Automatic Windows Shutdown with Scheduled Tasks

You can shutdown Window automatically without using any external software. Use the tools provided by windowss. Scheduled Tasks gives you an easy interface to scheduled an application to run at certain time. Shutdown.exe is a DOS command that can locally and remotely shut down your computer.

Let me give some detail about Shutdown.exe.

Usage: shutdown [-i | -l | -s | -r | -a] [-f] [-m \\computername]
[-t xx] [-c "comment"] [-d up:xx:yy]

No args            Display this message (same as -?)
-i                 Display GUI interface, must be the first option
-l                 Log off (cannot be used with -m option)
-s                 Shutdown the computer
-r                 Shutdown and restart the computer
-a                 Abort a system shutdown
-m \\computername  Remote computer to shutdown/restart/abort
-t xx              Set timeout for shutdown to xx seconds
-c "comment"       Shutdown comment (maximum of 127 characters)
-f                 Forces running applications to close without warning
-d [u][p]:xx:yy    The reason code for the shutdown
           u is the user code
           p is a planned shutdown code
           xx is the major reason code (positive integer less than 256)
           yy is the minor reason code (positive integer less than 65536)


Next Open Windows Scheduled Tasks by going to    
Start -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks

Now double click on “Add Scheduled task” and click “Browse” to look for shutdown.exe


Browse for shutdown.exe located in C:\WINDOWS\System32\shutdown.exe. This exe is used to shutdown our computer. Give the task any name you want, for e.g., “Auto Shutdown” and make sure to check Perform task option button. You can select any option depending on your requirement. I selected “One time only”.


Keep clicking Next as the dialogue are self explanatory, being sure to provide your windows password when needed until the last prompt. Finally after completing the above step you need to customize the shutdown command slightly further so check “Open advanced properties” before you click Finish.


As the advanced dialogue opens, add “-s -f” to the end of the command as shown in the red box. The “-s” option specifies a shutdown and the “-f” command forces all application to close.


When everything is done, you can see a new scheduled task, You can now take the rest, system will automatically shutdown.