How to add Shutdown desktop shortcut in Windows 11

Shutting down your computer is a routine task, but navigating through the Start menu every time can be a hassle. If you're looking for a quicker method, here's how to add a dedicated Shutdown shortcut to your Windows 11 desktop or Taskbar.

Table of Contents

Add Shutdown button to desktop

Creating a “Shutdown” shortcut on your Windows 11 desktop doesn’t require any third-party software. It’s as simple as adding any other icon to your Windows 11 desktop. Instead of specifying a location, you just type the command for the shortcut.

To create a shortcut for the Shutdown command on Windows, follow these steps:

  1. Right click on any empty space on the desktop.
  2. Click New and select Shortcut from the submenu.
  3. Type shutdown /s /t 0 into the location text box and click Next .
  4. Enter a suitable name for the shortcut, such as Shutdown, in the name text box.
  5. Click Finish to confirm.
How to add Shutdown desktop shortcut in Windows 11
Create Shutdown shortcut for Windows

And that's it! You can now double-click your newly created Shutdown shortcut to quickly shut down your computer. By default, the Shutdown button will look like any other shortcut on your desktop, but you can customize it to reduce the risk of accidentally clicking it.

Here are the steps to follow.

  1. Right-click the Shutdown shortcut and select Properties.
  2. In the Shortcut tab , click the Change Icon button .
  3. In the Change Icon dialog box , select the icon you like and click OK.
  4. Click ApplyOK to save your changes.
How to add Shutdown desktop shortcut in Windows 11
Change shortcut icons on Windows 11

You can also download and apply custom icons from sites like IconArchive if the stock icons don't work for you. However, you'll need to download your preferred icon first. Once done, repeat the steps above and click the Browse option in the "Change Icon" dialog box to select and apply.

Similarly, you can set up Restart and Sleep buttons on your Windows 11 desktop. However, you will need to use different commands for them in the location text box in the Create Shortcut window . Here are the commands you need to enter for the Restart and Sleep functions:

  • Restart : shutdown /r /t 0
  • Sleep : rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0

Pin Shutdown shortcut to Taskbar

Do you like having a "Shutdown" button on the Taskbar? If so, you can also pin the Shutdown button to the Taskbar. To do so, right-click on the button, select Show more options > Pin to taskbar .

Once you're done, you can delete the desktop shortcut if you want. To do so, right-click the Shutdown shortcut on your desktop and select Delete (the trash can icon).

How to add Shutdown desktop shortcut in Windows 11
Pin Shutdown shortcut to Taskbar

Create a shortcut for the Shutdown button

If you're a fan of shortcuts, you can also quickly shut down your Windows 11 PC using a hotkey. To do this, you'll need to assign a shortcut to the Shutdown button on your screen. Here's how.

  1. Right-click the Shutdown button on the desktop and select Properties .
  2. Go to the Shortcut tab and select the Shortcut key field .
  3. Press the key combination you want to use.
  4. Select Apply > OK .
How to add Shutdown desktop shortcut in Windows 11
Assign a shortcut key to the Shutdown button on Windows

Once you have completed the above steps, you can simply press the assigned hotkey to shut down your Windows computer. It is best to avoid assigning hotkeys that you might accidentally press. Also, remember that the shortcut must be on the desktop for the hotkey to work, so make sure you do not delete the Shortcut button on the desktop.

While shutting down Windows 11 via the Start menu is straightforward, adding a Shutdown shortcut to your desktop or Taskbar can make the process more convenient. Additionally, for those times when you want to shut down your computer without using your mouse, setting up a shortcut for the Shutdown button can be useful.

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

If you don't care about having extra bloatware on your system, there are ways to remove or disable Windows Copilot on Windows 11.

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

Laptop batteries degrade over time and lose capacity, resulting in less battery life. But after tweaking some deeper Windows 11 settings, you should see a significant improvement in battery life.

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

The year 2023 saw Microsoft betting heavily on artificial intelligence and its partnership with OpenAI to make Copilot a reality.

Microsoft details Bluetooth LE Audio requirements and support for Windows 11, 10

Microsoft details Bluetooth LE Audio requirements and support for Windows 11, 10

Microsoft introduced Bluetooth LE (low energy) Audio support with Windows 11 22H2 KB5026446 (build 22621.1778), also known as Moment 3, in May 2023.

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows 11 has officially launched, compared to Windows 10 Windows 11 also has many changes, from the interface to new features. Please follow the details in the article below.

What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

There's always something incredibly cool about the nostalgic user interface of 90s versions of Windows.

Microsoft: TPM 2.0 in Windows 11 is mandatory and non-negotiable

Microsoft: TPM 2.0 in Windows 11 is mandatory and non-negotiable

More than three years ago, when Microsoft announced Windows 11, the operating system immediately caused a lot of controversy.

