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6 Fixes for Windows Computer Restarts Instead of Shutting Down

by Pankil Shah
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Does your Windows 10 or 11 computer restart after you perform a shut down? That’s quite puzzling when your Windows PC just reboots while you want to turn it off entirely. Interference from external devices, fast startup functionality, and corrupted system files are just a few reasons why your PC restarts randomly when you want it to shut it down. Here’s what you should do if your Windows computer annoyingly restarts instead of shutting down.

1. Unplug All External Devices

One of the external devices connected to your Windows computer may be causing the unnecessary restarts. To avoid any interference, disconnect all the external devices to see if that helps.

2. Disable Fast Startup

Another common reason why your Windows PC may restart even when you shut it down is due to the Fast Startup feature. Several users on a Microsft Community post reported fixing this particular issue by disabling the Fast Startup feature. You can also give it a go.

1. Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box. Type control and press Enter.

Open Control Panel on Windows

2. Change the view type to Large icons and then select Power Options.

Open Power Options on Windows

3. Click the Choose what the power buttons do option from the left sidebar.

Configure Power Button Function on Windows

4. Click the Change settings that are currently unavailable option. Uncheck the Turn on fast startup (recommended) checkbox and click Save Changes.

Disable Fast Startup on Windows

Try shutting down your PC and check if the issue persists.

3. Turn Off the Automatic Restart Option

A system failure during the shutdown process might force your Windows PC to reboot automatically. When that happens, Windows conducts the necessary checks and prevent delays during subsequent startups. Of course, you can disable that behavior in Windows. For that, you’ll need to turn off the automatic restart feature using these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + S keyboard shortcut to open the search menu. Type view advanced system settings and press Enter.

View Advanced System Settings on Windows

2. Under Startup and Recovery, click the Settings button.

3. Uncheck the Automatically restart option and then hit OK.

Turn Off Automatic Restarts on Windows

4. Run SFC and DISM Scan

The presence of corrupt or damaged system files on your Windows PC can also cause it to malfunction and not shutdown entirely. If that’s the case, running the SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans will allow Windows to repair or replace any problematic files.

1. Right-click the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.

Open Terminal on Windows

2. In the console, type the following command and press Enter.

sfc /scannow
SFC Scan in Terminal Window

Wait for the process to complete and apply fixes, if it finds any problems.

3. Run the following commands one by one and press Enter after each one to run the DISM scan.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
DISM Scans in Terminal Window

Wait until the scan is complete and restart your PC to apply the changes. Following that, Windows will shut down as usual.

5. Modify Registry Files

If your computer still restarts instead of shutting down, you can modify registry files to configure Windows to power off completely after a shutdown. However, since the registry editor maintains important settings for Windows and its apps, make sure you create a restore point before you make any changes.

1. Press the Windows key + S keyboard shortcut to access the search menu, type in registry editor, and hit Enter.

Open Registry Editor on Windows 11

2. In the address bar at the top, type the following path and hit Enter.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

3. In the right pane, double-click the PowerdownAfterShutdown value. Enter 1 in the value data field and hit OK.

Modify Registry String

Restart your PC for the changes to take effect. After that, Windows will not turn on automatically after a shutdown.

6. Reset BIOS

If nothing else works, it’s likely that issue is related to the BIOS settings of your computer. Usually, that happens when you’ve made changes to tweak the hardware-related settings. In that case, your best option is to reset the BIOS settings and start over.

1. Open the Start menu and click the power icon at the bottom. Then, hold down the Shift key and select the Restart option.

Shift Restart Windows Computer

2. Wait for Windows to reboot. When the blue screen appears, go to Troubleshooting > Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.

Troubleshoot Menu in Windows

3. When you’re in the BIOS menu, press F9 on your keyboard to choose Setup Defaults. Then, hit the F10 button to save the changes and exit the BIOS screen.

Note: The BIOS menu may look different on your computer depending on its manufacturer.

Reset BIOS Settings

Restful Shutdowns Await

Windows computer restarting automatically is seldom a good sign. Aside from the above tips, ensure you install any pending Windows updates, as they bring numerous improvements and essential bug fixes to your computer. Also, consider running regular malware checks using Windows Defender to eliminate any malicious programs or threats and steer clear of such issues.

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