Teaching the computer to shut down on its own is useful for many users. If you leave the last season of the series to download at night, want to limit the time of computer games for your child, or simply save on electricity as much as possible, you need a computer shutdown timer for Windows 7, 8 and 10. Consider third-party tools and programs built into Windows.
Automatic shutdown of the computer in Windows 7 or 10 can be configured using the OS itself, without installing other applications. But there is no beautiful shell for this action, you will have to write a number of parameters on the command line or in the scheduler.
Command line
To launch the command line, in the "Start" menu, find the "System Tools" section and click on the item of the same name. A window will appear with a black background and a blinking cursor. You can also open "Run" or hold down Win + R, you will see a small line. Enter the command shutdown / s / t N into it. Here “shutdown” is the name of the function, “/ s” is the parameter for completely shutting down the PC, “/ t N” indicates that the shutdown will take place in N seconds.
If you need to shutdown the computer through the command line after 1 hour, type shutdown /s /t 3600 and click OK. A system message will appear stating that the PC will be turned off after a specified period of time. Before shutting down, you will be prompted to manually close running applications.
To close all programs forcibly, without your participation, add the /f parameter to the formula. If you decide to remove the timer, enter the shutdown /a command, then the computer's auto-shutdown will be canceled. To end the session, use the /l option instead of /s, to put the PC to sleep - the /h option.
If you regularly need to turn off the computer via the command line, prepare a shortcut for the operation. To do this, right-click on the desktop, in the "Create" menu, go to "Shortcut". In the window, enter the path to the program "C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe" with the necessary parameters. Auto-shutdown after 1 hour with the closure of all applications will correspond to the command "C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe /s /f /t 3600".
Next, give the icon a name and click Finish. To change the picture, in the properties of the shortcut, select "Change Icon". Then, to activate the timer, you only need to double-click on the tab, and the computer will turn off after a specified number of seconds.
You can use the Task Scheduler tool to shut down your computer in Windows 10 or any other version. It is hidden in the "Administrative Tools" section of the Start menu, and the application can also be called with the taskschd.msc line by pressing Win + R.
How to set a timer to turn off a Windows 7 or 10 computer: in the "Action" submenu, click on "Create a simple task." Enter an arbitrary name, select the frequency of execution - daily or once. In the next step, set a computer shutdown timer: you don't have to count seconds here, set the date and exact time. As an action, set "Start the program", in the settings, write shutdown with the / s argument.
The task will be created and run at the set time. If your plans change, you can always edit the task settings by moving the auto-off to another hour.
Third Party Programs
Unlike the Windows system tools, other programs for automatically shutting down the computer have more extensive settings. You do not have to count the time in seconds and manually enter the parameters to start the timer.
A concise Smart Turn Off utility designed to auto-shutdown a computer running Windows 10, 8, XP or Vista. Only basic settings are available: end the session or turn off the PC completely, after a specified interval or at a certain time.
The Switch Off program knows how to turn off the computer after a certain amount of time. The utility has flexible settings: a schedule for the days of the week and the specified time, the choice of action - shutdown, restart, sleep, disconnect VPN connections. Switch Off may close applications and show a warning before the function starts. Also, auto-shutdown can start not by the hour, but in the absence of processor or user actions for a certain period.
You can download the utility in full version or portable - it does not require installation, it can be launched from any media. The application adds its icon to the Windows notification area, to start the task, just click on it and select the desired function. Switch Off also has a web interface for - it can be used to turn off the computer online in the browser from any device.
How to set a timer to turn off a Windows 10 computer, the program knows. The utility provides a choice of several options for action, the time is set - exact, after a period, daily or when idle.
Before auto-off, a reminder will be shown from which you can postpone the specified action.
The multifunctional PowerOff application for Windows 7 or 10 has a huge number of timer settings for turning off the computer. Choose an action and set the response time to start the standard mode. The function can be associated with the level of processor load or music playback by the Winamp player. The utility is able to manage the Internet connection by counting the amount of traffic.
Please note that when you close PowerOff, the timers will be reset. Therefore, set it in the settings so that the utility is minimized instead of completely exiting, then the PC will turn off after a specified time.
Conclusion
It is not difficult to set up automatic shutdown of the computer by timer. Use Windows commands - this is the fastest - or other applications if you need more flexible settings.
Turning off the computer after a certain, human-specified time can be very convenient in many cases. For example, with this feature, you no longer have to wait for the computer to finish running processes, such as downloading or processing videos, to turn it off. Instead, you can set a timer and leave work or go to bed. There are many ways to set a timer:
- through the command line;
- using the task scheduler;
- with third party utilities.
Command Prompt is available on most Windows operating systems. It is used to execute commands entered by a person. Most of them are used to automate tasks with scripts and batch files, perform advanced administrative functions, troubleshoot, and solve certain problems in Windows.
