Schedule automatic shutdown for your Windows PC

[nerdslife_team]

Keeping your PC running all the time might seem convenient, but it’s not the best for your power bill or the longevity of your hardware. Power surges can be risky, and those cooling fans running non-stop can wear out quicker. Instead of leaving your PC on indefinitely, let’s explore how to set up an automatic shutdown.

Create a recurring shutdown timer

Want to shut down your Windows PC regularly? The most effective way is to use the Task Scheduler to set up a recurring shutdown timer. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Start menu, type task scheduler and click on the program when it pops up.
   
   
2. Once the Task Scheduler is open, look to the right and click on ‘Create Basic Task’.
   
   
3. Now you need to give the task a name, for instance, “Automatic PC Shutdown.” Add a brief description too, and then click ‘Next’.
   
   
4. This step allows you to choose how often this task should run. You can choose daily, weekly, monthly, or other intervals. Once you’ve selected your preference, click ‘Next’.
   
   
5. On this next page, you will set the time and date your PC should start performing the scheduled task. If you are using a 12-hour clock, make sure you set AM or PM correctly before clicking on ‘Next’.
   
   
6. Select the ‘Start a program’ option on the next page and then click ‘Next’.
   
   
7. Now click on the ‘Browse’ button. This will allow you to pick the program or script needed to make the task happen.
   
   
8. Find ‘shutdown.exe’ in the folder that opens, select it, and click ‘Open’.
   
   
9. In the ‘Add arguments’ field, type -s and click ‘Next’.
   
   
10. You’ll now see a summary of your task. Review it and click ‘Finish’ to complete the setup.
    
    

Check the automatic PC shutdown task

Want to confirm your scheduled shutdown is working? It’s easy to check, so you know it’s all set.

1. Open the Task Scheduler and click on ‘Task Scheduler Library’ on the left.
   
   
2. Find the task you just made by looking for the name you gave it in the list. Once found, click on it, and then click ‘Run’ on the right.
   
   
3. After a brief pause, you should see a notification confirming that your PC is about to shut down. Just make sure you’ve saved your work before testing this.

Things to know

• While you can use Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt to shut down your PC automatically after a set time, this is best for one-off situations rather than recurring shutdowns.
• Windows Power Options have settings to turn your PC off automatically after it has been idle for a while.
• Remember that when your PC is scheduled to shut down, it will do so regardless of what programs or games are currently running. Always save your work before the scheduled time to avoid losing data.
• You can remove the automatic shutdown task from the Task Scheduler at any point if you no longer need this feature.