[Fixed] Windows 10 PC Takes Long Time to Shut Down

It’s incredibly frustrating when your Windows 10 PC takes a long time to shut down. You click the shut-down button, expecting a quick power off, but instead, you're met with a seemingly endless "Shutting Down" stuck on shutting down. This isn't just an inconvenience; it can delay you and even indicate underlying issues with your system.

Many users report their PC takes forever to shut down or that their PC is not shutting down properly, forcing a hard reset. Fortunately, this is a common problem with several potential causes, and more importantly, several effective solutions. This article will walk you through the likely reasons why your Windows 10 PC is slow to shut down and provide detailed, step-by-step guides on how to fix the issue, including how a powerful disk management tool can help.

Why My Windows 10 PC Takes Long Time to Shut Down?

Understanding the root cause is the first step to fixing the problem when your Windows 10 PC takes a long time to shut down. Multiple factors can contribute to this frustrating delay, ranging from simple software glitches to more complex hardware issues.

Common culprits often include too much background processes that are slow to terminate, corrupted system files, issues with drivers, power settings configurations, or even problems with the hard disk itself. Sometimes, recently installed software or updates can also interfere with the normal shutdown process. Let's explore some of the most frequent reasons behind a sluggish shutdown.

How to Fix PC Takes Forever to Shut Down

When your PC takes forever to shut down, it's time to take action. There are several methods you can try to resolve this issue, addressing the most common causes of slow or stuck shutdowns. We will detail a few effective solutions here, guiding you through each step carefully to help you get your Windows 10 PC shutting down quickly and correctly again.

Method 1: Disable Fast Startup

Fast Startup is a feature in Windows 10 designed to make your computer boot up quicker after shutting down. While beneficial for starting up, sometimes this feature can interfere with the complete shutdown process, causing your PC takes a long time to shut down or even get stuck. Disabling it forces a full shutdown every time, which can resolve shutdown-related issues.

Here are the steps to disable Fast Startup:

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2. Type powercfg.cpl and press Enter or click OK. This opens the Power Options window in the Control Panel.

Step 3. In the left-hand pane, click on "Choose what the power buttons do."

Step 4. Click on "Change settings that are currently unavailable." You may need administrator privileges to do this.

Step 5. Under "Shutdown settings," uncheck the box that says "Turn on fast startup (recommended)."

Step 6. Click "Save changes."

Restart your computer normally (not shutdown and then start) for the change to take effect. After the restart, try shutting down your PC to see if the issue is resolved.

Method 2: Close Running Applications and Processes

Applications or background processes that are slow to close or have become unresponsive can prevent your PC from shutting down quickly. Windows waits for these processes to terminate before completing the shutdown, leading to significant delays. Manually checking and closing problematic applications before shutting down can help identify the culprit and ensure a smoother shutdown.

Follow these steps to check and close running applications and processes:

Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously to open the Task Manager.

Step 2. In the Task Manager window, you will see a list of running applications under the "Processes" tab.

Step 3. Look for any applications that are showing a "Not Responding" status or that you know you are not actively using.

Step 4. Select the application you want to close and click the "End task".

Step 5. Switch to the "Details" tab (if you are using the simplified Task Manager, click "More details" first). This tab shows all running processes, including background processes.

Step 6. Be cautious in this tab, as ending essential Windows processes can cause instability. Look for processes that are consuming a high amount of CPU or Memory, or those related to applications you suspect might be causing issues.

Step 7. Right-click on a suspect process and select "End task." If a warning appears, confirm your action.

Step 8. Repeat this for any other applications or non-essential processes you want to close.

Once you have closed potentially problematic items, try shutting down your PC again. If it shuts down quickly, the issue was likely related to one of the applications or processes you closed. You might need to investigate or update that specific application.

Method 3: Check Your Hard Disk for Errors

A common but often overlooked reason why your Windows 10 PC takes a long time to shut down is issues with the hard disk. Checking the health and integrity of your hard drive is crucial for overall system performance and stability, including a smooth shutdown. While Windows has built-in tools like CHKDSK, third-party disk management software can often provide a more user-friendly interface and additional features for checking and managing your disk partitions. This is where a tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant comes in handy.

It is a comprehensive and reliable disk partition manager for Windows users. It provides a wide array of features for managing hard drives and partitions, including resizing, moving, merging, splitting partitions, migrating OS to SSD, and crucially, checking for disk errors and health status. Its intuitive interface makes complex disk operations accessible to users of all skill levels.

To diagnose why your PC is not shutting down properly, AOMEI Partition Assistant offers valuable functions like "Check Partition" and accessing "Health (Properties)".

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Here's how you can use AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional to check your disk for errors that might be causing your slow shutdown problem.

Feature 1. Check Partition

Step 1. Download AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional after installation. You will see its main interface displaying your connected disks and their partitions.