Step 1. Launch Command Prompt. Click on the "Start" button and in the search bar type "Command Prompt" or "cmd". Run it as an administrator by right-clicking on the application and selecting this mode.
Step 2 Type "shutdown -s" at the command prompt. This command will shut down your computer within a minute of issuing the command.
Enter "shutdown -s"
Specification of the task:
- If you want to shut down the computer immediately, type "shutdown -s -t 00" instead.
- To shut down the computer after a certain amount of time, type "shutdown -s -t ##" where "##" is the number of seconds (for example, "06" after six seconds, "60" after a minute, etc.) .
Step 3 Press "Enter", this will start the task.
Press "Enter" to run the task
You will now see a confirmation of the task on the screen. It will no longer be possible to undo the action. You won't see the countdown on your screen either.
This method is suitable for one-time use, but may be inconvenient for permanent use. In this case, the task scheduler will come to the rescue.
Shutting Down Your Computer Using Task Scheduler
The Task Scheduler is a standard feature of Windows that allows you to automatically perform predefined actions whenever a certain set of conditions is met. For example, you can schedule a task to run a backup every night or turn off your computer after a specific time.
Step 1. Through the search bar in the Start menu, find "Task Scheduler".
In the "Start" menu, find "Task Scheduler"
Step 2 Run the program. A window with many sections will open in front of you.
Run the program and click "Create Task"
Step 3 Select "Create a task" from the menu on the right. Give it a name and describe the action. Then move on to the next step. The Triggers section can be skipped without compromising the task.
The "Triggers" section can be skipped without compromising task completion
Step 3 Go to the "Actions" section. Create an action by typing "C:windowssystem32shutdown.exe" into the script line. Click on the "OK" button.
Create the desired action and click "OK"
Step 4 Now let's move on to the conditions that are necessary to perform the action. For example, let's set the condition - computer inactivity for 1 hour. This means that if the computer is not used in any way for 60 minutes, it will turn off automatically.
After you click "OK", the task creation window will close, the new task will be active. You can find it in the task library. It contains absolutely all the tasks that are created by the user or programs installed on the computer.
Video - How to turn off the computer at a given time
Disabling using third-party programs
The methods discussed above carry out shutdown using the built-in utilities. Using them is not as easy as we would like. For those who would like to simplify their task, many simple programs have been created that are very convenient.
turn off timer
Shutdown Timer is an easy-to-use software that allows users to set a time to turn off their computer. The main advantage of this program is that there is no need to download the entire software package. Moreover, in addition to shutting down, you can set a timer to reboot. Of course, it also has some drawbacks, such as limited features in the free version and an English interface.
This program runs entirely through the cloud. Everything is configured through the browser, on the official page of the developer. The user simply goes to the official page and then sets the desired time. It currently runs on Windows XP, although newer versions are also compatible with the service.
Step 1. Download the program and install it on your computer.
Note! The program may require Java to be installed if it is not available on your computer. Follow the instructions that you will see on your screen.
Step 2 Once the installation is complete, a small window will appear on your screen with a few easy-to-understand elements.
Set the time and click "Start"
The first field is for hours, the second for minutes, and the third, respectively, for seconds. This is the time after which the program will perform one of two available actions:
- shutdown when Shutdown is selected;
Now all that remains is to click on the "Start" button to start the timer.
Turning off the computer is a fairly typical procedure that rarely causes any difficulties for anyone. However, if you need to turn off the computer not right now, but after some time, then everything is a little more complicated. Now we will talk about how to turn off the computer after a certain time.
Turn off the computer after a certain time using the command line
The easiest option is to use the shutdown command. This command can be entered in, but the easiest way is to open the Run window (using the Windows-R key combination) and enter commands into it.
The shutdown command has many options. If you want to see them all, then run the "shutdown /?" command. We will consider only a few of the most important of them:
- /s - shutdown:
- /h - hibernate:
- /f - forced closing of all open programs without warning the user;
- /t - setting the timer in seconds;
So, in order to turn off the computer after a certain time, we need to execute the shutdown command with the parameters / s (shutdown the computer) and / t (set the timer). Thus, the final command to turn off the computer will look something like this:
- shutdown /s /t 60
After executing this command, the computer will turn off after 60 seconds. Naturally, you can specify not 60 seconds, but any other time you need (in seconds). If necessary, you can use the shutdown command to restart the computer or put it into hibernation. To do this, change the /s option to /r (reboot) or /h (hibernate).
Turn off the computer after a certain time using the scheduler
Another option is to use the Task Scheduler. To start the Task Scheduler, open the Start menu and type "Task Scheduler" into the search box. You can also start the Task Scheduler by running the taskschd.msc command.
After starting the Task Scheduler, you need to create a new task and set it to turn off the computer after a certain time. To do this, click on the "Create a simple task" button.
