How To Create Shutdown Shortcut in Windows 11 & 10

Shutting down Windows is fairly easy. In fact, there are multiple ways to do so, including, but not limited to, the Start menu, the Power User menu, the lock screen, and scheduled shutdown. Another lesser-known but easier way is to create a shutdown shortcut on your desktop. Once created, you can simply double-click the desktop shortcut and your system shuts down. This method is very useful for those who use the mouse more than the keyboard.

In this quick and easy tutorial, I will show you the simple steps to create a desktop shortcut to shut down Windows and optionally, customize the shortcut icon so that you don’t confuse it for others. Let’s get started.

Before You Begin

• The steps below are tested to work on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Create Shutdown Shortcut on Windows 11 & 10

1. Go to the desktop.
2. Right-click on the desktop.
3. Select the “New” and then the “Shortcut” option.
4. Enter “shutdown.exe /s /t 00” in the location field.
5. Click the “Next” button.
6. Enter “Shutdown” in the name field.
7. Click “Finish“
8. With that, you’ve created the shutdown shortcut on the desktop.
9. Double-click the shortcut to shut down Windows.

Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)

Unlike the regular shortcuts, the shutdown shortcut is different. In addition to pointing the shortcut to the shutdown.exe file, you also need to add relevant command-line parameters. Without these additional parameters, the shortcut will not work. Here’s how to do it.

First thing, go to the desktop by pressing the “Windows key + D” shortcut. Right-click on the desktop and select “New” and then “Shortcut“.

In the location field, enter the following command and click “Next“.

shutdown.exe /s /t 00

Here’s a quick breakdown of the command:

• /s: Instructs shutdown.exe to power off the computer.
• /t 00: Sets the delay to 0 seconds, meaning the shutdown will happen immediately when you double-click the shortcut.

Now, enter a name of your choice in the blank field. To keep it simple, I’m naming it “Shutdown“.

With that, you have created the shutdown shortcut on the desktop. From now on, you can simply double-click this shortcut to shut down the system.

(Optional) Change the Shutdown Shortcut Icon

Windows shows the generic exe icon for the shutdown shortcut. The default icon not only looks bad but might even make it hard to recognize. Thankfully, you can change the shortcut icon easily. Here’s how.

1. Right-click the shutdown shortcut.
2. Select the “Properties” option.
3. Go to the “Shortcut” tab and click “Change icon“.
4. Click “OK“.
5. Choose an icon of your choice and click “OK“.
6. Click “OK” in the main window.
7. That is it. With that, the shutdown icon is changed.

Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)

First of all, go to your desktop, right-click the shutdown shortcut, and select the “Properties” option.

In the “Properties” window, go to the “Shortcut” tab and click the “Change icon” button.

You might see an information prompt notifying you that the shutdown.exe file has no icons. Just click on the “OK” button to continue.

Now, choose the icon of your choice and click the “OK” button. In my case, I’m selecting the power icon.

Click “OK” in the main window to save the change.

That is it. With that, you have changed the shutdown shortcut icon. It is now more recognizable.

Wrapping Up — Creating a Shutdown Shortcut on the Desktop

In summary, creating a shutdown shortcut on your desktop is a quick and easy way to turn off your computer. While the default shortcut icon is not that good, you can change it to whatever you want if you follow the additional steps. If you ever decide the shortcut is no longer needed, simply delete it from your desktop.

If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.