Step 2. In the main window, locate the system partition (usually the C: drive where Windows is installed). Right-click on the system partition.

Step 3. From the context menu, select "Advanced" and then choose "Check Partition."

A new window will pop up with three options:

• Check Partition and fix errors in this partition: This option will scan the partition for file system errors and attempt to correct them automatically. This is the recommended option for troubleshooting shutdown issues.
• Check partition for errors using chkdsk.exe: This runs the standard Windows CHKDSK utility.
• Search for bad sectors on the partition: This option scans the partition surface for physical bad sectors. While useful, file system errors are more commonly linked to shutdown delays.

Step 3. Select "Check Partition and fix errors in this partition" and click "OK."

The software will then run the check. If the partition is currently in use (like your system drive), you might be prompted to restart your computer to perform the check before Windows loads. Agree to the restart if prompted.

Allow the check to complete. Once finished, the software will report any errors found and whether they were fixed.

Feature 2. Health (Porperties)

AOMEI Partition Assistant also allows you to view S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data, which provides insights into the health of your hard drive. Deteriorating disk health can also contribute to performance issues, including slow shutdowns.

In the main window of AOMEI Partition Assistant, locate the disk that contains your Windows installation (usually Disk 0).

Step 1. Right-click on the disk itself (not a specific partition). From the context menu, select "Properties."

Step 2. In the properties window, navigate to the "Health (SMART)" tab.

Here, you will see various attributes related to your disk's health, such as read error rate, spin-up time, temperature, and pending sector count. Look for attributes marked with a warning sign or a "Bad" status. Pay particular attention to "Current Pending Sector Count" and "Uncorrectable Sector Count," as high values here can indicate physical issues with the drive that could impact shutdown.

If the S.M.A.R.T. data indicates a failing drive, it might be the primary reason your PC takes forever to shut down, and you should consider backing up your data and replacing the drive.

By using these functions in AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, you can effectively diagnose and potentially fix disk-related issues that are causing your PC to be stuck on shutting down or taking an unusually long time to power off.

Method 4: Adjust Power Settings

Incorrectly configured power settings, particularly those related to USB selective suspend or PCI Express Link State Power Management, can sometimes interfere with the shutdown process. While designed for power saving, these settings can occasionally cause conflicts that delay shutdown or lead to your PC not shutting down correctly. Adjusting these settings might help resolve the issue.

Follow these steps to adjust relevant power settings:

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + R, type powercfg.cpl, and press Enter to open Power Options.

Step 2. Click on "Change plan settings" next to your active power plan.

Step 3. Click on "Change advanced power settings." In the Advanced settings window, expand the "USB settings" option.

Step 4. Expand "USB selective suspend setting." Change the setting to "Disabled" for both "On battery" and "Plugged in."

Step 5. Next, scroll down and expand the "PCI Express" option.

Step 6. Expand "Link State Power Management."

Step 7. Change the setting to "Off" for both "On battery" and "Plugged in."

Step 8. Click "Apply" and then "OK."

Restart your computer and check if the shutdown time has improved.

Method 5: Run System File Checker and DISM

Corrupted or missing system files can also be a cause for your Windows 10 PC taking a long time to shut down. The System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tools are built into Windows to help you scan for and repair these types of issues. Running these tools can fix underlying system corruption that might be impacting the shutdown process.

Here's how to use SFC and DISM:

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + X and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)" from the menu. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.

Step 2. In the elevated command prompt or PowerShell window, first run the DISM command to repair the Windows image. This can fix issues that prevent SFC from running correctly. Type the following command and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
 

This process may take some time to complete, depending on your system. An active internet connection is required for the tool to download necessary files.

Once the DISM command has finished, run the System File Checker command. Type the following and press Enter: sfc /scannow

1. The SFC tool will scan your system files and replace any corrupted or missing ones with cached copies. This process can also take some time.
2. Once both commands have completed, close the command prompt or PowerShell window.
3. Restart your computer and attempt to shut it down to see if the problem is resolved.

Ending

Dealing with a Windows 10 PC that takes a long time to shut down can be a source of considerable frustration. As we've seen, the problem of your PC getting stuck on shutting down can stem from various sources, from software conflicts and power settings to critical disk health issues. By following the detailed troubleshooting steps outlined in this article, you can effectively diagnose and resolve the most common causes.

A reliable tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional can simplify this process using its "Check Partition" and "Health (Properties)" features. Beyond just checking disk health, This  is a handy tool that offers a suite of other functions that can help you optimize and manage your disk space effectively, contributing to overall system performance and stability. Its ability to resize, move, clone, and align partitions, convert disk types, and even securely wipe data makes it a versatile utility for any Windows user looking to maintain a healthy and efficient computer.

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