Quick Fix: How to Restart Windows 10 Using the Keyboard

Restarting Windows using the keyboard isn't as difficult as it might seem! There are countless errors that can plague your Windows experience, and restarting Windows is often the best way to fix them all. You'll need to restart Windows if you have several programs frozen, or if you just installed new software that requires a reboot.

If you can't use your touchpad or mouse on a Windows 10 computer, you can still restart it using your keyboard. For example, the Alt + F4 keyboard shortcut is very useful for restarting when other input options aren't available.

So, how to do a hard reset on Windows 10 to fix any system glitch? This article will walk you through the top 8 solutions to restart Windows 10 using the keyboard. Let's get started to learn how to hard reset Windows 10!

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8 Ways to Restart Windows 10

You can restart your Windows 11 by pressing the Power button, but doing so will cause unsaved work to be lost and might even crash your system! To help you out, here are eight ways to restart Windows 10 using your keyboard.

Before learning how to restart Windows 10, watch this video tutorial which provides a quick solution to restart Windows.

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 0:12 - Using the Start button on the screen
• 0:30 - Using the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys combination
• 0:53 - Using the power button

Solution 1: Restart Windows 10 using the Start menu

People often use a mouse to click the “Start” button to reboot their computer. You can do this without a mouse, too.

Step 1: Press the Windows key to display the Start menu.

Step 2: Use the Up/Down arrow keys to browse the full list of apps on your Windows 10 computer. Don't use the Left/Right arrow keys, instead, press Tab to select the "Expand" button, then press Enter.

Click the Start button.

Step 3: After selecting “Power,” press the Down arrow once and then press Enter.

Step 4. Select Restart Windows 10, and press Enter one last time.

Fix 2: Restart Windows 10 using the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys

This is another quick way. If your Windows 10 has become unresponsive for some time and you can't use any other method, even if you want to, this trick will come in handy. Restart Windows 10 using Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys by following the steps below.

Step 1: Hold down the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys, and a long list of options will appear on your lock screen. Alternatively, press Windows + L to go straight to the lock screen.

2. Use the Tab key to navigate to the Shut down icon, and then press Enter.

Step 3: Use the up and down arrows to highlight the "Reboot" option, and then press Enter.

Control, Alt, and Delete are the keys you use to force quit programs on Windows. But what if you have the same question about your Mac? You can force quit programs and restart your system when your Mac is frozen or running slowly.

5 Ways to Force Quit Apps on Mac | Ctrl+Alt+Del Alternative

Did you recently switch from Windows to Mac? If so, you might be wondering what the equivalent of Ctrl+Alt+Del is on a Mac.

Solution 3: Restart Windows 10 using the Alt + F4 shortcut

Using the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4 is one of the quickest ways to restart your computer in Windows 10. Follow these steps to restart your PC using this method:

Step 1. Close any applications that might be running using the same shortcut. When you're done, press Alt + F4.

Step 2: Use the Up/Down arrow keys on your keyboard to highlight the "Restart" option in the "Shut down Windows" prompt.

Restart Windows 10 with the Alt + F4 shortcut

Step 3: Press the “Enter” key to finish.

Solution 4: Use a BAT File

Can you quickly restart your Windows 10 computer using a BAT file? You'll need to create one first, though! To make a BAT file, follow these steps:

Step 1. Press Windows + R to open the "Run" window.

<b>Step 2:</b> Paste the <strong>shutdown -r</strong> command and then press <strong>Ctrl + S</strong> to save the file.

Step 3: When the "Save As" window appears, type in the name you want to use and add the .bat extension. Use the up and down arrow keys to select "All Files," and then tab over to the "Save as type" option.

Use the up and down arrows to select all files.

Since you've already created the BAT file, press the keyboard shortcut Windows + E to open the File Explorer. Use the up/down arrow keys to navigate through the folders. Once you find the folder, hit Enter to open it. By default, your Windows 10 computer should restart automatically.

1. Solution 5: Restart Windows 10 using Command Prompt
2. Solution 6: Use the Windows Key + X shortcut
3. Solution 7: Shut down Windows 10 with the slide gesture
4. Solution 8: Use a PowerShell command

Fix 5: Restart Windows 10 using Command Prompt

If you're not familiar with Command Prompt, it's a utility that's used for performing lower-level tasks, giving users more control. Specifically, it can be used to restart your Windows 10 computer. To restart Windows 10 using the Command Prompt, follow these steps:

Step 1. Go to your search bar and type "Command prompt." Select the best match.

Step 2. In the Terminal, type shutdown /r and press Enter.

A pop-up will notify you that Windows 10 will shut down in one minute. Click the “Close” button, and wait a few seconds for the reboot process to begin.

Here, the "/r" flag stands for "reboot," and there are several ways to set up a shutdown from the command terminal.

Fix 6: Use the Windows key + X shortcut

If you're wondering how to restart Windows 10, using the Windows + X hotkey is another option. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows + X keys to open the Quick Link menu.

Step 2: Go to Shut Down or sign out, and then choose Restart.

Fix 7: Shut Down Your Windows 10 PC with a Slide

Shut down your computer by sliding in the following way:

Step 1: Hold down the Windows key and press R to open the Run dialog box.

<Step 2> Type SlideToShutdown.exe, then click OK.

