Windows 11 shutdown bug explained with causes, fixes, and workarounds to stop restarts, battery drain, and failed power-offs after updates.

Fortunately, there's a workaround.

It just requires a single patch.

Microsoft's January 2026 update for Windows 11 has led to a shutdown bug affecting a minor group of users, causing systems to restart instead.

Microsoft has acknowledged a serious power-state regression affecting Windows 11 version 23H2 systems after the January 2026 ...

The fix is for a bug that prevents some systems from shutting down, while another bug that prevents hibernation has no ...

Microsoft’s first Windows 11 security update of 2026 broke shutdowns and some Remote Desktop sign-ins. Microsoft has released ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Zak Doffman writes about security, surveillance and privacy. This update mistake has finally been fixed. Updated on Nov. 5 with ...

Windows 11 KB5074109 (January 2026 Update) is causing major issues on some PCs, and Microsoft has more details to share.

As reported by Windows Latest, Microsoft has now “released fixes for at least two bugs.” Specifically, the shut-down failure on older PCs running Windows 11 23H2 and a “much more widespread” remote ...

Stop me if you've heard this one before: It's 17:30 on a weekday, and I'm packing up. Before I leave the office, I just need to shut down my work PC. I'll click 'update and shutdown' and be out of ...