- Windows 11 machines can sometimes get stuck in a restart loop instead of shutting down.
- This is primarily caused by power settings conflicts.
- Fixes for this error mostly involve changing power settings and disabling fast startup.
As with any new operating system, there are annoying bugs that can be more frustrating than anything else. And here is a prime example: your Windows 11 PC restarting instead of shutting down.
In this article, we’ll show you a few potential ways to solve this problem.
What Causes This Error
The issue of a Windows 11 PC restarting instead of shutting down has a few potential causes, which means there are several possible fixes. Let’s take a look at the major reasons your machine may be refusing to say bye-bye:
- The Windows fast startup feature is causing conflicts with your power settings.
- Something is misconfigured in your actual power settings.
- You have corrupt or outdated drivers.
The most likely cause is power settings, so let’s look at potential fixes there first.
How to Fix Windows Restarting Instead of Shutting Down
Below we’ve assembled some possible fixes for your Windows 11 PC to get it out of the restart loop:
Disable Fast Startup
Fast startup is a useful feature that enables users to boot their computers quickly. It does this by preventing the computer from completely shutting down and saving the operating system’s kernel to a hibernation drive, which will load the next time the Power button is pressed. It essentially avoids a full boot, which can be convenient, but also can cause conflicts with the power settings. To disable this:
Step 1. Open the Control Panel in the Search Bar and choose “System and Security.”
Step 2. Click “Power Options.”
Step 3. From the sidebar, click “Choose what the power buttons do.”
Step 4. At the top of the next window, click “Change settings that are currently unavailable.” You’ll need to have Admin privileges to do this.
Step 5. The greyed-out shutdown settings should now be available to change. Uncheck “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” and then click the “Save changes” button.
Step 6. Shut down your machine to see if it stays off.
Change Startup and Recovery Settings
By default, when your computer encounters a fatal error, it will automatically restart. This can also play a role in putting your machine into a restart loop. Disabling this option can fix your error. Here’s how:
Step 1. Open “View advanced system settings” by typing it into the search bar. Alternatively, you can find this option in the Control Panel, under “System.”
Step 2. In the window that pops up, click the “Settings” button under “Startup and Recovery.”
Step 3. Uncheck the “Automatically restart” option and click “OK.”
Step 4. Shut down your machine to test.
Change Your Network Manager’s Power Settings
Sometimes, a network adapter is to blame for preventing your PC from shutting down. To fix this, you’re going to need to change its power settings in Device Manager:
Step 1. Open the Run dialog (Win + R) and type “devmgmt.msc” and press (Ctrl + Shift + Enter) to run as an Admin.
Step 2. In the Device Manager window, navigate down to the “Network Adapter” subsection and click it to expand.
Step 3. Find your main adapter and right-click it, then choose “Properties” from the Context menu.
Step 4. Open the “Power Management” tab and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”
Step 5. Click “OK” and shut down your computer to test. You can repeat this on all your network adapters to be sure.
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- Be sure to print in portrait mode instead of landscape mode by updating the printing preference.
- Paper size selection is important and should match the size of the physical paper.
- Adding the printer back to Windows can resolve the issue that prevented the printer from using the proper orientation.
1. Change the Default Orientation on the Printer Properties
Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to launch the Settings app.
Step 2: On the left pane, click Bluetooth & devices , and on the right, click Printers & scanners and select the printer you want to fix.
Step 3: Click Printing preferences to open the printer’s configuration window.
Step 4: Select Portrait from the Orientation drop-down list, then click Apply and OK .
2. Change Orientation in Page Setup
You can make specific changes to the application or document you want to print from. For example, if you are trying to print from Microsoft Word, change the page orientation before printing, which will reflect when you print the page.
Step 1: Click the Layout section in the Word document, expand Orientation , and select Portrait .
Step 2: Proceed to print the document. It should automatically choose the orientation based on the document layout.
3. Change Layout in Print Setup
If you cannot change the orientation from the app as you would on a word processor, switch to Portrait on the print setup page before printing the document, as shown below.
Step 1: Press the Control + P keyboard shortcut to initiate the print process. This should open the print setup page.
Step 2: Under the Layout section, select Portrait > Print .
4. Check for and Correct Page Size Mismatch
One reason your printer prints landscape instead of portrait is a page mismatch. That means the printer may expect A4 paper even though you have loaded A5 sheets.
Go to Print Setup > expand More settings > select a matching Paper size > click Print .
5. Confirm Network Printer Settings Are Not Overriding Local Settings
This solution will apply if you are connected to a network printer. If the network printer has a set of print preferences different from what you want, you may need to contact the administrator to resolve the issue. Alternatively, switch to a local printer to perform the print job.
6. Re-Add the Printer to Windows
You can fix this problem by removing the printer from your computer and re-adding it. This is a valid fix because when the computer is re-added, it comes with a default set of configurations, and any misconfiguration that caused the problem would be removed.
Step 1: Go to the Printers & scanners in the Windows Settings app.
Step 2: Select the problematic printer and click on Remove .
Step 3: Restart the computer and return to Printers & scanners .
Step 4: Click Add Device and follow the wizard to complete the process. The issue should be resolved.
7. Factory Reset the Printer
If your printer keeps printing sideways or landscape, resetting it to factory settings can resolve the problem. A factory reset reconfigures all printer settings and restores them to default. The procedures for performing a factory reset vary depending on the printer brand. For instructions on properly executing this operation on your printer, consult your user manual.
