One windows command can be used to shutdown, restart as well as logoff a user in Windows. This and many other options are provided by the “shutdown” command. In order to find out more options of any command, type :
COMMAND /? – command name followed by a forward slash and a question mark.
in Command Prompt ( WIN + R » cmd – here are some more Windows Keyboard shortcuts. You can run any command from Command Prompt or typing the command with full option into the RUN Dialog ( WIN + R ) The main use of all these commands come in batch files and task scheduling. All of these commands are pretty easy to use, please read the article completely before complaining 
Table of contents
Basic form of “shutdown”
The most basic form of the command is :
shutdown -OPTION
OR
shutdown /OPTION
Both perform the same thing – execute shutdown command with option OPTION. OPTION can take many values, only the ones of interest to us are mentioned here.
-l – Logs off the current user
-s – Shutdown the computer
-r – Restart the computer
-a – Aborts a current shutdown command execution
-t XX – if this is added with any of the above ones, you can specify after what time ( XX seconds ) the system should execute the OPTION.
A Simple example and a Screenshot
Here the OPTIONs specify that shutdown command should shutdown the command after 120 seconds.
RUNning "shutdown" command with options -s -t 120
shutdown -s -t 120
The screen result will be something like this :
Before shutdown, the logged in user is warned about the event and the time frame.
Canceling a shutdown
If you have given the time parameter -t XX you will have sometime before the command kicks you out. In that time, if you want to cancel the event just type :
shutdown -a -Abort a shutdown
shutdown Aborted - notification
Add a message
You can add a custom message with shutdown so that, instead of the time frame warning, the user will be presented with your message.
shutdown -s -t 120 -c “You are so screwed”
will present the user with the message – “You are so screwed” as below :
Custom message with "shutdown"
Links
More about shutdown on Microsoft KB | Built in parental control in Windows XP
Some related articles you may like :
- Running a command, applying changes and other Windows Techniques
- Hide files under other files (merge) using command prompt
- Built in parental control in Windows XP – control user login times
- Batch files to automate tasks in Windows environment – tutorial
- Free parental control software for Windows, MAC and iPhone
- Correction to the list files and folders from a directory to a file
- What are the hidden files and folders
- First step to a cleaner and faster Windows – understand the Registry
16 Comments
Just to add so everyone can find the info on this page – use shutdown – i for remote reboot. It provides a GUI interface
For shutdown at 9:00pm
“at 21:00 shutdown -s”
without Quoutes..!!
Hi All,
To shutdown a computer via a network or lan.. click stat / run / shutdown -i
Enter the compuer name. Select the option from the drop down menu “shutdown” “Restart” or “Logoff” set the time to show the message. then have the message to what ever you like then press ok.
Dear Leam it work in windows 7 please follow the instruction it helps in all the command
shutdown -r
shutdown -s
shutdown -l
i did the shutdown trick and tried to abort it but it didnt work. maybe its because i windows 7.
You are right, PS tools does have that. I haven’t tried this on another Win machine, but the doc says that.
I don’t think you can run this command on a remote computer. I think pstools can help you acheive this. PSTools lets you run commands on remote computers.
Great Job! I have a bone deformity in my mouse hand and due to the pain that come after an extended period of time with a mouse, this makes my life just a little easier. Thanks so much!
please send me an instruction on how to shutdown other user’s desktop using command sign.
Hi Karry,
.
that’s true. Even I was thinking about changing it. Will change it soon
Hi man, I like your blog but you should really change the blog template, this one is not very good.
I’m trying to test this batch file but not working, can somebody how I can change it to work:
%rightnow% = time /t
%starttime% = “12:00 AM”
%endtime% = “05:00 AM”
rem “trying to find out if current time is between 12 and 5 AM”
if “%rightnow” geq “%startime” and %rightnow% leq %endtime%
echo “between 12 and 5 AM”
else
echo “it is okey”
end
quit
Hi Phalla,
can you please tell me the specific error shown when you type the command.. or better can you add a screen shot of the command prompt when you do this.
i know all this command but i cannot restart a pc in network. why? All you detail about this command are useful but i still cannot do it.
Hi Arne please try the IP of the computer you are trying to shutdown. Use IP.IP.IP.IP instead of \\XXXXX The IP of the remote computer can be found easily by opening the command prompt and then typing “ping \\XXXXX” You can see the IP there. Please tell me if your problem have been resolved.
Hello! When i am using any commands on my computer it works great, but if i’m trying to use it on a computer in a LAN it doesn’t word, it just syas that it can’t find the network adress.
I’m typing in the following command:
shutdown /s /m \\XXXXX /t 005
and i’ve checked that the computer name is correct.