How to shut down or restart Windows 11

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Although Windows 11 inherits most of the familiar design from previous versions, a lot of things are changing, including the power options to shut down or restart the computer.

In the past, you would open the Start menu and used the power menu from the bottom-left corner. However, since Windows 11 includes a new Start menu with a center alignment, it can be confusing to perform simple tasks, such as turning off or rebooting the system.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to find the power options to turn off or restart a computer running Windows 11.

Shut down or restart Windows 11

To shut down or restart a device running Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start on Windows 11.

2. Click the Power button in the bottom-right corner.

3. Select the Shut down option to turn off Windows 11.

   

   Power options menu

4. Select the Restart option to turn off and on Windows 11.

Shut down or restart Windows 11 from Start button

To control the power options from the Start button, use these steps:

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1. Righ-click the Start button.

2. Select the Shut down or sign out submenu.

3. Select the Shut down option to turn off the PC.

   

   Start button power options

4. Select the Restart option to reboot the PC.

5. Select the Sign out option to log off the Windows 11 account.

Shut down or restart Windows 11 with shortcut

Alternatively, you can use the legacy control to select the power option. Here’s how:

1. Use the Alt + F4 keyboard shortcut.

2. Use the drop-down menu and select one of the options, including Switch user, Sign out, Shut down, or Restart.

   

   Windows 11 Alt + F4 shut down menu

3. Click the OK button.

Shut down or restart Windows 11 from Lock screen

If you are in the Lock screen, you can also control the power state of Windows 11. Here’s how:

1. Click the Power button from the bottom-right corner.

2. Select the Shut down option to turn off Windows 11.

   

   Lock screen power options

3. Select the Restart option to turn off and on Windows 11.

Once you complete the steps, the computer will either power down or reboot according to the option you selected.