How to set a timer to turn off. Setting a timer to automatically turn off your computer at the right time - nothing could be easier! Enable shutdown timer using CMD
Today, almost any household appliance is equipped with a shutdown timer. For example, such a function is present in the kitchen oven: you just need to load the baked goods, set the required time on the timer and you can go do more important things. It’s the same with a computer: you need to set something important to download, but there’s no time to sit and wait for the download to finish. To avoid wasting your personal time and energy, you can use such a convenient function as the shutdown timer.
The auto-shutdown function will be very helpful so that the child does not sit at the computer for more than the permitted time. After the expiration date, music, games, movies and other programs will close.
This function can be activated in two ways: in the standard way through a computer on Windows 10, 8, 7 and by installing third-party programs.
First, let's look at how you can set the shutdown timer in the standard way:
The shutdown timer can be set using the scheduler and the command line.
Using the command line
- By clicking the “Start” button, go to “Programs”, then “Accessories” and select “Command Prompt”.
- In the window that appears, type the command shutdown /?, and then press Enter. Now all the parameters of the shutdown program appear in the window.
- From the entire list we need only 3 parameters:
- s — end of work,
- t — computer shutdown time in seconds,
- a—cancel system shutdown.
Let’s say that the PC turns off after 1 hour, you need to type shutdown -s -t 3600 at the command line. The message that will notify you that the computer is shutting down will look like this (in Windows 7):
If your plans change and you need to cancel auto shutdown. Then you need to call the “Run” window again and enter: shoutdown -a. After entering, click "OK". The tray should notify you that the scheduled system shutdown has been cancelled.
Note: if you accidentally clicked “Shutdown” in Start, you can cancel the shutdown with this command.
Via Scheduler
Now about the second method using a scheduler. With it you can get more advanced settings. For example, set the computer to turn off every day at a certain time or so that the computer shuts down after 3 hours of operation.
To configure auto-completion through the scheduler, you must:
- Click the Start menu and type “Scheduler” into the search bar.
- The line “Task Scheduler” will appear, and you need to open it.
- In the left column of the window that opens, you need to click “Task Scheduler Library”, and in the right column, called “Actions”, select “Create a simple task”.
- You must give a name to the “Name” column, and then click the “Next” button.
- In the window that appears, you need to set the frequency, for example, “Daily”. Click “Next” 3 times.
- In the “Program or Script” window that opens, you must enter the “shoutdown” command, and in the “Add arguments” field write “-s -f” without quotes.
- You can complete the setup by clicking “Next” and “Finish”. The shutdown timer has started. If you go to “Scheduler” again and select “Task Scheduler Library”, the running task will be displayed in the middle column. You can cancel a task by right-clicking and clicking “Delete”.
Third-party programs for setting the shutdown timer
Now you can move on to third-party utilities. In this case, consider the “PowerOff” program, which is distributed free of charge. Its main advantage is that it does not require installation, so immediately after downloading you can start using the utility.
The program has a wide list of functions, including:
- Automatic shutdown of the computer by timer, time or schedule.
- Ability to select an action after an event is triggered.
- Built-in diary and task planner.
- Ability to control the program using hot keys.
- Autostart of the program along with the startup of the operating system.
- Managing WinAmp using hotkeys.
- Dependent timers for WinAmp, Internet and CPU.
When you first start the program, it does not require any additional settings, so you can immediately start a regular timer.
On the main window, in the “Timers” section, you can select after what action the computer will turn off. For example, you can set the shutdown to occur after the timer ends or set the exact time at which the computer will turn off.
In addition to the main functions, PowerOff has other auto shutdown options:
- WinAmp. Let's say you like to fall asleep to your favorite music, and play tracks through the WinAmp player. The PowerOff utility can be set to play a certain number of tracks and exit when finished.
- Internet. PowerOff timer, which will stop working after all downloads are completed. To enable it, you must specify the speed of incoming traffic. As soon as the speed drops below the specified threshold, auto shutdown will occur.
