How to Shutdown or Sleep Windows 10 With a Keyboard Shortcut

If you’re like most Windows 10 users, you probably use your mouse to shut down or put your PC to sleep. But did you know there’s a faster way? With a few keyboard shortcuts, you can shut down, sleep, or restart your computer without touching the mouse.

Here’s how to do it.

Shut Down Windows 10 with a Keyboard Shortcut

Option 1: Use the Alt + F4 Shortcut

1. Close all open windows or press Windows + D to show the desktop.
2. Press Alt + F4.
3. The “Shut Down Windows” dialog box will appear.
4. Use the arrow keys to select Shut down.
5. Press Enter.

Done. Your computer will begin shutting down immediately.

Tip: If you’re not on the desktop, this shortcut will try to close your active window instead.

Put Windows 10 to Sleep with a Keyboard Shortcut

There’s no default one-key combo to sleep your PC, but you can do it quickly using this method:

1. Press Windows + X to open the Power User menu.
2. Press U (for Shut down or sign out).
3. Press S (for Sleep).

That’s it—your PC goes to sleep.

Create Your Own Custom Shortcut (Optional)

Want a true one-press solution? You can create your own sleep or shutdown shortcut:

How to Create a Shutdown Shortcut:

1. Right-click on your desktop and choose New > Shortcut.
2. In the location field, type: shutdown /s /t 0
3. Click Next, name it “Shutdown”, and click Finish.
4. Right-click the shortcut, go to Properties, and set a keyboard shortcut (e.g., Ctrl + Alt + S).

For Sleep, use:

Creating a sleep shortcut is trickier but possible with a command like:

rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0

Note: This may hibernate instead of sleep on some systems. You can adjust power settings to control this behavior.

Final Thoughts

Keyboard shortcuts save time and keep your workflow smooth. Whether you’re powering down after a long day or quickly putting your system to sleep, knowing these tricks keeps you in control—no mouse required.

Got questions or want more Windows tips? Drop a comment below.