Shutdown command
Updated: 11/12/2023 by Computer Hope
The shutdown command lets you shut down a Windows computer from the command line. It also has additional features that are not available in Windows.
Note
The shutdown command closes the prompt window and then starts shutting down Windows. The result is the same as if you clicked Start menu → Power button → Shut down. To close the command line window only, see: How to close or exit the Windows command line.
Availability
Shutdown is an external command available for the following Microsoft Windows operating systems as shutdown.exe.
Shutdown syntax
Windows 10 and 11 syntax
shutdown [/i | /l | /s | /sg | /r | /g | /a | /p | /h | /e | /o] [/hybrid] [/soft] [/fw] [/f] [/m \\computer][/t xxx][/d [p|u:]xx:yy [/c "comment"]]
| No args | Display help. Same as typing /?. |
| /i | Display the GUI (graphical user interface). Must be the first switch used in the command. |
| /l | Log off. The /l switch cannot be used with /m or /d options. |
| /s | Shutdown the computer. |
| /sg | Shutdown the computer. On the next boot, if Automatic Restart Sign-On is enabled, automatically sign in and lock the last interactive user. |
| /r | Full shutdown and restart the computer. |
| /g | Full shutdown and restart the computer. After the system is rebooted, if Automatic Restart Sign-On is enabled, automatically sign in and lock the last interactive user. |
| /a | Abort a system shutdown. It can only be used during the time-out period. |
| /p | Turn off the local computer with no time-out or warning. It can be used with /d and /f options. |
| /h | Hibernate the local computer. It can be used with the /f option. |
| /hybrid | Performs a shutdown of the computer and prepares it for fast startup. Must be used with /s option. |
| /fw | Combine with a shutdown option to cause the next boot to go to the firmware user interface. |
| /e | Document the reason for an unexpected shutdown of a computer. |
| /o | Go to the advanced boot options menu and restart the computer. Must be used with /r option. |
| /m \\computer | Specify the target computer. |
| /t xxx | Set the time-out period before shutdown to xxx seconds. The valid range is 0-315360000 (10 years), with a default of 30. If the timeout period is greater than 0, the /f parameter is implied. |
| /c "comment" | Comment on the reason for the restart or shutdown. A maximum of 512 characters is allowed. |
| /f | Force running applications to close without forewarning users. The /f parameter is implied when a value greater than 0 is specified for the /t parameter. |
| /d [u] [p]:xx:yy | Provide the reason for the restart or shutdown. p - indicates that the restart or shutdown is planned. u - indicates that the reason is user defined. If neither p nor u is specified, the restart or shutdown is unplanned. xx - is the major reason number (positive integer less than 256). yy - is the minor reason number (positive integer less than 65536). |
Windows 8 syntax
shutdown [/i | /l | /s | /r | /g | /a | /p | /h | /e | /o] [/hybrid] [/f] [/m \\computer][/t xxx][/d [p|u:]xx:yy [/c "comment"]]
| No args | Display help. Same as typing /?. |
| /i | Display the GUI (graphical user interface). Must be the first switch used in the command. |
| /l | Log off. Note: The /l switch cannot be used with /m or /d options. |
| /s | Shutdown the computer. |
| /r | Full shutdown and restart the computer. |
| /g | Full shutdown and restart the computer. After the system is rebooted, restart any registered applications. |
| /a | Abort a system shutdown. But can only be used during the time-out period. |
| /p | Turn off the local computer with no time-out or warning. Can be used with /d and /f options. |
| /h | Hibernate the local computer. Can be used with the /f option. |
| /hybrid | Performs a shutdown of the computer and prepares it for fast startup. Must be used with /s option. |
| /e | Document the reason for an unexpected shutdown of a computer. |
| /o | Go to the advanced boot options menu and restart the computer. Must be used with /r option. |
| /m \\computer | Specify the target computer. |
| /t xxx | Set the time-out period before shutdown to xxx seconds. The valid range is 0-315360000 (10 years), with a default of 30. If the timeout period is greater than 0, the /f parameter is implied. |
