Jump to a Section. There's a right way, and several wrong ways, to reboot restart a computer. It's not an ethical dilemma—only one method ensures that problems don't pop up after you restart. To safely restart a Windows computer, open the Start menu and choose the Restart option. Below are detailed directions if you need them. Select Restart. This second method is a little faster and doesn't require the full Start menu:.
Go to Shut down or sign out. The Windows 8 Start screen functions differently from the Start menus in other versions of Windows. Install a Windows 8 Start menu replacement to return the Start screen to a legacy-looking Start menu and have easier access to the restart option.
Open the Start menu from the taskbar. In Windows 7 and Vista, select the small arrow next to the right of the Shut down button.
Choose Restart. This approach is an optional method that works just as well as using the Start menu or the Start screen. The screens look different depending on which version of Windows you're using, but each of them gives the option to restart the computer:. Restart Windows through Command Prompt using the shutdown command. Open Command Prompt.
Type this command and press Enter :. Wait while the computer restarts. To restart a computer with a batch file , enter the same command. Something like this will restart the computer in 60 seconds:. Read more about the shutdown command here , which explains other parameters that specify things like forcing programs to shut down and canceling an automatic shutdown. Be careful if you see the option to reset something. Restarting, also known as rebooting, is also sometimes called resetting.
However, the term resetting is also often used synonymously with a factory reset, meaning a complete wipe-and-reinstall of a system, something very different from a restart and not something you want to take lightly. See Reboot vs Reset: What's the Difference? When you install an update, your computer needs to replace certain files, But, it can't replace those files while they're in use.
Restarting your computer allows it to make whatever changes are necessary to properly install the update. On most modern computers, the Power button is used to restart the device. You can usually find it on the top right or top left of your laptop keyboard or on the front of your PC's tower. Press and hold it for a few seconds until the computer reboots.
Please save all work. If your computer needs to restart to finish installing an update, you can schedule when that happens by going into Windows Update and choosing Schedule the Restart. You can also use Windows Task Scheduler to create an automated task that restarts the machine. Open the app, choose Create Basic Task , and follow the on-screen instructions to set it up.
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You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. By Tim Fisher. Tim Fisher. Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. Reviewed by Ryan Perian. Tweet Share Email. In This Article Expand. How to Reboot a Computer. Rebooting in Windows 11, 10, and 8.
Rebooting in Windows 7, Vista, and XP. Restarting With a Key Command. Restarting With a Command Prompt. Frequently Asked Questions. Why do computers need to restart after updates? Where is the computer's restart button? How do you remotely shut down a computer? How do you make computers restart on a schedule?
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