[Windows 11/10] Troubleshooting - Unable to Shut Down

Sometimes, it may simply be that the system is taking longer to shut down due to certain tasks it is processing. Therefore, the system may require more time to shut down due to ongoing operations. It is recommended to wait for a while to see if the system resumes normal operation on its own.

Please remove all external devices, including keyboards, mice, external hard drives, printers, memory cards, CDs in the optical drive, and adapter cards in the card reader, etc. Sometimes, external devices may cause your device to fail to shut down properly.

Note: Also, remove all external displays. For desktop computers, connect an external display to ensure that the computer can display.

If your device is still on the Windows desktop and operational, you can try performing a full shutdown.

Click the [Start] icon① on the taskbar, then click the [Power] icon②, hold down the [Shift] key on the keyboard③ and simultaneously click [Shut down]④ to perform a full shutdown. (The left image shows the Windows 11 operation screen; the right image shows the Windows 10 operation screen)

Note: You can also refer to this article to Disable Fast Startup in Windows. After disabling Fast Startup, click the [Power] icon again and select [Shut down].

Corruption of Windows system files may also cause the inability to shut down. If your device is still on the Windows desktop and operational, you can try using the built-in Windows System File Checker tool to check and repair missing or corrupted system files.

1. Type and search [Command Prompt] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Run as administrator]②. (The left-side search illustration below is in Windows 11, and the right-side is Windows 10.)  
   
2. In Command Prompt, type [DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth] and press the Enter on the keyboard③.  
   
3. When the command operation is successfully executed and a confirmation message ‘The restore operation completed successfully’ is present, please enter [sfc /scannow] and press Enter on the keyboard④.  
   
4. Wait until the sfc scan verification reaches 100% completion, then close Command Prompt and try shutting down again.  
   

If your device has been stuck on the 'Shutting down' screen for a long time, you can try the following solutions:

1. Attempt a force shutdown. Press and hold the power button until the power light goes off to shut down the device.
2. Try performing an EC reset (hard reset) or RTC reset can restore the hardware to its default state. For detailed steps, please refer to the following articles:
   Notebook/All-in-One PC/Gaming handheld: How to Reset the Embedded Controller (EC), Real-Time Clock (RTC), and Perform a Hard Reset
   Desktop PC: How to clear CMOS
   If your device boots into Windows after restarting, please update the BIOS, Windows packages, and drivers to the latest version to prevent future issues.
3. Update BIOS, Windows updates, and drivers:  
   Regularly updating BIOS, Windows, and drivers can enhance system stability and performance. Ensure that your device is using the latest versions. Learn more about updating BIOS:  
   How to update the BIOS version in Windows system  
   How to use EZ Flash to update the BIOS version  
   (For desktop products, please refer to ASUS Motherboard EZ Flash 3 Introduction.)  
   Learn more about updating Windows and drivers:  
   How to execute Windows Update  
   How to update drivers via System Update in MyASUS