Turning off a computer using a timer is a very typical task that many users face. However, not everyone knows how this problem can be solved. In this article we will talk about how to turn off your computer using a timer in Windows 7, 8, 10 and XP. To solve this problem we will use the command line, task scheduler and third party programs.
Turn off the computer using a timer using the command line
The simplest and quick way To turn off the computer using a timer is to use the “shutdown” command, which works equally well in Windows 7 and in other versions of Windows. This command can be executed from the command line or using the Run menu.
The shutdown command has many parameters that allow you to fine-tune the process of shutting down your computer. Below we will look at the most basic of them:
- /s – Shut down the computer;
- /h – Switch to hibernation mode;
- /f – Force termination everyone open source software without warning the user;
- /t – Set the timer in seconds.
In order to shut down the computer using a timer using the shutdown command, we need to use the /s (shutdown the computer) and /t (set the timer) parameters. Thus, the command to turn off the computer will look like this:
- Shutdown /s /t 60
After executing such a command through the Command Prompt or Run menu, the computer will shut down after 60 seconds.
If you want to reboot the computer using a timer, then instead of the /s parameter, you need to use the /r parameter. The same goes for hibernation mode. We use /h instead of /s and the computer, instead of turning on, will go into hibernation mode. You can also add the /f parameter. In this case, shutdown (reboot, hibernation) will begin immediately, and all running programs will be closed without warning the user.
The disadvantage of this method of shutting down the computer is that the shutdown task is created only for one time. If you need to turn off your computer on a timer daily, then you need to use Task Scheduler or third-party programs.
We use the scheduler to turn off the computer using a timer
Windows 7, 8, 10 and XP operating systems have a very powerful tool available called Task Scheduler. You can use it to turn off your computer using a timer. To open Task Scheduler, launch the Start menu (or start screen with tiles if you're using Windows 8) and search for "Task Scheduler". You can also start the Task Scheduler using the “taskschd.msc” command.
After starting the task scheduler, click on the “Create a simple task” button. This button is on the right side of the window.
Then we are asked to indicate when we want to complete this task. You can select "Once" if you want to timer off your computer only once. If you need to turn off your computer using a timer daily or in another mode, then you can choose another option that is more suitable for you.
At the next stage, you need to specify the triggering of this task.
After this, we need to enter the shutdown command as well as startup parameters. How the launch parameters of this command are used has already been discussed above.
That's it, the task to turn off the computer using a timer has been created. You can view it in the Assignment Library.
From context menu(right click with the mouse) you can manage the created task.
You can run, complete, disable, delete, or open the job properties.
Programs for turning off the computer using a timer
If the described methods for turning off a computer using a timer do not suit you or seem too complicated, then you can turn off the computer using programs from third-party developers. Below we will look at several such programs.
Powerful free program to turn off the computer using a timer. Using the PowerOff program you can configure almost any little thing. On the other hand, due to the huge number of functions, the interface of this program is too overloaded. Which can be very difficult to figure out.
A small program to turn off your computer. The Switch Off program is equipped with a small number of functions and has an easy and intuitive interface. The program is equipped with a built-in web server that allows you to turn off your computer by local network or via the Internet.
The developer of this program for turning off the computer using a timer claims to support only Windows 7, 8 and XP. Although it should work on Windows 10 without problems.
Surely every PC user sooner or later wondered what would be nice if the computer itself could stop working at a strictly defined time that we need.
Such a useful function may, for example, be needed when we download movies at night and go to bed, because it is no secret that in many regions of Russia night Internet traffic is much cheaper than daytime traffic or is not charged at all.
And in this case, we will have to try hard not to oversleep in the morning in order to turn off the PC in a timely manner and stop downloading files.
We may also simply forget to turn off our computer when we are late, for example, for work. In general, as they say, cases are different. Therefore the function automatic shutdown A PC is absolutely necessary for everyone.
Setting a timer to automatically turn off your computer is an easily solved problem
In fact, there are an incredible variety of ways to solve this problem - from built-in operating room tools Windows systems(all configurations - 7, 8, 10) to programs specially developed for this purpose.
