How to Shut Down Windows 8

Microsoft redesigned the Windows user interface with Windows 8, and the shut down command is not where it once was. If you're having difficulty finding out where the Shut Down option is hiding, or you want some alternatives to hunting for...

Method 1 of 3:

Using the Charms Bar

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    Open the Charms bar. Move your cursor to the bottom-right or top-right corner of your display until you see the side Charms bar appear. If you are using a touchscreen device, swipe to the left from the right edge of your screen.
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    Select the Settings option at the bottom right of the bar. This will open a larger Settings sidebar.
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    Click or tap the Power button. A list of options will appear.
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    Select 'Shut down'. Any programs that you have open will attempt to close automatically.
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    Wait for your computer to turn off. Occasionally, programs may prevent Windows from shutting down properly. Windows will attempt to force close these programs, or you may have to close them yourself.
Method 2 of 3:

Using the Windows Button

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    Right-click on the Windows button. This is only visible in Desktop mode, and you must have Windows 8.1 installed. This option is only available to mouse users.
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    Hover your cursor over 'Shut down or sign out'. A list of options will appear. Select 'Shut down'. Any programs that you have open will attempt to close automatically.
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    Wait for your computer to turn off. Occasionally, programs may prevent Windows from shutting down properly. Windows will attempt to force close these programs, or you may have to close them yourself.
Method 3 of 3:

Using Your Computer's Power Button

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    Open the Control panel. In order to use your computer's power button to shut it down, you will need to change the settings. To access the settings, you will need to open the Control Panel. To open the Control Panel, either search for it on your Start screen by typing 'control panel', or Press the Windows key + X and select it from the menu that appears.
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    Open the Power options. You can find this by typing 'power' into the Control Panel search, or you can find it in the Hardware and Sound section of the Control Panel.
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    Click 'Choose what the power buttons do'. This will open a new page where you can designate what should happen when you press your computer's physical power button. Click the drop-down menu next to 'When I press the power button:'. Select 'Shut down' from the list of options.
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    Click 'Save changes'. Your computer will automatically begin shutting down when you press the power button on the computer. This is a perfectly safe way to power down, as it acts just as if you had selected 'Shut down' from the Power menu in Windows.[1]
Update 04 March 2020
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