| /c "comment" | Comment on the reason for the restart or shutdown. Maximum of 512 characters allowed. |
| /f | Force running applications to close without forewarning users. The /f parameter is implied when a value greater than 0 is specified for the /t parameter. |
| /d [u] [p]:xx:yy | Provide the reason for the restart or shutdown. Options: p - Indicates that the restart or shutdown is planned. u - Indicates that the reason is user-defined. If neither p nor u is specified, the restart or shutdown is unplanned. Reasons: xx - Is the primary reason number (positive integer less than 256). yy - Is the minor reason number (positive integer less than 65536). |
Windows Vista and 7 syntax
shutdown [/i | /l | /s | /r | /g | /a | /p | /h | /e] [/f] [/m \\computer] [/t xxx][/d [p|u:]xx:yy [/c "comment"]]
| No args | Display help. Same as typing -?. |
| /i | Display the GUI (graphical user interface). Must be the first switch used in the command. |
| /l | Log off. The /l switch cannot be used with /m or /d options. |
| /s | Shutdown the computer. |
| /r | Shutdown and restart the computer. |
| /g | Shutdown and restart the computer. After the system is rebooted, restart any registered applications. |
| /a | Abort a system shutdown during the time-out period. |
| /p | Turn off the local computer with no time-out or warning. It can be used with /d and /f options. |
| /h | Hibernate the local computer. It can be used with the /f option. |
| /e | Document the reason for an unexpected shutdown of a computer. |
| /m \\computer | \\computer Specify the target computer. |
| /t xxx | Set the time-out period before shutdown to xxx seconds. The valid range is 0-315360000 (10 years), with a default of 30. If the timeout period is greater than 0, the /f parameter is implied. |
| /c "comment" | Comment on the reason for the restart or shutdown. A maximum of 512 characters is allowed. |
| /f | Force running applications to close without forewarning users. The /f parameter is implied when a value greater than 0 is specified for the /t parameter. |
| /d [u] [p]:xx:yy | Provide the reason for the restart or shutdown. Options: p - Indicates that the restart or shutdown is planned. u - Indicates that the reason is user-defined. If neither p nor u is specified, the restart or shutdown is unplanned. Reasons: xx - Is the primary reason number (positive integer less than 256). yy - Is the minor reason number (positive integer less than 65536). |
Windows XP syntax
shutdown [-i | -l | -s | -r | -a] [-f] [-m \\computername] [-t xx] [-c "comment"] [-d up:xx:yy]
| No args | Display help. Same as typing -?. |
| -i | Display GUI interface, must be the first option. |
| -l | Log off (cannot be used with -m option). |
| -s | Shutdown the computer. |
| -r | Shutdown and restart the computer. |
| -a | Abort a system shutdown. |
| -m \\computername | Remote computer to shutdown/restart/abort. |
| -t xx | Set timeout for shutdown to xx seconds. |
| -c "comment" | Shutdown comment (maximum of 127 characters). |
| -f | Forces running applications to close without warning. |
| -d [u] [p]:xx:yy | The reason code for the shutdown. u - is the user code. p - is a planned shutdown code. xx - is the major reason code (positive integer less than 256). yy - is the minor reason code (positive integer less than 65536). |
Shutdown examples
Note
The earlier version of the shutdown command uses a dash (-) instead of a forward slash (/) for its options.
shutdown -r -c "Rebooting for latest updates."
This command would display a Windows system shutdown window for 30 seconds. This window would warn the user that the computer shuts down and then restarts the computer.
shutdown -i
Ran from either the command line or from the Windows run line, this option would open the remote shutdown dialog window.
shutdown /h
Place the computer in hibernation mode in Windows.
shutdown /l
Immediately logs off the current user in Windows.
shutdown /s /t 60
Shuts down the computer after 60 seconds.
shutdown /s /m \\PC123 /t 20
Shuts down remote computer name "PC123" after 20 seconds.
shutdown /s /t 45
shutdown /a
The first command initiates a computer shutdown after 45 seconds. The second command aborts the shutdown if it's executed in the shutdown timeout period, which is 45 seconds in this example.