How to Restart Windows 11: Top 6 Methods to Try

If you’re a Windows 11 user, it’s helpful to know how to restart using different methods, especially since restarting can solve a variety of bugs and update issues. All of these approaches are fast and easy. We’ll go over each, step by step.

How to Restart Windows 11 

Here are our top faves for restarting Windows 11, complete with pictures.

Method 1: Power Button from the Start Menu

The most common way to restart a Windows 11 PC is through the Start Menu:

1. Press the Windows key or click on the Start button on the taskbar
2. Click the Power button
3. From the available options, select Restart
   
   

Method 2: Quick Link Menu (AKA Power Menu)

Another way to restart Windows 11 is from the Quick Link/Power menu. Many users are unaware of this technique. To open this menu: 

1. Press the Windows + X keys at the same time. Alternatively, you could go to the Start icon on your taskbar and right click with your mouse
2. Hover your mouse over the option Shut down or sign out.  
3. A smaller menu will pop up. Click Restart
   
   

Method 3: Command Prompt

Another way to restart your PC is through Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell. Open the prompt:

1.  Press Windows + R to open a pop up window
2. Type CMD before hitting OK
3. Type in the following command in the command line interface and press Enter. If a warning message shows up, click on Close

From the closure of the warning message, your computer will take 60 seconds to restart. If you want to skip the wait time and restart immediately, use this in the command instead of the aforementioned one:

Note: You can actually shut down your computer directly from the Run dialog box instead of going through all the trouble of using Command Prompt. Here’s how: 

1. Press Windows + R at the same time to open the run box
2. Type shutdown/r
3. Click ok
   
   

Method 4: ALT + F4

You can restart Windows 11 from a special menu option:

1. Make sure you’ve no other windows or apps open. You MUST do this from the actual desktop screen or it will simply close the window you have open
2. Press Alt+F4 at the same time
3. It’ll open the Shut Down Windows dialog box
   
   

4. Select Restart from the drop-down menu

5. Click on OK to immediately restart the computer.

Method 5: Ctrl + Alt + Del

Use this keyboard shortcut to restart your computer:

1. Ctrl + Alt + Del (pressing them all at the same time)
2. This will take you to a screen that contains multiple options, such as switch user or task manager. Ignore these
3. Find and click on the Power button at the bottom right corner
   
4. Click Restart to reboot

Method 6: Restart via Windows Update

If you need to install an update, you can restart at the same time. Here’s how: 

1. Press the Windows key + i to open settings, or simply access it through your taskbar
2. Go to Windows Update
   
3.  Click Check for Updates
4. If there are updates available, you will have the option to Restart Now so that these are automatically installed before the computer restarts
   
   

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Tamal Das

Tamal is a freelance writer at AddictiveTips. After gaining substantial experience in technology, finance, and business processes in his previous job in an IT consulting company, he adopted writing as a full-time profession 3 years ago. While not writing about the latest technology, he loves to play COD and binge-watch

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