Though Windows 10 will officially reach the end of support by October 2025, still more than 66% of users are using it. Since there will be no new features released, you can expect the OS to face many problems as a whole. Slow shutdown problem is one such an existing problem in Windows 10, especially when you are using organization’s laptop. There could be many reasons like incompatible third-party software and shutting down of many apps may take longer time. But, you don’t have to worry about these problems. In this article, we are going to show you some of the best practices to overcome these shutdown issues in Windows 10.
Fix Windows 10 Slow Shutdown Issues
Follow the given below practices the fix the Windows 10 slow shutdown issues. This can also help in fixing improper shutdown of your computer.
1. Run Power Troubleshooter
The power timeout settings can affect your PC on various levels and the shutdown process is one of them. This checks how long the PC waits before turning off the display and to enter in sleep mode. Troubleshooting can help in fixing this slow shutdown issue. Most people find this step the easiest and fast working for them. To troubleshoot power settings:
- Press ‘Win + I’ shortcut keys to open Windows Settings app.
- Click on ‘Update & Security’, then go to the ‘Troubleshoot’ section from the left-side menu.
- Scroll downwards a bit and click on the ‘Power’ option.
- Click on ‘Run the Troubleshooter’. It will start detecting the problems and if it founds, go ahead fixing it.
2. Disable Fast Startup
Fast startup can help to boot your computer after a shutdown. However, sometimes it will affect the shutdown process and make it slower. To disable this option in Windows 10:
- On your keyboard, press ‘Windows key + R’ and type ‘powercfg.cpl‘ in it.
- Hit the enter key to open Power Options in the Control Panel app.
- From the left-hand side, click on ‘Choose what the power buttons do’.
- Then, click on the link ‘Change settings that are currently unavailable’.
- Uncheck the ‘Turn on fast startup’ option under “Shutdown settings” at the bottom.
- Click on ‘Save changes’ button.
3. Reset Power Plan
Resetting your power plan can be helpful in fixing that current issue. If you have been using a customized power plan then try resetting it once. To reset the power plan in Windows 10:
- Go to the ‘Start’ menu and type ‘Control Panel’ then hit the enter key.
- From the top-right filter, choose ‘Large icons’ and navigate to the ‘Power Options’ section.
- Select the power plan according to your requirement and click on ‘Change plan settings’.
- Click on ‘Change advanced power settings’.
- In the power options window, click on the ‘Restore plan defaults’ button.
- Click on ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ button.
4. Disable Antivirus
Microsoft Defender (part of Windows Security) is the only antivirus pre-installed in Windows nowadays. Believe us, it does its job pretty well. If you are using any third-party antivirus app, it may affect the performance of your system. Either you can uninstall it or disable it for an hour and shutdown the system to take a look on the impact.
- Open your third-party antivirus from the Taskbar or from the Start menu.
- Disable it for sometime. If it affects then uninstall it. It’s your choice.
Apps like Avast allows you to disable for a specific time as shown below.
5. Update Your Computer
Outdated version of Windows can also be the cause of your issues of shutting down the PC. It’s a good thing that you keep your Windows updated every time.
- Go to your ‘Start’ menu then open the ‘Settings’ app.
- Click on ‘Update & Security’ then click on ‘Check Updates’ button.
- If there are available updates, install them.
6. Run CHKDSK Command
Shutting down problems can arise from your hard disk / drives also. Any bad sectors can be a cause of this issue which you can fix by running ‘CHKDSK’ command.
- Open Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell as an administrator.
- Type CHKDSK C: /F /R /X and hit the enter key. Then, press ‘Y’ and enter key again.
7. Running a Malware Scan
We don’t have to tell you what a malware is and how it can affect your PC. But, we know how to fix its damage and to remove that.
- Download and install the ‘Malwarebytes’ from their website.
- Hit that ‘Scan Now’ button and wait until it completes scanning.
- If it detects the virus/malware, select all of them and delete them from your system.
8. Other Points to Check
- Make sure that there are no external devices connected to your system. If you have an external hard drive, USB or another device, disconnect them first and then try shutting down your PC.
- Close all running processes and programs before shutting down. Windows will show a warning prompt with the running processes affecting system’s shutdown. You can check and close the programs / processes properly instead of continuing with the shutdown.
Conclusion
We hope one of the above mentioned solutions helped you to fix slow shutting down issue of your Windows 10 computer. If you still notice the problem persists, then we recommend to check your computer with the authorized service provider.
