Here are five ways to shut down Windows like a hacker without using the Start menu
Perhaps you're curious about how to end your computer without using the Start menu, or perhaps your Start menu is blocked. Thankfully, you don't have to use the traditional power button to shut down your computer; there are alternative methods. We'll experiment with new techniques like commands, shortcut creation, and other keyboard shortcuts to achieve these various shutdown methods.
These tips are the best because they are compatible with both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and you don't need to install any programs or add-ons because they are built into your operating system by default. So let's see what tricks we're discussing without wasting any more time.
Using the straightforward Alt + F4 key combination on the desktop is one of the fastest ways to end your computer without having to go to the Start menu. You can select from a list of options in a window that opens on your desktop after you press the combination. Naturally, the one that reads "Shut down computer" is the one we're looking for.
We also have the option to shut it down from the Power User menu. A menu displaying a number of system actions will appear if we press the Win+X combination. "Shut down or sign out" is one such. The only thing left to do is choose the shutdown option.
Entering the following command in CMD or the Windows Run window will also enable us to turn it off like a pro:
shutdown /s /f /t 0
If your computer is running very slowly or even freezing, one option we can choose is to press the key combination Ctrl + Alt + Super. On the screen that appears, you'll see a Power On/Off icon in the lower-right corner. Click it to shut down your computer, and this will happen even if the Start menu is unresponsive.
We can also create a shortcut on the desktop itself to shut down our computer by double-clicking it. This will shut it down like a lightning bolt if we're looking for speed. To create it, right-click anywhere on the desktop and select "New." Then select "Shortcut." In the "Access Location" field, type the same command as above:
shutdown /s /f /t 0
The next thing to do is click "Next." You'll need to give it a name, such as "Shut Down Computer," and you're done.
However, if you want the icon to be attractive and easy to recognize so you can see it more quickly, right-click on it and select Properties, then Change Icon.