Work out which kind of shutdown it is
| What happens | Likely cause | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop turns off at a certain battery level | Worn or faulty battery | Battery drains fast or won't charge (article 23) |
| Turns off when it's hot or busy | Overheating | Laptop is hot or the fan is loud |
| Restarts overnight or when idle | Windows Update restarting | Step 1 below |
| Blue screen, then restart | Driver or Windows error | Step 2 below |
| Turns off instantly, with no warning | Power supply, charger or cable | Step 3 below |
1. Stop surprise update restarts
Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options. Set your Active hours, and turn on Notify me when a restart is required.
2. Catch the error code
- Search for View advanced system settings.
- Under Startup and Recovery, select Settings.
- Untick Automatically restart and select OK.
Next time, the blue screen stays up. Take a photo of the stop code and see Blue screens and boot errors (article 26).
3. Check the power
- Plug straight into a wall socket and check the charger or power cable is firmly seated at both ends.
- Laptops: check the charger is the right wattage (article 24).
- Desktops: check the cable at the back of the computer, and try another power cable.
4. Turn off Fast Startup
If the computer restarts when you choose Shut down, or wakes on its own:
- Search for Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.
- Select Change settings that are currently unavailable.
- Untick Turn on fast startup and select Save changes.
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