2 ways to create Windows 11 bootable USB using Mac

2 ways to create Windows 11 bootable USB using Mac

Creating a Windows 11 bootable USB on a Mac is definitely more difficult than on a Windows PC, but it's not impossible.

Should I update Windows 11 now?

Should I update Windows 11 now?

Windows 11 officially launched on October 5, 2021. Unlike previous major Windows 10 upgrades, Microsoft is not encouraging people to upgrade this time.

Super slimmed down Windows 11 version is just over 100MB in size

Super slimmed down Windows 11 version is just over 100MB in size

Developer NTDEV has created a stripped down version of Windows 11 that's just 100MB.

More Windows 11 PCs Will Soon Get AI Copilot+

More Windows 11 PCs Will Soon Get AI Copilot+

Microsoft debuted most of its more advanced AI features with the Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PC, leaving many Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs out of the picture.

Windows 11 Market Share Is Quickly Catching Up to Windows 10

Windows 11 Market Share Is Quickly Catching Up to Windows 10

The October 2024 report provides an overview of Windows 11's market share compared to other versions of Windows.

Windows 11 will make a much-needed change to the Start menu

Windows 11 will make a much-needed change to the Start menu

The latest change being tested solves one of the most annoying things with Windows 11's Start menu, and hopefully it will actually make it to release.

How to hide/unhide the Taskbar on Windows 11

How to hide/unhide the Taskbar on Windows 11

In Windows 11, the taskbar takes up only a small portion of the display space at the bottom of the screen.

How to Restore WordPad in Windows 11

How to Restore WordPad in Windows 11

Microsoft is killing off its free rich text editor WordPad at the end of 2023 in an effort to transition users to premium Office apps.

How to fix “Well Need Your Current Windows Password” error on Windows 10/11

How to fix “Well Need Your Current Windows Password” error on Windows 10/11

Are you getting the “We'll need your current Windows password one last time” error? This annoying pop-up can prevent you from getting things done.

Quickly fix Unmountable Boot Volume error on Windows 10/11

Quickly fix Unmountable Boot Volume error on Windows 10/11

The Unmountable Boot Volume error occurs due to some installed software conflicting with the operating system or due to the computer suddenly shutting down,... In the article below, WebTech360 will guide you through some ways to fix this error.

How to Fix Clipboard History Error in Windows 11 Latest Update

How to Fix Clipboard History Error in Windows 11 Latest Update

If you use Clipboard History to store data for later use, there is a small chance that the data will remain empty no matter what you try.

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

If you don't care about having extra bloatware on your system, there are ways to remove or disable Windows Copilot on Windows 11.

Why is the laptop battery percentage estimate never accurate?

Why is the laptop battery percentage estimate never accurate?

Most laptop users have encountered a situation where Windows shows 2 hours of battery life left, then five minutes later it jumps to 5 hours or even 1 hour. Why does this time jump around like that?

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

Laptop batteries degrade over time and lose capacity, resulting in less battery life. But after tweaking some deeper Windows 11 settings, you should see a significant improvement in battery life.

Microsoft: PCs running Windows 11 21H2/22H2 will be forced to update to 23H2 next month

Microsoft: PCs running Windows 11 21H2/22H2 will be forced to update to 23H2 next month

Windows 11 version 21H2 is one of the major original releases of Windows 11 that began rolling out globally on October 4, 2021.

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

The year 2023 saw Microsoft betting heavily on artificial intelligence and its partnership with OpenAI to make Copilot a reality.

How to Disable User Accounts on Windows 11

How to Disable User Accounts on Windows 11

You can disable User Accounts so that others can no longer access your computer.

Buying a Windows laptop is harder than ever

Buying a Windows laptop is harder than ever

Is the NPU different enough to delay purchase and wait for the PC Copilot+ to become mainstream?

How to turn on and off battery saving mode on Windows 11 laptop

How to turn on and off battery saving mode on Windows 11 laptop

Windows 11's Battery saver mode is a feature designed to extend laptop battery life.

Microsoft Launches New Sticky Notes App for Windows 11

Microsoft Launches New Sticky Notes App for Windows 11

After keeping things the same for years, the Sticky Note update in mid-2024 changed the game.

How to fix IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error on Windows

How to fix IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error on Windows

The IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error is a memory-related error that typically occurs when a system process or driver attempts to access a memory address without proper access permissions.

6 Ways to Copy File and Folder Paths in Windows 11

6 Ways to Copy File and Folder Paths in Windows 11

Paths are the locations of files or folders in Windows 11. All paths include the folders you need to open to get to a specific location.

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows 11 has officially launched, compared to Windows 10 Windows 11 also has many changes, from the interface to new features. Please follow the details in the article below.