One moment your Windows 10 PC is running smoothly, and the next moment it is shutting down for no apparent reason. You know you didn’t trigger the shutdown process, meaning something is causing Windows to do it prematurely. If you don’t know what to do, here are a few troubleshooting steps you can take to nip this behavior in the bud.
How to Stop Windows 10 From Randomly Shutting Down
Windows 10 is one of the most stable operating systems. But if you start experiencing unexplained random shutdowns, it’s time to start ruling some things out before thinking about the nuclear option: reinstalling Windows 10.
Here are some common solutions that can help you prevent your Windows 10 PC from shutting down randomly.
1. Turn off Fast Startup
With fast startup enabled, your computer will boot up faster than normal. However, there are times when expediting the boot sequence can cause some drivers to crash, leading to a random shutdown. You can disable fast startup with a few simple steps.
On the Taskbar, type “power and sleep” in the Search bar and then click on Power and sleep settings in the results. On the right side of the Power & sleep window, click on Additional power settings. It will be under Related settings.
In the Power Options windows, click on Choose what power buttons do and then Change settings that are currently unavailable.
Then, scroll down, uncheck Turn on fast startup and click on Save changes.
2. Turn Off Sleep Mode
Windows might go into sleep mode to conserve power when you’re away from your computer for some minutes. But sometimes the computer can shut down instead of going to sleep. The best way to avoid this random Windows 10 shutdown is to disable Sleep Mode.
Head to the Power and sleep settings. Under Sleep, click on the dropdown button for On battery power, PC goes to sleep after and change it to Never. Do the same for the When plugged in, PC goes to sleep after dropdown.
3. Fix Windows 10 Driver Problems
If the fast startup feature isn’t causing drivers to crash and trigger a random shutdown, it could be that you have an outdated or corrupt driver. When drivers aren’t working properly, Windows can lag or shut down at best or crash at worst.
To fix an outdated driver, you only need to update it from the Device Manager. Type “device manager” in the Search bar of the Taskbar and click on “Device Manager” in the search results. Right-click on each device and choose Update driver.
Then, click on Search automatically for drivers. Windows will then try to find the latest driver for the device and install it. If Windows doesn’t find a driver update for the device, you can try searching the manufacturer’s website.
If you have a corrupt driver on your hands, fixing it will require reinstalling the driver. Back in Device Manager, right-click on the device with the bad driver and click on Uninstall driver. Restart your computer, and Windows will reinstall the driver during startup.
4. Make Sure Your Windows 10 PC is Not Overheating
Sometimes, Windows might be shutting down because your PC is overheating. To determine if overheating is the problem, you need to check your PC’s temperature. If it’s running hot, prevent it from overheating without getting new hardware by:
- Cleaning your computer’s fans and other internal components by wiping them and blowing on them with your mouth or canned air duster. This will remove dust, an insulator that contributes to the overheating problem.
- Making sure nothing is obstructing the vents where your PC’s fans expel heat. An obstruction prevents the hot air from coming out and disrupts the internal airflow, causing the computer to overheat and shut down or crash.
- Keeping it away from sources of heat. These include heaters, ACs, Windows where the sun is shining through and other heat-generating devices.
- Monitoring your computer’s temperature in real-time when overclocking.
Enjoy Windows 10 Without Random Shutdowns
If you’ve followed the troubleshooting steps above and even reinstalled Windows 10, and it is still shutting down randomly, you might want to consider it’s a hardware problem. It could be that a malfunctioning device needs repairing or replacing. But if one of the solutions worked out for you, we hope you enjoy your Windows 10 machine without fearing a random shut down.
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