The simplest and most accessible methods of how to set a shutdown timer on a computer or laptop and where you can download such a shutdown timer for free in Russian will be discussed in this article.
Set the shutdown timer using Windows tools
Probably the most accessible ways Setting a timer to automatically turn off our computer are useful tools provided in the operating system itself to solve this issue. I'll tell you about the two simplest of them.
Method 1. Set the timer via the command line
So, first we need to open the command line. This can be done in two ways - either through the “Start” menu - “All Programs” - “Accessories” - “Run”, or by simultaneously pressing two “R + Win” keys on the keyboard.
Call up the “Run” window by simultaneously pressing “R” and “Win”
In the window that appears, enter the following: “ shutdown -s -t N".
Attention! N is the time value in seconds before the required automatic shutdown of the computer.
Let's say we need the PC to turn off after 10 minutes, therefore, through simple mathematical calculations in our heads, we get the value N = 600 seconds. We substitute this value into our formula “ shutdown -s -t 600″, which we enter in this form into the “Run” window, as shown in the photo:
Write the required command in the “Run” line
Thus, there are 10 minutes left before the computer automatically turns off. After this time, the PC will be turned off and all programs will be closed. In this case, we will be given the opportunity to save our work, as is done when we normally end the session and turn off the computer manually.
Note: In order to force all programs to close when the scheduled time expires, we add the “-f” parameter to our formula.
To force shutdown the computer without saving open documents add the “-f” parameter
If for some reason you change your mind about turning off the computer using the set timer, then you can cancel your action by calling the command line again, in which you now need to enter the command “ shutdown -a".
After executing this command, we will see a pop-up window indicating that the automatic shutdown of the computer has been cancelled.
Naturally, this method starting the timer is not entirely convenient for constant use. Therefore, it can be easily improved if you follow these instructions:
Note: To change the shortcut icon to any other one you like, click right click mouse on our shortcut, then select “Properties”, then “Change icon”.
Method 2: Windows Task Scheduler will help you shut down your PC automatically
Another simple way to set a time to automatically shut down your computer is to use the Windows Task Scheduler. To implement it, follow the step-by-step guide:
- Simultaneously press the “Win” and “R” keys and call the command line;
- In the line that appears, write the command “ taskschd.msc" and click “Ok”, thus calling the Windows system task scheduler;
In the “Run” window, write the command “taskschd.msc” and click “OK”
- In the menu on the right of the “Task Scheduler”, select the option “Create a simple task”;
In the task scheduler, click “Create a simple task”
- Now come up with a name for the task and click “Next”;
- We indicate the task trigger, for example, “one time” and click “Next”;
- Now set the date and time to run the task and click “Next”;
- Next, select required action- “Run the program”, continue “Next”;
Select “Run a program” and click “Next”
- The last window of the Task Scheduler “Run a program” appears and the line “Program or script”, where we enter the command “shutdown”, and in the line “Add arguments” we write “-s”, click “Next”.
Fill in the lines “Program or script” and “Add arguments”
Now strictly in specified time The task scheduler will run the program to automatically shut down the computer.
Universal timer programs for turning off a PC
Above, we looked at ways to achieve automatic shutdown of a computer or laptop at a designated date and time without resorting to third-party programs, but only using the Windows system itself. Now it’s worth telling that software which will help solve this task even simpler.
The PowerOff program will help you cope with the task
And the first program we'll look at will be a small one universal utility with timer function PowerOff.
A multifunctional panel opens before us, with the help of which you can carry out not only a programmed shutdown of the computer, but also many other tasks.
Install the Shutdown Timer on your computer
After installation, a program shortcut appears on our screen, and the utility itself starts automatically.
The Timer interface is simple and concise, and in general the program is quite nice and copes with the functions assigned to it very well.
SM Timer will turn off your computer at the right time
Managing the program is incredibly simple - you just need to set the desired time and click the “OK” button, the utility takes care of the rest.
How to set an automatic shutdown timer for Windows - video
The simplest and most unpretentious way to turn off a PC using a timer is to use standard commands Windows, which must be entered into the command line. The main command is " shutdown" Its combination with others allows you to flexibly configure the settings for turning off the computer by time. The most necessary additional commands:
- / s– designed to turn off the computer.
