How to Schedule a Shutdown in Windows

You can schedule a shutdown in Windows. We will see how to plan a shutdown in your windows computer. It works for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. To arrange or organize an automatic shutdown in your Windows computer, we use a run command. Once you set up a shutdown, when the specified time period is elapsed, you computer will shut down. Follow the given instructions to schedule an auto shutdown.

1. Open Run dialog box from start menu (or by pressing Windows key + R).
2. type shutdown /s /t sec in it.
   Here sec is the amount of time in seconds to be elapsed before shut down.
3. Press Enter or click OK.
4. You will be notified that a shutdown is scheduled.
5. It is done.

An example is:

shutdown /s /t 600

Here after 600 seconds (10 minutes), the computer will turn off. The following video will show you.

How to Create Shutdown Shortcut in Windows

You can make a shortcut file which when opened, instantly shuts down Windows Operating System. This works in Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. Here we will see how to create a shutdown shortcut in Windows. To make a shutdown shortcut on desktop, follow the given instructions.

1. Right click on desktop.
2. Select New -> Shortcut
3. Type shutdown /p  in the text box
4. Click Next button
5. Give a name for the shortcut, like 'Shutdown' or 'Turn off'.
6. Now Click Finish.
7. No you will get a shortcut file on desktop

If you open this shortcut file, your computer will shutdown instantly. You will lose your unsaved works. So close all applications properly before shutdown.

How to Shutdown Windows Using Run Command

Here is how to shutdown Windows using run command. The command should be shutdown /p. That is, type shutdown /p in the run dialog box (opened by pressing windows key+ R) and press Enter. Your Windows computer will shutdown instantly. Remember that you may lose any unsaved works in open applications. This trick works in Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10.

How to Create Logoff (Sign Out) Shortcut in Windows

You can create a shortcut file which when opened, instantly logs out or sign out the current user account from Microsoft Windows Operating System. This works in Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. To make a Log out shortcut on desktop, follow the given instructions.

1. Right click on desktop.
2. Select New -> Shortcut
3. Type shutdown /l  in the textbox
4. Click Next button
5. Give a name for the shortcut, like 'logoff', 'logout', 'signout' etc.
6. Now Click Finish.
7. No you will get a shortcut file on desktop

If you open this shortcut file, you will be logged out from your Windows computer. Remember, it is not shutting down. Just logging out. But, you will lose your unsaved works. In another post, we will see how to make shutdown, restart and hibernate shortcuts in windows.