Error: Windows 10 won't shut down

If your Windows 10 computer won't shut down even after several attempts, corrupted system files or an activated Quick Start may be responsible. What other causes the occurrence of the error and how to fix each of them, we explain in this article.

Windows 10 will not shut down: Autostart as a cause of error

If your PC or laptop with Windows 10 as operating system can no longer be shut down, this can have various causes. Often autostart programs, which are started every time Windows is started, are responsible for this. To check this and fix the problem, please proceed as follows:

1. First open the task manager of your computer by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting the entry "Task Manager" from the context menu.
2. Then please switch there to the tab "Autostart" and disable all autostart programs on a test basis by clicking on the button "Disable".
3. If your computer can now be shut down, activate each startup program individually to determine which of them is blocking the shutdown.

These other tips will help if Windows 10 does not shut down

If the startup programs are not the cause of the problem, the Quick Start function may also be responsible for the computer not shutting down. To disable the Quick Start feature, please navigate to "Control Panel" > "System and Security" > "Power Options" and uncheck "Enable Quick Start" under "Choose what happens when you press power buttons". If that doesn't help either, open your PC's command prompt with administrator privileges and use the "sfc/scannow" command to check if system files are corrupted.