After that, you will see a window for creating tasks. At the first stage, you just need to enter the task name and click on the "Next" button.
Next, you need to select the response frequency for our task. If you want to turn off the computer only once, then select "Once". If necessary, you can select the option "Daily" or any other.
The next step is to select the action that will be performed when the task is triggered. Here you need to select the option "Run the program".
After that, you need to enter the shutdown command and parameters for it. For example, let's enter the parameter / s (shutdown the computer) and the parameter / t (timer for 60 seconds).
This completes the creation of the task, at the last stage, simply click on the "Finish" button.
After that, the task you created will appear in the Scheduler Library.
Turn off the computer after a certain time using programs
You can also use specialized programs to turn off the computer after a certain time. For example, we will consider two popular programs of this kind.
Airytec Switch Off is a small system program that allows you to automatically turn off your computer at a certain time. This program has a small number of functions and a fairly simple interface. Thanks to this, anyone can cope with it. It should also be noted that this program has a web interface. This allows you to turn off your computer over a local network or even over the Internet.
Powerful computer shutdown program. This program has many settings, which allows you to adjust it to any task. Among the shortcomings of this program, one can single out perhaps a too confusing interface that can scare off inexperienced users.
It's no secret that in our time the computer greatly facilitates life. It's easy to use and really helps save a lot of time searching for information. It is also often used for entertainment. Many people watch series, movies or play games. It often happens like this: you watch a movie on your computer, and after the final credits you don’t want to get up and turn it off. Knowing special commands, you can avoid these operations. The computer can be set to autocomplete. through the command line will make watching movies more comfortable. Here we will talk about the procedure, as well as a shortcut that works as a shutdown button.
Shutdown computer via command line
Any user can do this. The shutdown computer command will help you with this. First you need to enter the control line itself. To do this, click "Start", hover over "All Programs" and try to find "Accessories" there. When you click on it, the Windows menu will open in front of you, which can make your work easier. One of these programs - Open it, a black window will appear in front of you. This is what we are looking for. It can be used to control a computer. You can also turn off the PC or put on a timer. In order to set it for a certain time, just enter the command "Turn off the computer" through the command line. You need to write the text shutdown in English letters. From English it translates as "close". However, entering this command alone is not enough. You must additionally put "-" and the English letter "s". The whole code looks like this: "shutdown-s". After you press Enter, the computer shutdown button will work.
How to set the computer to auto-shutdown through the command line?
Now we will talk about how to make your PC more convenient. It would be nice to have it on its own after some period of time. This can also be done through the command line. You need to go to it through "Start" / "All Programs" / "Accessories" / "Command Prompt". Next, in the open black window, you enter the same command as for shutdown - "shutdown-s". But you need to add an entry to it that the computer should be turned off not now, but after a while, that is, add “-t” after a space. This will make it clear to the computer that it should turn off after a certain time. Next, you should specify the time in seconds after which your computer should shut down. Let's say, by writing "shutdown -s -t 10", wait for the shutdown in ten seconds. If you write shutdown -s -t 6000, the computer will be turned off after 100 minutes. We would like to remind you that 10 minutes before the end of the work, a window with the remaining time will appear on the screen. If you wish to cancel the shutdown, you can do so. How to carry out this action, you can see below in the article.
How to undo a computer shutdown?
If you needed to put the PC on a timer, but then you changed your mind and do not need this action, you need to enter the code "shutdown -a" at the command line. After that, the previous operation will be canceled and you can continue to work.
Computer shutdown shortcut
Agree, this is convenient if the computer can be turned off from the icon on the desktop. No need to go into the "start-shutdown" every time. By simply clicking on the icon, you will start the shutdown. You can do it yourself and it won't take much of your time.
How to create a shutdown shortcut?
If you decide to create a shortcut to turn off your computer, you need to follow some steps. You will succeed if you follow the instructions. To do this, on an empty spot on the desktop, right-click to bring up In it, select "Create". Next, click on the label. A simple icon will be created on your desktop. After its formation, a window will pop up with the question "For which element do you need to create a shortcut?". It will contain an input line called "specify the location of the object." In it, you need to write text similar to the control words for turning off the computer through the command line. But it will be slightly different. The command will look like this: Shutdown.exe -s -t 00. After entering the command, press Enter. Next, you have to name the folder. You can call it "turning off the computer" or in another way - as it will be convenient or how you like it. Click the "Finish" button - and the folder is created. You can also change the icon for this shortcut. Click on it with the right mouse button, then select "Properties". Go to the "Shortcut" section and at the bottom you will see "Change Icon". Click, choose the one you like, click "Save" and "Done". Place this symbol separately from the rest so that you do not accidentally turn off the PC later. We hope this article helped you understand what the shutdown command is and how to create a shortcut for it.
