While most of us are familiar with the traditional way of clicking through the Start menu to find the restart option, you can do it much faster with your keyboard. In this tutorial, we will show you multiple methods to restart your Windows PC using a keyboard shortcut. It covers the straightforward to more advanced options to use when your system is non-responsive. Let’s get started.
1. Use Alt + F4 to Restart
The easiest shortcut key to restart a computer for a long time is the Alt + F4. Here’s how to use it.
1. First, close all open windows until you see the Desktop. If you don’t close open windows, Alt + F4 attempts to close the currently active window.
2. On the desktop press Alt + F4, press the Down arrow immediately, and press Enter.
If you are wondering, pressing the Down arrow selects the Restart option from the dropdown menu in the Shutdown dialog.
Use Windows + X, U, R to Restart
On Windows 8 and later versions such as 10 & 11, Microsoft included a new Power User menu. You can use it to restart your PC. Here’s how.
1. Press Windows key + X to open the power user menu, then press U to expand the shutdown options, followed by R to restart.
Note: You should press the U and R keys sequentially, not simultaneously.
2. Use Ctrl + Alt + Del to Restart
You can also restart your PC using the security screen. This method is very helpful when your system is lagging or partially responsive.
1. Press the Ctrl + Alt + Del shortcut to access the Security Screen.
2. On the Security Screen, press the tab key until the Power option is selected.
3. Press the Enter key to open the Power menu.
4. Use the arrow keys to select the Restart option and press Enter to restart Windows.
Compared to other methods, this restart shortcut key is a bit cumbersome but like said, when your system is laggy or partially responsive, it is very useful.
3. Ctrl + Alt + Del, then Alt + R to Restart
If your PC is unresponsive, use the below shortcut key to restart.
First, press the Ctrl + Alt + Del shortcut to open the Security Screen.
On the Security Screen, press the Alt + R key to restart your computer.
4. Shift + Click on Restart to Access Advanced Startup
While not purely a keyboard shortcut, this method helps you access the Advanced Startup screen when needed. From the Advanced Startup screen, you can boot into BIOS/UEFI, access Windows recovery tools, and more.
1. Press the Windows key + X to open the Power User menu.
2. Next, press U and then hold the Shift key, and click on the Restart option.
This will restart your computer and takes you to the Advanced Startup screen.
And there you have it! These are all the shortcuts to restart your PC. If you have questions, comment below and we’ll answer.
