How to Shut Down a Computer With Notepad

Shut down your computer with a single click.

A batch file is a text file that contains computer commands. Programmers used batch files with DOS before Microsoft released Windows. Shutdown.exe is a utility program in the Windows system folder. If you double-click that file, your computer will shut down. Using Notepad, you can create a batch file that contains that the shutdown.exe command. Place this file on your desktop or Quick Start menu to simplify the task of shutting down your computer.

Instructions

1. Open Notepad and add the following text:

   shutdown.exe -s

2. Click "File" and select "Save." A window will open and display the folders on your hard drive.

3. Navigate to your Desktop folder and double-click the folder to select it.

4. Locate the File Name text box at the bottom of the window. Type "shutdown.bat" (without the quotes) in the text box and click "Save." Notepad will save the file to your desktop.

5. Exit Notepad and locate the file on your desktop. Double-click the file to shutdown your computer.

Tips & Warnings

• To rename the batch file, right-click the icon and select "Rename." Type a new name for the batch file. To restart the computer instead of shutting it down, create a batch file that contains this statement: shutdown.exe -r.

References

• Microsoft: Windows XP - User-Initiated Shutdowns
• Maximum PC Guides: Create Shortcuts That Lock, Restart, and Shutdown Windows Vista
• Tech Terms: Batch File Definition

Resources

• PCWorld: Windows Tips - Make Windows Start and Stop the Way You Want