There are many ways to restart (restart) your computer. This is not an ethical dilemma. Only one method will ensure that no problems arise after you restart the computer.
How to Reboot a Computer
Open the Start menu, and select the Restart option to safely restart your Windows computer. If you have any questions, the following are detailed instructions.
How to Reboot Windows 11, 10, and 8 Computers
The Start menu is the “normal” way of rebooting a Windows 11/10/8 computer.
- Navigate to the Start menu.
- Choose the power icon at either the top (Windows 11/10), or the bottom (Windows 8) on the screen.
- Select To Restart.
Using Power User Menu
The second option is slightly faster and does not require the entire Start menu.
- By pressing the Win key (Windows), and X keys, you can open the Power Users menu.
- Sign out or go to Shut Down.
- Select To Restart.
How to Reboot a Windows 7 or Vista Computer
You can reboot Windows 7 or Vista quickly using the Start menu.
- From the taskbar, open the Start menu.
- Windows 7 and Vista users can select the small arrow to the right of “Shut Down” in Windows 7.
- Select To Restart.
How to Restart a computer with Ctrl+Alt+Del
To open the Windows shutdown dialog box, use the Ctrl+Alt+Del keyboard key combination. This approach is optional and works as well as the Start menu or Start screen.
These screens will look different depending upon which Windows version you are using. However, each screen offers the ability to restart your computer.
- Windows 11, 10, and 8: Have you seen the power icon at the bottom of the screen? To find the Start option, click on it.
- Windows 7 or Vista: Click the arrow to the right of the red power button at the lower right corner of your screen. Next, select Restart.
- Windows XP – Select Shut down from the menu, then Start.
How to Start Windows from a Command Prompt
Use the shutdown command to restart Windows via Command Prompt
- Open Command Prompt.
- This command is to be typed and hit. Enter.
- Keep quiet while your computer restarts.
Restart your computer with a batch file
Enter the same command to restart a computer using a batch file. This will restart your computer in 60 seconds.
“Reboot” Doesn’t Always Mean “Reset”
If you see the option to reset some, be careful. Sometimes, restarting is also called reset. The term reset is often used to refer to a factory reset. This is a completely different process than a restart.
