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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene has been writing and editing tech content at wikiHow since 2019. She previously worked for AppleCare, served as a writing tutor, volunteered in IT at an animal rescue, and taught as an adjunct professor for EN101 and EN102. Darlene has completed Coursera courses on technology, writing, and language. She holds both a BA (2011) and an MA (2012) from Rowan University in Writing, with a focus on workplace communication. With her extensive experience, academic background, and ongoing learning, Darlene has become the go-to grammar expert for her friends and family, as well as a skilled wordsmith for anyone in need.
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Windows 10 has a feature that can automatically shutdown your computer according to a schedule you set. But you might be working or gaming late and don't want your computer to automatically shut down. This wikiHow will teach you how to cancel auto-shutdown using the run command, the command prompt, or PowerShell. However, if you use power-saving settings to save your battery life when your laptop isn't plugged into a power source, you may also need to change those settings in Power Options.
Steps
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Press Win+R (to open Run) or open Command Prompt or PowerShell. Pressing the Win + R key combination will open the Run window.- You'll find Command Prompt or PowerShell in your Start menu. Since PowerShell is replacing Command Prompt for many modern Windows 10 computers, you can also select PowerShell in the menu that pops up when you press Win + X.[1]
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Enter the following command: shutdown -a. This command will cancel the scheduled shutdown for one time. You'll have to repeat this process if you want to cancel other scheduled shutdowns.[2]Advertisement -
Click OK (in the Run window) or ↵ Enter (in Command Prompt or PowerShell). It's below the place where you entered the code in the Run window and will prompt it to close.[3]
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Open Settings. You can press Win + I to open Settings, or you can find it in your Start menu next to a gear icon. -
Click System. It should be the first icon in the menu.[4] -
Click Power and sleep. You should see this in the menu on the left side of the window.[5] -
Click Additional power settings. This is towards the right side of the window.[6] -
Click Change plan settings. You'll see this to the right of your current plan. -
Click Change advanced power settings. It's under the general settings. -
Double-click Sleep and Sleep After. Double-clicking these will expand their menus. -
Click On Battery or Plugged in, select the arrow and choose "Never" (laptop only). If you want to change the setting for both of these options, repeat the process for the one you didn't already change.[7] -
Click Setting, select the arrow and choose "Never" (desktop only). You will not see this if you're on a laptop.- Changing the "Sleep" settings to "Never" will ensure that your computer never goes to sleep.
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Double-click Hibernate after. A menu will expand below the header. -
Click On Battery or Plugged in, click the arrow and choose "Never" (laptop only). If you want to change the setting for both of these options, repeat the process for the one you didn't already change. -
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhy is Windows shutting down automatically?
wikiHow Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff Answer
wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerAuto shutdown can happen to keep your computer safe from hardware issues, software issues, or overheating. Your computer might also have special auto shutdown settings set to shut your computer down at a specific time. -
QuestionHow do I change my auto shutdown time in Windows?
wikiHow Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff Answer
wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerTo change the automatic shutdown time for your computer, open Task Scheduler. Then, edit the task that's been set to shut your computer down at a specific time. You can change the time your computer will automatically shut down here. -
QuestionHow do I quickly stop my computer from automatically shutting down?
wikiHow Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff Answer
wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerWhile your computer is shutting down, quickly press Win + R to open the Run dialog. Then, run the command "shutdown -a" (without quotes). This will stop your computer from finishing the shutdown process.
Video
Tips
References
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/command-prompt-and-windows-powershell-6453ce98-da91-476f-8651-5c14d5777c20
- ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/shutdown
- ↑ https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/article/how-to-cancel-automatic-shutdown-in-windows-10/
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/shut-down-sleep-or-hibernate-your-pc-2941d165-7d0a-a5e8-c5ad-8c972e8e6eff
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/power-settings-in-windows-11-0d6a2b6b-2e87-4611-9980-ac9ea2175734
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/power-settings-in-windows-11-0d6a2b6b-2e87-4611-9980-ac9ea2175734
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/shut-down-sleep-or-hibernate-your-pc-2941d165-7d0a-a5e8-c5ad-8c972e8e6eff
- ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/how-manage-custom-power-plans-windows-10
- ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/setup-upgrade-and-drivers/disable-and-re-enable-hibernation
About This Article
1. Press Win + R (to open Run) or open Command Prompt or PowerShell.
2. Enter the following command: "shutdown -a".
3. Click OK (in the Run window) or press Enter (in Command Prompt or PowerShell).
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