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In previous versions of Windows, the shutdown options were in the Start menu. Where can these options be found now?

The only options I can find on the Start screen are Lock and Sign Out, and at present I am having to use the option under the Ctrl+Alt+Delete screen.

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  • Does "shutdown /s" from the command line still work? 8-)
    – Richard Lucas
    Oct 22, 2012 at 10:16
  • It's important to note "shut down" in Windows 8 is actually a form of "Hibernation light" since it does not allow services and devices that require a full reboot to operate properly. The technical reason is that it only hibernates the kernel space, but the end result is that if you actually need a full shut down in the old sense of the word you have to.. reboot.
    – j riv
    Jan 25, 2013 at 21:16
  • What did Microsoft intend for desktop users to do when finished using their computer. Usually you would got to Start > Shutdown OR Hibernate. As the standard shutdown process using only the mouse takes 4 clicks, I am guessing they intended users to do something else? Unless they are happy with 4 steps to shutting down!
    – Paul C
    Oct 9, 2013 at 19:07

7 Answers 7

Reset to default
40

You can find the shutdown options in the Charms bar.

The Charms bar can be accessed by

  • moving the mouse to very top right or bottom right corner of the screen;
  • swiping in from the right; or
  • pressing Windows+C

From there, you need to click or tap the Settings option, and the shutdown options are available at the bottom under the Power icon:

enter image description here

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  • 6
    To open the settings menu without the need of the charm bar, just hit Windows+I.
    – Christian Ivicevic
    Oct 22, 2012 at 12:51
  • win-x u u is the simplest way to shut down with keyboard.
    – MiniGod
    Jul 20, 2015 at 0:31
  • win-x is the same as right-clicking on the start button (bottom left)
    – MiniGod
    Jul 20, 2015 at 0:32
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From 10 different ways to Shutdown or Restart Windows 8:

  1. Shutdown Windows 8 via Charms Bar
  2. Create Shutdown Restart Shortcuts or Tiles in Windows 8
  3. Shutdown or Restart Windows 8 using HotKey
  4. Bring up the Windows 8 Shut down dialog box
  5. Shutdown using the keyboard
  6. Shutdown Windows 8 from the System Tray
  7. Define Power buttons and lid closure actions
  8. Shutdown Windows 8 using Command Prompt or Run
  9. Shutdown or Restart Windows 8 using the Context Menu
  10. Using Ctrl+Alt+Del
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  • 14
    What about alt + f4 on the desktop?
    – soandos
    Oct 22, 2012 at 10:15
  • @soandos good one.
    – Louis Waweru
    Oct 22, 2012 at 10:23
  • 1
    @soandos: That's what they mean by "bring up the Windows 8 Shut down dialog box".
    – Dennis
    Oct 22, 2012 at 10:29
  • @Leftium I did the second one :P
    – Frederick Marcoux
    Oct 22, 2012 at 12:32
  • 4
    You left out pulling the plug (and removing the battery, as required).
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Oct 26, 2012 at 16:29
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Windows 8 still supports the command line feature to shut it down. You can just press the Win+R button to open the run dialog box and type the command

shutdown /s /f /t 0

/s for shut it down

/f for forcefully close any application and shut it down immediately

/t for time in milliseconds, without delay

/r for reboot, replace the /s

There are other ways to shut it down easily

Sign Out

You can shut down Windows 8 from the login screen after signing out. To sign out, open the Start screen (press the Windows key or move your mouse to the bottom left corner of your screen and click), click your name, and select Sign Out. Click the power button at the bottom right corner of the screen and select Shut down.

Alt+F4

You can shut down Windows directly from the desktop. First, ensure the desktop is focused by clicking your desktop background, and then press Alt+F4 (as we all know if you press this key combination while a program is focused, that program will close.) Select Shut Down in the dialog that appears.

enter image description here

Update: You can also add shutdown, restart, log off, switch user to the desktop right click(context menu) menu. Just download this registry file and run the add-menu.reg file and it immediate add the menu to the right click menu.

enter image description here

Information from this source.

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  • Check out the updated one.
    – avirk
    Oct 26, 2012 at 5:36
5

The default behaviour of a single short press of the power button on your PC is to initiate shutdown. This is by far the simplest way I have found to shut down.

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  • 1
    If the machine is beside you and not in another location or in a VM.
    – Alan B
    Oct 22, 2012 at 12:39
  • 3
    Most VM hosts (as far as I know) have the equivalent of that in a menu instead (File > ACPI Shutdown in VirtualBox, for example).
    – evilcandybag
    Oct 22, 2012 at 20:55
2

Somebody made a program here that you may find relevant. It makes shutdown buttons.

enter image description here enter image description here

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Move your cursor to the top right of the screen (I think it can work on any corner of the screen I just always use top right) and a bar along the middle of the right side of the screen will appear. This bar will have about 5 options on it click the bottom option (settings option) a side menu will appear with the options to shut down, restart, sleep etc

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  • 1
    It only works on the right-hand side corners (top or bottom).
    – Graham Wager
    Oct 22, 2012 at 11:59
  • thought that might of been the case, was unsure as am at work and these PCs dont have windows 8
    – James Blackburn
    Oct 22, 2012 at 12:01
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I noticed that in Windows 8.1 they added an option for shutting down in Advanced Menu. Just press Win+X or move your mouse to start button on right click.

enter image description here

so to quicky shut down you can press Win+X,u,u

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