10 Ways to Restart Windows PC in Different Situations
Whether you’re a new Windows user or an advanced one, you may come across a situation where you might need a different method to restart your laptop or PC. These situations could be rebooting your PC when it freezes, restarting without logging into Windows, or simply wanting a one-click restart option. So here are different ways to restart your Windows computer based on various scenarios and preferences.
Table of Contents
How to Restart Windows From Start
Let’s start with something simple and well-known method, i.e. restarting your PC from Start. If you’re already familiar with this method, you can skip to the next section.
1. Start Menu
The most widely used approach to restart a Windows PC is through the Start menu. You just have to click on theStart menu, hit thePowericon, and select theRestartoption. That’s it.
2. Power User Menu
The Power User menu or WinX menu is another great way to reboot your computer. Simply right-click on theStartmenu, click theShut down or sign outoption and hitRestart.
How to Restart When Your Windows PC Freezes
Many of us have been in a situation where our Windows app orgame freezes unexpectedly, leaving us completely stuck on the screen. To deal with such a situation, you can use the following method to restart your PC.
1. Ctrl + Alt + Delete Shortcut
When your computer freezes, it’s always a good idea to restart the system. However, if you’reunable to restart from the Start menu, you can simultaneously pressCtrl + Alt + Deleteon your keyboard.
This will open up a new screen. Now click on thePowericon in the bottom right corner and hitRestart.
2. Use the Power Button
If the above method doesn’t work, you can press and hold thePower buttonuntil your PC shuts down, and theWindows boot-up screenappears.
3. Lock Screen
Another alternative you can try is restarting your Windows from the lock screen. Here’s a quick guide:
1.UseWindows Key + Lshortcut to lock your PC.
2.Nowfrom your login screen, click on thePowericon in the bottom right corner and select theRestartoption.
Tip:Learn how todisable ads everywhere on Windows 11
How to Quickly Restart Windows Using Shortcuts
Are you sick of navigating through menus just to restart your laptop/PC? Worry not. In this section, you will learn a few new shortcuts that will help you reboot your Windows system in no time.
1. Desktop Shortcut
Lots of folks rely on desktop shortcuts on their Windows computers to quickly access their files, games, and apps. In fact, you may even add a restart shortcut on your desktop to instantly reboot your Windows PC. Here’s how to create a restart shortcut:
1.Right-clickon an empty area of your desktop and then navigate toNew > Shortcut.
2.In the text field, enter“Shutdown -r -t 00”and hitNext.
3.Give a name to yourshortcutand clickFinish.
That’s it. Now all you need to do is double-click theshortcut iconand it will restart your computer.
2. Alt + F4 Shortcut
Thiskeyboard shortcutis one of the oldest methods for shutting down or restarting a Windows PC.
1.When you’re on the Windows desktop, simply pressAlt + F4on your keyboard, and a small window dialog will appear.
2.Now all you need to do is click on thedrop-downmenu or use theDown Arrowkey and then select theRestartoption.
3.Now hit theOKbutton orEnterkey to restart your Windows.
Pro Tip:Use the Down Arrow key and hit the Enter key to quickly restart the PC.
3. PowerToys Search
You can also tryMicrosoft’s PowerToysapp, which comes with hundreds of features, and among them is thePowerToys Run. It is similar to the MacOS Spotlight feature and also lets you quickly restart your PC from anywhere. Simply hit theAlt + Spaceshortcut to invoke PowerToys Run and typerestartand then hitEnterkey.
How to Restart Windows From Command Line
If you’re looking to restart your computer from the command line, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this section, we will demonstrate how to do it using both CMD and PowerShell.
1. Command Prompt
To reboot your PC using Command Prompt, follow the below steps:
1.Open theWindows Search(Windows Key + S) and searchCommand Prompt.
2.Once found,right-clickon it and chooseRun as administrator.
3.After that, type the followingcommandand hitEnter.
Pro Tip:You can set a timer for restarting by replacing the’00’seconds with the desired number of seconds.
2. PowerShell
To restart your computer using PowerShell, follow these steps:
1.OpenWindows Searchand look forPowerShell.
2.Once found, simplyright-clickand select theRun as administratoroption.
3.Next, enter the followingcommandand pressEnter.
Tip:Learn the majordifference between Command Prompt and PowerShell
Reboot Windows PC in Any Circumstance
Knowing only one way to restart the computer is sufficient, but being familiar with multiple methods can be crucial in different situations. We hope the above guide provides you with a comprehensive understanding of various restart techniques to suit your specific needs.
Rahul is your go-to guide for fixing Windows, Steam, Android, Samsung TV, and Google Chrome. An engineering college dropout who followed his passion for tech, he brings 3 years of troubleshooting experience and 2+ years of running his own tech blog to the table. When he’s not solving your tech problems, you’ll find him unwinding with the latest anime or K-drama.