- / r– designed to restart the computer.
- / h– causes the PC to go into sleep mode.
- / f– forcefully closes all open programs without notifying the user.
- / t– is intended for setting the shutdown time (in seconds).
To activate the PC shutdown timer in the command line you need enter basic command and add parameters / s And / t. Don't forget to add the shutdown time in seconds at the end. If we want to turn off the computer in 2 minutes, then the final line will be like this: “ shutdown /s/t 120»
This command is entered into a special connected program connecting the system and the command line. It is located at " Start» – « Standard» – « Execute" Enter the command with the required parameters and click on the “ OK" Once the time is up, the computer will complete the task.
Using this command, you can not only turn off the PC, but also reboot his. Then to the original command instead /s enter /r. To make shutdown or reboot instantaneous, add a parameter /f. Then the final command will look like this: “shutdown /s /f /t 120”.
The main disadvantage of this method is that it is only suitable for one-time shutdown computer. For periodic shutdown (for example, daily), let’s enable another function built into Windows - “ Task Scheduler».
Using the task scheduler
First, let's figure out where the program is located. The scheduler is located in the " Start» – « Standard» – « Service» – « Task Scheduler" When we first open the program, we will not see any ready-made tasks, so we create our own:
After the operation is completed, we can check whether the task has been saved. To do this we go to library scheduler and find our task: 
Using third-party timer programs
If you are not satisfied standard methods turn off the computer on a timer, then you can resort to help third party programs. They are mostly free and there are countless of them, but we will look at three randomly selected ones.
The first program that attracts the attention of the Russian-speaking audience is Wise Auto Shutdown. Full interface Russified, the design is pleasant, setup does not require specific skills. 
To turn on the timer you need:
- Select the action that the program will perform based on the timer. As is the case with standard means Windows we can choose shutdown, reboot, sleep mode. All the others, one way or another, repeat the above (except for logging out - it sends us to select a user to log in again).
- We set the date, time and frequency. After that, click on the button “ Launch».
The next program on our list is Airytec Switch Off. As in the previous case, the program is Russified and free. The interface is not loaded, there are only the most necessary parameters. 
To enable the countdown you need:
- Choose schedule(periodicity).
- Choose action.
- Check the box " Force close applications».
- Click on the “ Launch».
And the last, most powerful and customizable program - PowerOff. At first glance, it seems that it is simply impossible to understand the interface, but only this program allows you to customize it to suit any requirements. All main actions are displayed on the tab " Timers». 
For a simple timed shutdown you need:
- Choose task.
- Install response time.
- Save settings.
The only negative is that to minimize the program to the system tray, you need to check the box yourself in the settings. Otherwise, the program will close and will not turn off the computer at the right time.
Hello dear RuNet users, today we will talk to you about how to configure automatic shutdown of your computer. In this article I will tell you how to turn off your computer using standard Windows commands or using a special program.
Automatic shutdown of the computer is one of the useful functions for each user. There are many situations when it will definitely come in handy.
For example, you need to download in the evening big file and you realize that it’s already late and you want to sleep, but the file will download for a very long time. You will want to download something, but it’s not at all convenient to urgently leave for a couple of hours.
You can give many more examples when you need to turn off the computer after a certain period of time, but for some reason you will not be able to do this. That's what this function is for.
shutdown command
To launch the command line, press the key combination “Win” + “R”, enter “cmd” and click “OK”.
Or “Start - Accessories - Command Prompt”.
A command prompt window will open. To see what parameters there are for the “shutdown” command, enter “shutdown /?” and press “Enter”.
To work with this command we need to know 3 parameters:
- s– shutdown the computer;
- t– time after which the work will be completed;
- a– canceling system shutdown.
Please note that time is measured in seconds!
To turn off the computer after 1 hour, enter the command with the parameters “ shutdown -s -t 3600" and press "Enter". A window will appear in which you will see a countdown of the time when the computer will automatically turn off.
If you Windows user 7, then no windows will appear. Windows will inform you through the system tray.
If you need to deactivate the time countdown, it will be enough to enter command line“shutdown –a” and press “Enter”. After pressing “Enter”, the “System Shutdown” window will close and the countdown for turning off the computer will be deactivated.
