If you usually shutdown Windows using the ‘Start’ menu, you may have been a little frustrated by how long this can sometimes take; there are other, often quicker ways.

The other (and often faster) ways of saying goodnight to your Windows Operating System include:

  • For Windows 8 or  newer, use the shortcut Windows key -X to open the menu, then press U, and U again.
  • Use the built-in shutdown command. Press Windows-R to open the run box, then type:
    shutdown /s /f /t 0.
  • Hold down Alt-F4, and click ‘OK’ when the Shut Down Windows prompt opens. With this method, you will need to click on the desktop first to make sure it is active, and although it may not be the fastest of all methods, it works in all versions of the operating system.