How to Schedule Automatic Shutdown in Windows 11 and 10

You can schedule automatic shutdown in Windows 11 or Windows 10 so your PC turns off after a set amount of time or at a specific time. This is useful when you want to leave a download, file transfer, installation, backup, or another long task running without waiting in front of the computer.

Windows already includes the tools you need, so you do not have to install a separate shutdown timer app. You can use the shutdown command for a quick timer, or create a task in Task Scheduler to turn off the computer at an exact time, daily, weekly, or just once.

Quick answer: schedule a 1-hour shutdown timer

To shut down your PC after 1 hour, press Win + R, type this command, and press Enter:

shutdown /s /t 3600

Windows will schedule the shutdown for 3600 seconds later, which equals one hour.

To cancel the scheduled shutdown before the countdown ends, run:

shutdown /a

1. Schedule shutdown after a certain amount of time

The easiest way to schedule a PC shutdown is to use the shutdown command and tell Windows how many seconds to wait before turning off the computer.

The structure is:

shutdown /s /t SECONDS

Here, /s tells Windows to shut down the PC, and /t sets the delay in seconds. For example, to turn off the computer automatically in 1 hour, use:

shutdown /s /t 3600

To run it:

1. Press Win + R.
2. Type the command with the time you want.
3. Press Enter.

Windows will schedule the shutdown.

Shutdown timer examples for 10 minutes, 1 hour, and more

Time	Command
10 minutes	shutdown /s /t 600
30 minutes	shutdown /s /t 1800
1 hour	shutdown /s /t 3600
2 hours	shutdown /s /t 7200
3 hours	shutdown /s /t 10800

Just replace the last number with the amount of time you want, expressed in seconds.

You can also check the full list of parameters in Microsoft’s official documentation for the shutdown command.

Important: save any open documents before scheduling a shutdown. When /t uses a value greater than 0, Windows can force running apps to close when the countdown ends, so unsaved changes may be lost.

Use the same command from CMD

You can also run the same command from Command Prompt:

1. Open Start and type cmd.
2. Open Command Prompt.
3. Type, for example:
   shutdown /s /t 3600
4. Press Enter.

In this example, Windows will schedule the shutdown for one hour later.

For more ways to use this command, including shutting down or restarting the computer from the console, read our guide on how to use the shutdown command in Windows.

2. Schedule shutdown at a specific time

If you want the computer to shut down at an exact time, instead of after a countdown, use Task Scheduler. This method also lets you run the shutdown once or repeat it daily, weekly, or monthly.

Create a scheduled shutdown task

1. Open Start, search for Task Scheduler, and open the app.
2. In the right panel, click Create Basic Task.
3. Enter a name, such as Automatic shutdown, and click Next.
4. Choose when you want the task to run: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or One time.
5. Set the date and time for the shutdown, then click Next.
6. Under Action, select Start a program.
7. In Program/script, type:
   shutdown.exe
8. In Add arguments, type:
   /s /t 0
9. Click Next, review the settings, and click Finish.

Windows will shut down the PC automatically according to the date, time, and frequency you selected.

For example, to shut it down every night at 11:00 PM, choose Daily while creating the task and set that time.

Note: some tutorials use /s /f /t 0, but /f forces apps to close without warning and may cause you to lose unsaved work. For a general shutdown task, /s /t 0 is the safer option.

3. Cancel a scheduled shutdown in Windows

If you change your mind while the timer is still active, you can cancel a scheduled shutdown with this command:

shutdown /a

To run it:

1. Press Win + R.
2. Type shutdown /a.
3. Press Enter.

Windows will cancel the pending shutdown. You can also run the same command from CMD or Windows Terminal.

Important: you must cancel the shutdown before the countdown ends. If the shutdown process has already started, it may be too late to stop it.

Remove a recurring shutdown task

The shutdown /a command cancels a pending countdown, but it does not delete a recurring shutdown task created in Task Scheduler.

To stop that task from running again:

1. Open Task Scheduler.
2. Select Task Scheduler Library in the left panel.
3. Find the task you created, such as Automatic shutdown.
4. Right-click the task.
5. Choose Disable if you want to keep it without running it, or Delete if you no longer need it.

You can also open the task properties to change the time, frequency, or action.

Which method should you use?

What you need	Recommended method
Turn off the PC in 30 minutes	shutdown /s /t 1800
Turn off the PC in 1 hour	shutdown /s /t 3600
Shut down at an exact time	Task Scheduler
Repeat the shutdown daily	Task Scheduler
Cancel a pending shutdown	shutdown /a
Shut down immediately	shutdown /s /t 0

In general, the shutdown command is the fastest option when you need a shutdown timer for your PC. Task Scheduler is better when you need an exact time or a recurring schedule.

Do you need a shutdown timer app?

No. Windows 10 and Windows 11 already include the tools you need to schedule automatic shutdown. You can use the shutdown command from Run, CMD, or Windows Terminal, or set up a recurring shutdown with Task Scheduler.

For that reason, you do not need to install a third-party app just to turn off your PC after a set amount of time or at a specific time.

If you want other ways to turn off Windows faster, you can also learn how to shut down a computer with the keyboard in Windows 10 and 11.

Frequently asked questions

How do I schedule shutdown in Windows 11?

Press Win + R, type shutdown /s /t 3600, and press Enter to turn off the PC in one hour. Replace 3600 with the time you want, expressed in seconds. To shut down at an exact time or repeat the action daily, use Task Scheduler.

How do I cancel a scheduled shutdown command?

Press Win + R, type shutdown /a, and press Enter. You must run the command while the shutdown timer is still active and before the countdown ends.

How do I schedule my PC to shut down every day?

Open Task Scheduler, create a basic task, and choose Daily as the trigger. Then set shutdown.exe as the program and add /s /t 0 in the arguments field.