Microsoft Is Fixing a Critical Issue With “Update and Shut Down”

When your PC has an update, you can install it from your computer’s Settings. However, there’s another option that should be convenient when you’re ready to turn off your PC: “Update and shut down.”

As the name implies, this feature will first download and install the latest software updates on your PC, then shut it down when it’s done. That way, you can fully power off your computer, while knowing it will be running the latest software version the next time you turn it on.

The problem is, the feature doesn’t work as intended for many users. While your PC will download and install the update as you’d expect, the problem comes with the next command. Rather than shut down your PC, Windows will instead restart. You might assume you clicked “Update and restart,” but you actually chose “Update and shut down:” Windows just isn’t listening.

This is particularly a problem if you’re using a laptop. If you assume your computer is going to shut down, and you leave the room, your laptop may stay on the login screen when it wakes back up. When you return, your battery may be low, or empty completely, all the while you thought you’d have a fully-charged laptop to boot up.

This bug isn’t particularly new, either. It seems the issue goes all the way back to Windows 10—Microsoft just never patched it, and allowed it to transfer over to Windows 11 as well.

The good news is, Microsoft is working on a fix. The company rolled out an initial patch in the optional October update it released last month, so if you installed that, you should no longer have the bug. However, if you didn’t install it, don’t worry: The fix is also coming as part of the Patch Tuesday update for November, which will arrive on Tuesday the 11th. In one week, you’ll be able to install that update, and restore “Update and shut down” to its intended functionality.