way to achieve this activity is to create a shortcut for itKeep in mind that this method is much more comfortable, since you simply must do Click on the icon and your Windows operating system will automatically turn off.

In the event that you have a programmable macro keyboardthen you will have the opportunity to configure it and so can assign a button to perform this task. Although on many occasions this can become a double-edged sword, since if you press it by mistake automatically the machine will turn off and all the programs you are running at that moment will close.

In order to create the shortcut to turn off and thus perform this function more comfortably, you can do it through the following steps:

  • For create shortcut you must do right click anywhere on the desktop, in the options menu that appears on the screen you must click on "New" and then "Direct access".

With a direct access

  • Now a new window will open on the screen where you must write "Shutdown.exe -S”And click on "Following".

With a direct access

  • In the next window you must put the name you want the file to have. Once you have chosen the name, you must click on "Finalize".

With a direct access

  • After this you can locate shortcut where you want to turn off the computer you simply must click on it and automatically this task will be executed.

With a direct access

This way you can start create the shortcut to shutdown the computer faster. You can too create shortcuts to carry out other types of activities such as "Restart", "Close session", "Suspend", "Hibernate", among others. Keep in mind that all these processes are carried out in a similar way.

That is why below we leave you the command for each of them:

  • Shutdown.exe -r allows you to restart the computer
  • Shutdown.exe -L Sign off
  • Shutdown.exe -a allows you to cancel the shutdown in case you have run it by mistake.
  • Rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation allows you to lock the computer.
  • Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll, SetSuspendState so you can hibernate your computer.
  • Powrprof.dll rundll32.exe, SetSuspendState 0.1.0 to activate the option of rest or suspension.

With Cortana's voice command

One of the advantages of using the Windows operating system is that you can use the Cortana's voice command, although perhaps for many of the people this tool can't make sense or many kinds of uses. However, what you don't know is that through Cortana you will be able to indicate the shutdown of your equipment only with your voice.

It is important to mention that achieving this process is not so easy, but it is possible. And it is that this command will not only allow you initiate shutdown, but you can also indicate to restart the machine, than suspend or hibernate.

To carry out this process it will be necessary to carry out the following steps:

  • To start you should go to the address of C: Users username AppData Roaming Microsoft Windows Start Menu Programs and there you must create a shortcut with the following text "Shutdown.exe -s".
  • This direct access you can call it what you want, either "Turn off" "Close", among others.
  • The next thing will be to activate the command "Cortana" and tell him the name of the shortcut you have chosen. Once this command be recognized by Voice command will open said shortcut and the PC will shutdown.

With the power button

Another way to be able to apply this process in your Windows computer is through the power button. This button is usually programmed in different ways, whether for "Shutdown", "Hibernate" or "Suspend" the team.

To configure this button you will be able to do it through power options, and there you must modify what is button behavior. In this case if you are in suspend or hibernate, you can switch off. This way every time you use it PC will automatically shutdown.

Customizing countdown

Finally another form of power shutting down the PC is through a countdown, you can tell this is one of the least used methods by users worldwide. The way to apply this function is very similar to the one already explained above to create a shortcut, but this time you can add a second timer to the command.

Therefore, to carry out this method it is necessary to carry out the steps that we will indicate below:

  • Again we have to create a shortcut applying the same process explained above.
  • However, this time the following command must be written "Shutdown.exe -s -t XXX" in this case the XXX they must be changed for the amount of second that you want to program, for example, it would be as follows: "Shutdown.exe -s -t 120" This means that it will turn off when two minutes have elapsed after clicking on direct access.

Customizing countdown

Learn how to make your Windows computer shutdown faster

One of the most common problems with computers is that as time passes and they have the more I use these they become a little slower in their functions, specially in the time of shutdownwhere the screen lasts a long time to start said process. Power improve the speed of this function It is possible, for this you can do different things.

One of them and perhaps the simplest is close all programs that are running before starting the system shutdown process. In case this does not work and the computer continues to delay to execute this process then it will be necessary to try another method.

Another form of power avoid this delay is changing three of the system registry values. However, you should bear in mind that this process is very delicate, since if you make a mistake in it you could damage your operating system.

That is why below, we teach you how to successfully carry out this process:

  • In order to modify these three system values you will need to open formere and there you should go to the following route: HKEY_CURRENT_USER Control Panel Desktop
  • The next will be create three entries that allow to change the behavior for system defect.
  • To create it, it will be necessary to go to the "Edition" and there you select the item of "New" and then "String value". Once this is done you must choose one of the three options that appear there.

Learn how to make your Windows computer shutdown faster

Here we can create three entries to change the default behavior. To create them, we are going to Edit – New – String value.

Below we choose one of the three options:

  • WaitToKillAppTimeout: In this case Windows wait at least 20 seconds for what all applications running on the system are closed. Therefore, here you can modify this value in ms what will allow you to reduce time. Place 3000 to reduce to three seconds to turn off.
  • HungAppTimeout: With this option you will have the opportunity to specify as long as Windows decides to wait for a program that is open. Default, the system waits around 5 seconds, if you put a 2000 ms value then you would lower it to 2 seconds.
  • AutoEndTasks: Finally, you can also choose if Windows allows you the time for the forced closing, this makes your pc is forced off. Here you can place in 1 second so that the programs automatically close forciblyyes you put 0 then you will have to close them manually.