How to Shut Down Windows 8 Easy 9 Different Methods
How to Shut Down Windows 8: Easy, 9 Different Methods GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows
Windows will begin shutting down immediately after executing this command, so be sure to save anything you're working on before doing this. shutdown /p The shutdown command has a number of additional options that give you all kinds of control over shutting down Windows, such as specifying how long to wait before the shutdown. Wait while your computer shuts down.
C:\Windows\System32 Locate the SlideToShutDown.exe file by scrolling down until you find it, or search for it in the search box in File Explorer. Open SlideToShutDown.exe. Using your finger or mouse, pull down the Slide to shut down your PC area that's currently taking up the top half of your screen. You only have about 10 seconds to do this before the option disappears. If that happens, just execute SlideToShutDown.exe again. Wait while Windows 8 shuts down. One very legitimate way to use this method is to create a shortcut to the program so that turning off Windows is just a single tap or double-click away. The Desktop taskbar would be a good place to keep this shortcut. To make a shortcut, right-click or tap-and-hold the file and go to Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
How to Shut Down Windows 8
9 ways to completely shut down Windows 8 & 8.1
By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 30, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share EmailIn This Article
Expand Jump to a Section From the Power Button on the Start Screen From the Settings Charms From the Win+X Menu From the Sign-In Screen From the Security Screen With Alt+F4 With the Shutdown Command With the SlideToShutDown Tool By Holding Down the Power Button Extra: Tips & More Information Windows 8 was a big change from Microsoft's previous operating systems, meaning there was a lot to relearn, including something as simple as how to shut it down! Fortunately, improvements to this version of Windows, like Windows 8.1, made turning it off easier by adding some additional methods of doing so. Having almost a dozen ways to shut down your computer isn't all bad, mind you. You'll be happy to have these options if you need to turn your computer off during certain kinds of problems. While most computers will support all or almost all these shutdown methods, some may not due to restrictions set by the computer maker or Windows itself, or due to the type of computer you have (e.g., desktop vs tablet).Shut Down Windows 8 From the Power Button on the Start Screen
The easiest method, assuming your computer is working properly, is to use the virtual power button available on the Start Screen: Select the power button icon from the Start Screen. Choose Shut down from the small menu that pops down. Wait while Windows 8 shuts down. Don't See the Power Button Icon? Either your computer is configured as a tablet device, which hides this button to prevent your finger from accidentally tapping it, or you've not yet installed Windows 8.1 Update.Shut Down Windows 8 From the Settings Charms
This shutdown method is easier to pull off if you're using a touch interface, but your keyboard and mouse will do the trick, too: Swipe from the right to open the Charms Bar. If you're using a keyboard, it's a bit faster if you use WIN+i. Skip to Step 3 if you do that. Choose the Settings charm. Select the power button icon near the bottom. Select Shut down. Wait while your computer completely turns off. This is the "original" Windows 8 shutdown method. It should come as no surprise why people asked for a way to shut down using fewer steps.Shut Down Windows 8 From the Win+ X Menu
The Power User Menu, sometimes called the WIN+X Menu, is one of our favorite secrets about Windows 8. Among many other things, it lets you shut things down with just a few clicks: From the Desktop, right-click the Start Button. Using the WIN+X keyboard combination works, too. Click, tap, or hover over Shut down or sign out, near the bottom of the Power User Menu. Pick Shut down from the small list that pops open to the right. Wait while Windows 8 shuts down completely. Don't See a Start Button? It's true that you can still open the Power User Menu without a Start Button, but it just so happens that the Start Button and the option to shut down Windows 8 from the Power User Menu, appeared at the same time—with Windows 8.1.Shut Down Windows 8 From the Sign-In Screen
While this might seem a little strange, the first opportunity you're given to shut down Windows 8 is right after the OS is done starting: Wait for your device to finish starting up. If you want to shut down Windows this way but your computer is running, you can either restart Windows yourself or lock your computer with the WIN+L keyboard shortcut. Select the power button icon at the bottom-right of the screen. Choose Shut down from the small menu that pops up. Wait while it completely shuts down. If a computer problem is preventing Windows from working properly but you do get as far as the Sign-in screen, this little power button icon is going to be very useful in your troubleshooting. See Method 1 from our How to Access Advanced Startup Options for more.Shut Down Windows 8 From the Windows Security Screen
One of the quickest ways to shut down Windows 8 is from a place that you may have seen before but weren't quite sure what to call: Use the Ctrl+Alt+Del keyboard shortcut to open Windows Security. Select the power button icon in the bottom-right corner. Choose Shut down from the small pop-up that appears. Wait while Windows shuts down.Don' t Use a Keyboard
You can try using Ctrl+Alt+Del with the on-screen keyboard, but we've had mixed results with that. If you're using a tablet, try holding down the physical Windows button (if it has one) and then press the tablet's power button. This combination mimics Ctrl+Alt+Del on some computers.Shut Down Windows 8 With Alt+ F4
The Alt+F4 shutdown method has worked since the early days of Windows and still works equally well to shut down Windows 8: Access the Desktop if you're not already there, and minimize any open programs, or at least move any open windows around so you have a clear view of at least some section of the Desktop. Exiting any open programs is fine, too, and probably the better option since you'll be shutting down your computer. Select anywhere on the Desktop's background. Avoid selecting icons or program windows. The goal here, if you're very familiar with Windows, is to have no program in focus. In other words, you want nothing at all selected. Press Alt+F4. From the Shut Down Windows box that appears on the screen, choose Shut down from the What do you want the computer to do? list of options, and then OK. Wait for Windows to shut down. If you saw one of your programs close instead of the Shut Down Windows box, it means you didn't deselect all open windows.Shut Down Windows 8 With the Shutdown Command
The Command Prompt is full of useful tools, one of which is the shutdown command which, as you'd guess, shuts down Windows when used the right way: Open Command Prompt. The Run box is fine, too, if you'd rather go that route. Type the following, and then press Enter:Windows will begin shutting down immediately after executing this command, so be sure to save anything you're working on before doing this. shutdown /p The shutdown command has a number of additional options that give you all kinds of control over shutting down Windows, such as specifying how long to wait before the shutdown. Wait while your computer shuts down.
Shut Down Windows 8 With the SlideToShutDown Tool
Frankly, we can only think of a few strange-but-serious problems with your computer that might force you to resort to this Windows 8 shutdown method, but we have to mention it to be thorough: Navigate to the System32 folder here:C:\Windows\System32 Locate the SlideToShutDown.exe file by scrolling down until you find it, or search for it in the search box in File Explorer. Open SlideToShutDown.exe. Using your finger or mouse, pull down the Slide to shut down your PC area that's currently taking up the top half of your screen. You only have about 10 seconds to do this before the option disappears. If that happens, just execute SlideToShutDown.exe again. Wait while Windows 8 shuts down. One very legitimate way to use this method is to create a shortcut to the program so that turning off Windows is just a single tap or double-click away. The Desktop taskbar would be a good place to keep this shortcut. To make a shortcut, right-click or tap-and-hold the file and go to Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).