How to Fix the Issue of "Update and Shut Down" doesn't work in Windows 11 or Windows 10?
WindowsLatest reported on July 31 that on Windows 11 and 10, selecting “Update and Shut Down” does not work as expected—the system fails to shut down. Based on current user feedback, this is not an uncommon issue. Reddit threads and hundreds of posts in the Feedback Center confirm that many users have experienced the same behavior. However, it is important to note that the feature works correctly for many users, though a small minority are unable to use it.
On Windows 10 or 11, selecting the Update and Shut Down option from the power menu is treated as more of an expression of preference than an actual command. Selecting the option installs the update but returns us to the login screen. On the login screen, we need to press any key to reaccess the power option and shut down the PC.
“Why even offer an “Update and shut down” option if you are going to restart instead anyhow? I assumed it would restart a few times and then shut down. Instead, I come up to the login screen. This is pretty inconvenient if I want to remove a device while the computer is off or even if I just am done for the day and want not to waste power overnight,” a frustrated user noted in a post on Feedback Hub.
Why ‘Update and shut down’ doesn’t shut down Windows 11 or 10 PCs?
To understand what causes “Update and Shutdown” to act as “Update and Restart,” the WindowsLatest website asked a former Microsoft developer.
The first involves the Fast Startup feature, a unique aspect of Windows designed to speed up boot times. During the shutdown process, Fast Startup saves some system information to a file, which helps the system boot up faster during the next startup. However, this feature may inadvertently cause the PC to restart instead of completely shutting down during the installation process of Windows updates.
Another reason could be the nature of the update process itself. If you do not install updates for weeks or months or if an update hasn’t been fully completed, Windows 11 or 10 might need to restart to continue with the installation.
As a result, using the “update and shut down” option to install updates does not work as expected and instead results in a restart. This issue is also present in Windows 7, 8, and 10 and is now in Windows 11.
Restart Windows Update
According to the reasons put forward by former Microsoft developers, Sinokap recommends that if you encounter this problem, you can try to update Windows first.
Step 1：
Open the Start menu, type Windows Update, and then click Windows Update Settings on the search results.
Step 2:
On the Windows Update portal, click Restart Now if available.
However, is this something Microsoft plans to improve in the future? At present, the company has not provided an answer. If Microsoft officially responds to this issue and proposes a solution, Sinokap will update you promptly!
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