Program to automatically shut down your computer
There are many programs with various settings, in order to implement automatic shutdown of the computer. But I will give an example of a program that will be intuitively understandable to the user.
This program is called OFFTimer, you can download it from the blog. It does not need to be installed; it works without installation.
In the right part of the window, select the time to turn off the computer and click on the “Enable timer” button. To ensure that the program does not disturb you, minimize it to tray by clicking on the “Collapse” button.
If you change your mind about automatically turning off the computer, then click on the “Enable timer” button again.
See you soon!
To ensure long-term uninterrupted operation of any computer, be it a home desktop PC or laptop, it is necessary to shut it down correctly. Many novice users neglect this point, not knowing or forgetting that incorrect actions at this stage can lead to the loss of working information. And over time, it threatens to require reinstalling the operating system. Not to mention the hardware failure of your PC. This happens quite rarely, but such a risk cannot be completely eliminated.
The shutdown procedure is very simple and can be done in several ways. Let's look into the details.
Do I need to turn off my computer?
You may think: why doesn’t someone turn it off? Yes, and there may be several reasons:
- the computer is sent to sleep or hibernation mode rather than turned off;
- the computer is simply not turned off so as not to waste time turning it on;
- The computer is not turned off at night so that movies or other files can be downloaded at night.
However, there are plenty of objective reasons for switching off. Below are just a few of them:
- Working modern computer A rather “gluttonous” device in terms of electricity consumption. Therefore, its aimless operation leads to a significant increase in the monthly electricity bill.
- Light noise of coolers operating system unit, as well as illuminated system blog indicators at night can interfere with restful sleep (if the computer is in the bedroom). Therefore, it is better not to download large files (torrents, movies) at night.
- It is undesirable to leave electrical appliances turned on in a house, apartment or office when no one is there.
- Long-term continuous operation computer reduces the operating life of the equipment.
- All components of the system unit located in it are installed only with the power off. These are modules random access memory, sound cards, processor, majority hard drives etc. C detailed device system unit we understood . Therefore, if you need to install an additional module in the system unit, the computer will need to be turned off.
Forced shutdown of the computer
Constantly using the methods described below to turn off the computer is extremely contraindicated for the “health” of the computer. However, many novice users, due to ignorance of the correct ways to handle computer equipment, abuse this method of turning off the computer, and then wonder why their computer does not start.
Unplug the cord from the outlet... Caution!!!
The usual action of pulling the plug of an electrical appliance from the socket is not applicable to a computer. No, of course, you can experiment...
But I can’t vouch for the continued normal functioning of the device!
The fact is that during operation, all the necessary data from operating system programs (you can find out what an operating system is and why it is needed at all) and documents are stored in the computer’s RAM. Primarily used for permanent storage HDD, and to write data to it when turned off, you must follow the correct steps.
And suddenly turning off “from the socket” is an emergency option for stopping the computer, in which system files may be damaged, preventing your computer from starting the next time.
Imagine that you are thinking about an important task and suddenly fall asleep! About the same effect will happen with a computer.
Similar consequences can occur if the source suddenly turns off uninterruptible power supply. If you are not yet “familiar” with this life-saving device, then let’s briefly understand its purpose.
An uninterruptible power supply (aka UPS) can provide continuous power to your computer in the event of a sudden power failure. electric current online. Usually, it is not intended for long-term work, but only allows you to correctly save all open documents, close programs and turn off the computer within a few minutes. All working data will not be lost.
By the way, computer literacy tests often include the following question: “When you turn off the computer, all information is erased in...”
Answer: in RAM. Everything is saved on the hard drive.
Forcing the computer to shut down using the power button
You can turn off a frozen computer (which does not respond to keyboard or mouse presses) by pressing the power button (also known as the power button) on the system unit and holding it down. Shutdown will occur after approximately 3-4 seconds of holding the button pressed.
It is also undesirable to abuse this method, since this shutdown option is an emergency and can damage system files and lead to the loss of information important to you.
I use it only when the computer is really hopelessly frozen and does not respond to any actions for 15-20 minutes.
Therefore, I once again draw your attention!
