How Do I Restart My Computer With Just the Keyboard on Windows 10?
How Do I Restart My Computer With Just the Keyboard on Windows 10?
3 Answers

Need to restart your Windows 10 PC using just the keyboard? No problem! Here’s what you can do:
- Alt + F4 on the Desktop:
- Hit Windows Key + D to zip straight to the desktop and minimize everything else.
- Once you’re there, press Alt + F4, and you’ll see the “Shut Down Windows” box pop up.
- Use the arrow keys to pick “Restart” from the list.
- Smash that Enter key to get things moving.
- The Classic Ctrl + Alt + Del Trick:
- Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time to bring up some options.
- Press Tab until the power icon in the corner lights up.
- Hit Enter to open up the power settings.
- Navigate with the arrows to “Restart” and press Enter again to kick it off.
- Quick Link with Windows Key + X:
- Tap Windows Key + X and open the Quick Link menu.
- Press U to dive into the “Shut down or sign out” options.
- Go for R to command a restart.
Each of these tricks is super handy, especially if your mouse or screen is playing hard to get. But hey, make sure you’ve saved everything first—losing work is the worst!

Hey there! So, you\’re looking to restart your Windows 10 computer using just the keyboard? I\’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve that might help you out. Just make sure you save everything you’re working on first because, you know, nothing’s worse than losing all that hard work.
- Kickstart with the Start Menu:
Just hit the Windows key to pop open the Start menu. You can dance around with the arrow keys to get to the Power icon. Tap Enter to check out the shutdown options, and then make your way to the “Restart” button and slam that Enter key again. Perfect for when your mouse takes a day off!
- Magic Combo: Ctrl + Alt + Delete:
Tap these three buttons together, and voilà, you’re on the security screen. Use the Tab key if you need to shuffle over to the power icon or the restart option. Hit Enter, and you’re good to go. It’s a lifesaver when your mouse is acting up or if you’re hanging out in a remote desktop session.
- The Old-School Alt + F4:
Make sure you’ve got a clean desktop, minimize or close everything if you need to. Smash Alt + F4 together, and a ‘Shut Down Windows’ box will pop up. Use the arrows to get to “Restart,” hit Enter, and say hello to a fresh start. It’s quick and gets the job done when nothing else is in the way.
- Command Prompt to the Rescue:
Press Windows Key + R, type “cmd” in the Run box, and hit Enter for the Command Prompt. Then type in shutdown /r and hit Enter. Your computer will restart in about a minute. Want more control? You can even set a timer for your restart with shutdown /r /t 30 for a chill 30-second delay.
A few extra nuggets of wisdom:
- Make sure everything’s saved because these shortcuts don’t always remind you to save your work.
- If your keyboard shortcuts aren\’t working due to a system hiccup, double-check your keyboard\’s all set up okay.
- Keep an eye out for recurring issues—if restarting becomes a habit, you might want to run a system check to iron out any deeper issues.
By getting comfy with these keyboard shortcuts and methods, you’ll be able to restart your Windows 10 machine without a hitch, even when your trusty mouse decides to play hide and seek.

Here\’s the deal: if you\’re looking to restart your Windows 10 computer using just your keyboard, I\’ve got some nifty tricks for you:
- First up, the classic routine:
- Tap away at
Alt + F4
until you\’ve got all your apps wrapped up. - Flick through options with the arrow keys and hit Restart.
- Smash that
Enter
key. - Got something locking up the Start menu? No problem. Try this:
- Do the trusty
Ctrl + Alt + Delete
combo. - Scoot over to the power icon using
Tab
or the arrow keys. - Choose Restart and press
Enter
. - If you’re feeling brave, use the WinX route:
- Hit
Win + X
to bring up the power user menu. - Follow up with
U
and thenR
.
Now, let\’s tackle the sticky situations:
- Frozen up to the gills? Might have to go old school by holding the power button for about 5 seconds to force it off. Wait a bit, then turn it back on. Just a heads-up, you might lose any unsaved work.
- For those times when your desktop\’s gone AWOL because Explorer.exe decided to play dead:
- Call up Task Manager with
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
. - Navigate to Windows Explorer in the Processes tab, then restart it. Simple but effective!
- Sometimes updates get stuck in a loop and need a nudge:
- Force the PC off during startup a few times, which should get you into recovery mode for some repairs.
Why does all this happen? Stuff like driver and software fusses, memory going rogue, or a corrupted file system are to blame. Keep things smooth by doing regular updates, checking performance with perfmon /report
, or scheduling a chkdsk
.
For extra tools, the PowerShell command Restart-Computer -Force
is quick but needs admin powers.
And hey, maybe consider third-party software like EaseUS Partition Master if you\’re venturing into pro territory.
Remember, always back up your stuff before going down the forceful restart path.