Are you also one of the many Windows users who keep shutting down or restarting their system using the 'Start' menu? Did you know that you could create a desktop shortcut that does just that? Creating a shutdown shortcut is a fun and easy way to shut down your computer. This is a very useful method if you are using Windows 8, where the 'Shut Down' option is hidden within many menus. Let's see together how to proceed.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Windows XP / Vista / 7
Step 1. Select anywhere on the desktop with the right mouse button
From the contextual menu that appeared, select the item 'New' and then choose 'Connection'.
Step 2. Enter the shutdown command
In the field where to insert the path of the connection, copy and paste the following command: 'shutdown.exe -s' (without quotes).
To create a shortcut that reboots the system replace the '-s' parameter with '-r' ('shutdown.exe -r')
Step 3. Set a computer shutdown delay
By default, Windows will always wait 30 seconds before shutting down the system. To delay system shutdown by a predefined time, add the parameter '-t XXX', where XXX represents the number of seconds Windows will wait before starting the shutdown procedure. For example the command 'shutdown -s -t 45' (without quotes) creates a shortcut that shuts down the system after waiting for 45 seconds.
To include a message, add the '-c “your message”' parameter (without quotes, but including your message in quotes)
Step 4. Type in the name of your link
When finished, press the 'Finish' button to complete the procedure.
Step 5. Edit the link icon
If you want to use a custom icon for your shortcut instead of the default one assigned by Windows, select the new shortcut with the right mouse button and, from the context menu that will appear, select the 'Properties' item. Within the 'Link' tab, press the 'Change Icon' button. Select the icon you want from the list that appears, then press the 'OK' button.
Step 6. When you are ready, double click on your shortcut icon to start the computer shutdown procedure
You will see the countdown appear on the screen, along with your 'goodbye' message. As soon as the time is up, all open programs will be closed and Windows will be shut down.
Method 2 of 2: Windows 8
Step 1. Select Desktop mode
In Windows 8 you can access the desktop by selecting the 'Desktop' icon on the 'Start' screen. Alternatively you can use the 'Windows + D' hotkey combination. This will bring up the Windows desktop where you will be able to see different icons.
Step 2. Select anywhere on the desktop with the right mouse button
From the contextual menu that appeared, select the item 'New' and then choose 'Connection'.
Step 3. Enter the shutdown command
Inside the 'Enter the path for the connection' field, enter the following command 'shutdown / s' (without quotes). This command creates a shortcut that shuts down the system after waiting for 30 seconds (Windows default).
- If you want to change the wait time before the computer is turned off, add the parameter '/ t XXX' (without quotes) at the end of the command. 'XXX' represents the waiting time expressed in seconds before the command is executed. For example 'shutdown / s / t 45' (without quotes) shuts down the computer after waiting for 45 seconds.
- By setting the '/ t' parameter to '0', the computer will be shut down immediately without any waiting time.
Step 4. Name your link
By default the shortcut name will be set as 'shutdown.exe'. You can change this as you wish by going to the next step of the link creation wizard.
Step 5. Edit the link icon
If you want to use a custom icon for your shortcut instead of the default one assigned by Windows, select the new shortcut with the right mouse button and, from the context menu that will appear, select the 'Properties' item. Within the 'Connection' tab, press the 'Change Icon…' button. Select the icon you want from the list that appears, then press the 'OK' button.
Step 6. Add the shortcut you created to the 'Start' screen
After creating your shortcut, select it with the right mouse button and choose the 'Pin to Start' option from the context menu that appeared. This will create a new icon ('tile') within the 'Start' screen with which you can turn off your computer.
Advice
- To cancel the shutdown of the computer, open the 'Start' menu, select the 'Run' item and type the command 'shutdown -a' (without quotes). You can also create a desktop shortcut icon that cancels the shutdown process.
- This code terminates any running programs and finally shuts down the system. This is the normal way Windows shuts down its functionality and shuts down the computer when pressing the 'Shut Down' button from the 'Start' menu. If you want to shutdown the system immediately, without closing active programs, use the command 'shutdown -s -t 00' (without quotes). Don't worry about any open documents you are working on, you will be given the option to save them before the computer is turned off