Turning off the computer by unplugging the power cord from the outlet, pressing the button on the extension cord, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) button without shutting down the operating system correctly will result in the loss of all unsaved data, and over time, the normal operation of the operating system will cease.
Modern OS will warn you about open programs before shutting down your computer.
Properly shutting down your computer
Preparation before shutdown
To ensure the safety of open documents and files that you directly worked with, before turning off the computer, you must perform a number of actions:
- save the results of your work in open programs;
- remove the disk from the drive, if it is there;
- close running applications/programs;
- give a command to turn off the computer using one of the methods that we will discuss below.
How to turn off your computer in Windows 7 via the Start menu.
Click on the button. It's located in the Start menu:
If there are open programs and unsaved documents, after clicking the button, the system will issue a warning asking you to close the programs.
If unsaved documents are not important to you, then you can speed up the shutdown process by clicking on the “Force shutdown” button.
If the documents are important, click the “Cancel” button, save the documents and close the programs and again click on “Shut down” in the “Start” menu
Next, wait until the system unit turns off (the screen will go dark, the system unit will stop buzzing, and the system unit’s power indicator will go out). After which you can turn off the UPS (uninterruptible power supply), if available, or the power strip key.
By the way, to protect your computer, another useful acquisition can be a surge protector (), just don’t confuse it with a simple extension cord!
How to turn off your computer in Windows 8 via the Start menu
To turn off your computer in Windows 8, just click on the start button (usually in the lower left corner of the Desktop). And then click on the computer shutdown icon in the upper right corner of the window.
From the menu that opens, select “Shut down.”
We wait for the system unit to turn off and turn it off by unplugging it from the outlet or using the button surge protector or on the UPS.
Alternative options
Method 1 - start shutdown by briefly pressing the shutdown button
Switch off desktop computer You can do this by briefly pressing the power button on the system unit. Further actions in the case of open programs are similar to the steps described above.
If there are none, the computer will turn off automatically.
A short press on the computer's power button will begin the shutdown process (equivalent to selecting the Shutdown option in Windows, as described above).
Method 2 - How to turn off your computer using the keyboard
While on the Desktop, press the key combination “Alt+F4”. A shutdown window appears.
Click the “Ok” button. We wait for the system unit to turn off and turn it off
Turn off the laptop
When turning off the laptop, the methods discussed above are available, but there is an easier way. You simply close its lid. It automatically goes into “sleep” mode, and in case of further prolonged “rest” it will automatically turn off, saving everything stored in RAM to the hard drive. When you turn on the computer again, all data will be restored to the state it was when you closed the laptop lid. This is the default behavior of the laptop, however, it can be changed.
Be careful, your laptop may behave differently when closing the lid!
The behavior of the laptop when the lid is closed can be customized and we will talk about this in a separate article.
Automatic computer shutdown according to schedule (timer)
In your daily interactions with your computer, you may need to turn it off while you are away. For example, the process of copying a CD or hard defragmentation disk, or processing a video file takes a long time, and you need to leave or just go to bed. How to optimally organize the computer shutdown in this case?
There are several options:
- Some programs have a designed function to automatically turn off the computer after completing assigned tasks (for example, uTorrent, Download Master);
- standard Windows tools allow you to set the shutdown automatically according to time;
- There are third-party programs to automatically shut down your computer.
If you are still wondering what is computer programs, read .
As part of our “dialogue”, we will only consider using the standard “Task Scheduler” of the Windows system to organize the daily shutdown of the computer in certain time days. This is convenient, for example, for turning off the computer in the evening or at the end of the working day without your participation.
To start working with this program, go to the “Start” menu -> “Accessories” -> “Utilities”, select “Task Scheduler”.
We left-click on it and in the window that appears, select “Create a simple task...”
We call it arbitrarily, but it is clear to us, the planned action. Click the “Next” button...
We define the task trigger, that is, we set the mode of its execution.
Let's specify the time parameters.
In the next window we determine the required action. We are interested in “Running programs”.
We indicate the command to be executed and its additional parameters.
In the next window, after checking the entered data and clicking the “Finish” button, we will create a new task for the system.
Double-clicking with the left mouse button on it will open the task properties for editing.
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