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Solved! Windows 10/11 slow shutdown

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This article has 13 comments.

Some users of Windows 10 or Windows 11 may experience slow shutdown issues.

This is typically caused by applications taking a long time to close during shutdown.

By following the methods we will show you, your applications will be automatically terminated by the system, allowing for a quicker shutdown.

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Causes and solutions for slow shutdown

1. Application

If you use your PC for a long time and have many applications open, it may take a long time to close them even if you have set them to close automatically when shutting down.

This is not a malfunction but a normal condition.

2. Fast Startup

Fast Startup is enabled by default in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

When Fast Startup is enabled, the computer will not shut down completely, but will save the current state to the HDD (SSD) and enter a state similar to "hibernation."

Therefore, "longer time to save data = slower shutdown."

Learn more about and disable Fast Startup

3. Physical problems with the HDD (SSD)

HDDs and SSDs have a limited lifespan, so we recommend that you check for errors periodically.

Check your HDD and SSD for errors regularly in Windows 10/Win11

4.External storage device

If an external HDD, SSD, optical disc (DVD), etc. is connected, it may affect the speed of Windows startup and shutdown.

5. Shutdown Options in Local Group Policy Editor

Specifies whether console and GUI applications without top-level windows are allowed to block or cancel shutdown. By default, the system automatically terminates such applications if they attempt to cancel or block shutdown indefinitely.

Microsoft

Normally, you do not need to change this setting, but in some environments, disabling it may allow for smoother shutdown.

1. Press Windows key + R to open Run.

2. Type "gpedit.msc" and press Enter.

If you cannot start the Local Group Policy Editor

3. The Local Group Policy Editor will open, so open "Computer Configuration" > "Administrative Templates" > "System" > "Shutdown Options".

Local Group Policy Editor
ローカルグループポリシーエディター

4. With "Shutdown Options" selected, double-click "Turn off automatic closing of applications that block or cancel shutdown" on the right side to open it.

5. Select "Disabled" and click OK to complete the settings. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.

Turn off automatic closing of applications that block or cancel shutdown

If you cannot start the Local Group Policy Editor

If you cannot run the Local Group Policy Editor, you can also set this by adding a value to the registry.

If you operate the registry incorrectly, it may cause problems such as the system being unable to start. Please make a backup in advance using system restore or similar, and proceed at your own risk.

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1. Press Windows key + R to open Run, type "regedit" and press Enter.

2. The Registry Editor will open, so open the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

3. Right-click on the "Windows" key > New > "Key".

4. Change the name of "New Key #1" to "System". (If a key already exists, just go to the next step.)

5. Right-click on the "System" key > New > "DWORD (32-bit Value)".

6. Rename "New Value #1" to "AllowBlockingAppsAtShutdown".

レジストリエディター
レジストリエディター

This completes the setup, so close the Registry Editor.

Windows 11 24H2 issues: causes and solutions for slow shutdown and restart

Windows troubleshooting System Issues
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Person who wrote this article

wenbang's avatar wenbang

Driven by questions arising from my daily PC use and the desire to "do more," I have been pursuing self-study in Windows since around 2008. I am sharing the "aha!" techniques and solutions I discovered through trial and error with the sole purpose of helping you in your PC life.

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Comment:

Comment list (13)

  • After updating from Windows 10 to 11, I have been experiencing issues with the computer freezing (blue screen appears) or taking a long time to shut down when shutting down, approximately every 1-2 months.
    I have disabled both the group policies "Turn off automatic termination of applications that block or cancel shutdown" and "Do not turn off the power when the Windows system is shut down", but it had no effect.
    Fast startup is disabled, and delivery optimization's permission to download from other PCs is also disabled.
    Another thing to try is to change the processor cooling policy in the power options from passive to active to suppress CPU fan operation, and to change the maximum processor status back from 99% to 100%.
    I don't want to think it's a compatibility issue with the SSD (WD Red SN700). I didn't see any issues with chkdsk /r or sfc /scannow on the SSD, and the SMART status is good.

    Reply

    • Thank you for your comment, Arom@s3baw.

      When did the symptom last appear?
      Is there any log recorded in the Event Viewer after the symptom occurs? If you know the contents of the log, you may be able to find something.

      Reply

      • The most recent one was last night on April 9th. Unfortunately, there were no warnings or errors in the Event Viewer's application or system logs.
        The model is a Lenovo ThinkPad E495. According to a post on 2ch, this model sometimes experiences an error where it takes a long time to shut down, so it seems like there may be a problem specific to this model.

        Reply

        • Is your user account a Microsoft account?

          Since the frequency is about every 1-2 months, it is possible that it is related to some kind of task that is performed regularly.

          Reply

          • Is your user account a Microsoft account?
            I'm not sure which is the problem. My Microsoft account is linked, and it appears in the upper left corner of the settings screen, but I can log in with my local username.

            Also, the following log is often recorded just before the problem occurs:
            Event 26, Application Popup
            Application popup: Windows – Write Protection Error: Exception Processing Message 0xc00000a2 – Unexpected parameters

          • I don't use an Xbox controller. I occasionally connect an ELECOM JC-U3312S series joypad for regular PCs, but the only device I connect when shutting down is usually a mouse.

          • For now, the error is not occurring frequently, so we'll just have to wait and see. If a blue screen appears, recording the error may help.

  • 　The problem was solved. The cause was a hard disk that I had been using for the past 3 years (win7-win10-win11).　

    As a last resort, I set up 180GB on a Seagate 1TB and did a fresh install (win11pro-22H2). It started up in 30-35 seconds and shut down in under 10 seconds, and I got a fully functional win11pro. There were no errors with the Toshiba 500GB. Maybe something from the previous generations was still there.

    By the way, if you hadn't reused the drive when you changed from MBR to GPT, there might not have been a problem. I'm sorry for worrying you, but I hope this helps those of you reading this.　

    Thank you to the thread owner too

    Reply

  • No matter what I do, my Win11 Pro (22H2) takes over a minute to shut down. The cause is unknown. It's the same even when I change the power supply. It's the same even when I clean and restore using Diam. It's the same even when I change the CPU. The BIOS is the latest 1601 ASUS H5510M-A 15-10400F GT730. HDD: Toshiba 500G+1T DDR4-2666 16G. Dospara will accept returns and refunds. With the ASUS H310M A-R2.0 and H310M E-R2.0, it shuts down in 10 seconds. After booting, Win11 works normally. I don't know if it's broken or not. Troubleshooting works fine too. I wonder what's going on. I've tried everything listed, but there's been no change.　

    Reply

    • Thank you, Mr. Suzuki, for using our website as a reference.

      It says the HDD is Toshiba 500G+1T, but does that mean it's not an SSD?
      Windows 11 will not perform well unless it is installed on an SSD. Alternatively, updating your motherboard's chipset driver to the latest version may resolve the issue.

      Alternatively, the problem may be caused by an installed application or Windows Update, so try disconnecting from the Internet to see if the shutdown speed improves.

      Another motherboard seems to be able to shut down in 10 seconds, so it's possible that it's a manufacturing defect.
      Currently, various problems are occurring in some environments where Windows 11 version 22H2 has been installed, so there may be a problem with Windows itself.

      If the problem doesn't improve, it might be better to return it if Dospara accepts returns and refunds.
      If I find any useful information, I'll add it to the article.

      Reply

      • The 500GB HDD is a Toshiba product. I have now changed it to an i5-10400F and set it up from a fresh recovery, but there has been no change. Should I change it to an SSD? Should I return it? I have already purchased the H410M-A, so is this a change? Thank you.

        Reply

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