The image will slide down from the top of the screen and take up 50% of the display, as illustrated below. To turn off the monitor, drag the image to the bottom of the screen with your mouse (or finger, on a touch-screen device). Press any key or click the screen to trigger the shutdown button.

Fix 8: Utilize PowerShell Commands In the Windows operating system, PowerShell is a powerful command-line tool used for managing and resolving various system issues. Here are some steps to use PowerShell to fix problems: 1. Open PowerShell: Press the Win + X key combination, then select "Windows PowerShell" (on newer versions of Windows, it might be "Windows Terminal"). 2. Run as Administrator: Right-click on the PowerShell icon and choose "Run as Administrator." 3. Enter commands: Depending on the specific issue you're facing, input the corresponding PowerShell command. For instance, if your problem relates to updates, you can try running `Get-WindowsUpdate` and `Install-WindowsUpdate` commands to check and install available updates. 4. Confirm actions: Before executing commands that could impact your system, make sure you understand what they do. If unsure, search for information or consult with a professional. 5. Restart your computer: After completing the operations, a restart might be necessary for the changes to take effect. Please note that this is a general guide, and the specific PowerShell commands will vary depending on the issue. When using PowerShell, ensure you understand the purpose of each command or follow reliable online tutorials.

PowerShell has its own commands, called cmdlets. You can use one of those to restart your Windows 10. Here's how:

Step 1: Type Stop-Computer to shut down the computer.

Type “Stop-Computer” to shut down your computer

Step 2: The Restart-Computer command initiates the restart.

If any of these methods help you to restart Windows 10, share it on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on!

Additional Tip: Recover Lost Data When Windows 10 Freezes

Some users complain about the issue that causes the system to “stop working” and requires a Windows 10 restart. Usually, a sudden Windows freeze is startling enough. Given the fear of accidental data loss, it's necessary to use professional Windows data recovery software.

Data Recovery Wizard Pro is an all-in-one data recovery solution that helps users retrieve lost data after system crashes, failures, or accidental file deletion. Whether you're a beginner, you can effectively recover the files mentioned below.

If your Windows 10 is freezing, download this professional data recovery tool right away!

Step 1: Run the Data Recovery Wizard on your computer. Select the disk where you lost files and click "Scan". If your files were lost from an external storage device, connect it to your computer first.

Step 2: The software will immediately perform a quick scan for the deleted files and then automatically conduct a deep scan to find more lost files. Once the scanning is over, you can use the "Filter" option to quickly filter files of a specific type.

Step 3: Click on the “Preview” button or double-click on the file to have a full preview. Finally, select the files you need and click on “Recover” to save all the files at once to another secure location.

How to Restart Windows 10 in Safe Mode

Before you proceed with this method, make sure you remember the password. To restart Windows 10 in Safe Mode from Settings, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows logo key + I on your keyboard to open Settings.

Step 2: Click on “Update & Security,” then choose “Recovery.”

Select “Update & Security”

Step 3: Click the “Restart now” button under “Advanced startup.”

4. When the "Choose an option" screen appears, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

Step 5: Once restarted, you will see a series of options. Now, press the F4 key to restart your Windows 10 computer in Safe Mode.

Last Words

It's worth noting that restarting a Windows 10 computer is a quick and straightforward process, accomplished with just a few steps. Using your keyboard and the simple instructions provided here, you can promptly reboot any PC running Windows 10.

Now that you know how to restart Windows 10 using the keyboard, you can get back to work. If you lost data along the way, you can rely on the Data Recovery Wizard tool.

"Frequently Asked Questions about Windows 10 Hard Reset"

Please follow the troubleshooting steps in this FAQ to learn how to restart Windows 10.

1. How can I restart Windows 10 without the Start menu?

If you can't access the Start menu, to restart Windows 10, press and hold Ctrl + Alt + Delete. From there, click the Power button, and then choose Restart.

**How to Force Restart Windows 10?** To force restart Windows 10, follow these steps: 1. First, press and hold the power button for several seconds until your computer turns off. This will forcefully cut the power, but be aware that it might result in loss of unsaved data. 2. If you can't shut down your computer using the power button, try a soft reboot with a key combination: - Press `Ctrl` + `Alt` + `Delete`. - From the options that appear, select the "Power" icon, then click "Restart." 3. Another method is to use a keyboard shortcut: - While holding down the `Shift` key, click on the power icon in the bottom right corner of the taskbar, then choose "Restart." 4. If none of the above methods work, you may need to perform a hardware power cycle. For desktops, unplug the power cord, and for laptops, remove the battery (if accessible), wait for a minute, then plug the power cord back in or reinsert the battery, and turn on the device. Keep in mind that frequent force restarting can potentially harm your computer's hardware, so it should be avoided whenever possible. If your system encounters regular issues, consider checking for updates, running troubleshooting tools, or consulting a professional.

Hold down the Power button for about 20 seconds until your Surface turns off and then starts up again, and then release it to see the Windows logo screen.

3. Why doesn't my Ctrl+Alt+Delete key work?

First, ensure that your keyboard is properly connected. If the keyboard isn't correctly plugged in, the Ctrl + Alt + Delete shortcut might not function. Try pressing the Fn key followed by Ctrl + Alt + Delete to see if it works.

How do I reboot my computer completely?

You can fully restart your computer through the Start menu. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows key or click the "Start" button on the taskbar to open the Start menu.

Step 2. Tap the Power button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Step 3: Click the "Restart" button.