Rebooting/Restarting your Computer

Updated 2w ago 11 views 2 min read
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Restarting your computer is one of the simplest — and most effective — things you can do to keep it running well. A surprising number of everyday problems clear up the moment Windows gets a fresh start: sluggish performance, programs that won't open, printing or network hiccups, and updates that won't finish.

That's exactly why we recommend a restart as the first step whenever something isn't working right — it resolves a significant share of the issues we see day to day.

And while restarting every day isn't strictly required, it's great practice. Beginning each day with a fresh slate keeps Windows fast, stable, and secure, and heads off many problems before they start. If a daily restart isn't realistic for you, aim for at least once a week.

Heads up: shutting your computer down or closing the laptop lid is not the same as restarting it. Because of a Windows feature called Fast Startup, a normal shut down and power-on doesn't fully reload Windows — only the Restart option does. That's the one that actually clears things up.

How to Restart in Windows 11

It only takes three steps. The animation below shows the whole flow from start to finish:

Animated walkthrough of restarting Windows 11: click the Start button, click the Power button, then select Restart.

  1. Click the Start button — the Windows logo in the center of the taskbar at the bottom of your screen.
  2. In the Start menu, click the Power button in the bottom-right corner.
  3. Select Restart. Windows will close everything and reboot on its own.
When you reach the Power menu, be sure to choose Restart — not Sleep or Shut down — and save any open work first.
Managed clients: Not sure how long it's been since your last restart? From time to time you may see a Restart Status reminder pop up, showing how long your computer has been running, when it last restarted, and a quick link back to this guide.

If you have any questions or run into any issues, please submit a support request.

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