- CPU timer. This timer allows you to turn off your computer after completing a resource-intensive task. To enable the timer, you must specify the time for fixing the processor load. And as soon as the incoming speed time drops below the specified threshold, the computer will turn off.
In addition to turning off the computer, PowerOff can perform the following actions:
Shut Down
The peculiarity of this program is that it does not require installation, since its file has the exe extension. Working with this utility begins with choosing the interface language and cover.
When the desired function and time are selected, click “Start”. Also, the settings of this program allow you to make it invisible on the desktop.
Smart Turn off
Setting up this “assistant” is extremely simple. Select the PC shutdown function, select the shutdown option (after a certain period or at a specified time) and set the time, click “OK”
OFFTimer
A small free utility for shutting down a PC from the developer Ivakhnenko Egor. Does not require installation and has very simple functionality. As soon as the launch is complete, set the time, click “turn on timer” and you’re done. The window can also be minimized.
Sleep Timer 2007
A utility from the developer Yu.L. Kalinichenko, which also does not require installation. It has a wide range of functions that, in addition to shutting down, allow you to put the PC into standby mode or shut down programs. And also set the required process to completion (though only one).
TimePC
The selection of the required action is carried out in the “Turn Off/On PC” tab. The program allows, in addition to turning it off, to also configure turning on the computer. It is also possible to launch the necessary programs together with a PC. These settings are made in the “Running Programs” tab.
The “Scheduler” function will help you set up your computer for the whole week.
Whatever software and method you choose to automatically turn off your computer, be guided by your preferences.
The timer is a very convenient function that will allow you to use your device more intelligently, because then you will be able to control the time spent on the computer. There are several ways to set the time after which the system will shut down. You can do this using only system tools, or you can install additional software. Let's consider both options.
Many users need a timer to keep track of time and also to prevent their computer from wasting power. In this case, it is much more convenient to use additional software products, because the system tools will not give you so many tools to work with over time.
Method 1: Airytec Switch Off
One of the best programs of this kind is Airytec Switch Off. With its help, you can not only set a timer, but also configure the device to turn off after all downloads are completed, log out of the account after a long absence of the user, and much more.
It is very easy to use the program, because it has Russian localization. After launching, Airytec Switch Off minimizes to tray and does not interfere with you in any way while working at the computer. Find the program icon and click on it with the mouse - a context menu will open in which you can select the required function.
Method 2: Wise Auto Shutdown
Wise Auto Shutdown is also a Russian-language program that will help you control the operating time of your device. With its help, you can set the time after which the computer will turn off, reboot, go into sleep mode, and much more. You can also even create a daily schedule according to which the system will work.
Working with Wise Auto Shutdown is quite simple. When you run the program, in the menu on the left you need to select what action the system should perform, and on the right you need to indicate the time for the selected action to be performed. You can also enable a reminder to appear 5 minutes before you turn off your computer.
Method 3: Use system tools
You can also set a timer without using additional software, but using system applications: the dialog box "Run" or "Command line".
We looked at 3 ways in which you can set a timer on your computer. As you can see, using Windows system tools in this matter is not the best idea. Using additional software? you will make your work much easier. Of course, there are many other programs for working with time, but we have selected the most popular and interesting ones.
Any user can turn off a computer. But, in some situations, it becomes necessary to turn off the computer not immediately, but after some time. In other words, set a timer to turn off the computer. Not everyone knows what to do in such a situation. In this short article we will look at three ways to set a timer to turn off your computer.
Method number 1. Shutdown command.
You can change this command to suit your needs. For example, you can increase the delay time before turning off. To do this, instead of 60, enter another number. The main thing to remember is that the delay is set in seconds.
You can also, instead of shutting it down, send your computer to reboot or hibernate. To do this, replace the /s parameter with /r() or /h (hibernate). If necessary, you can enable forced termination of all running programs without warning the user. To do this, you need to add the /f parameter to the command. If you want to know all the available parameters, run the Shutdown command without any parameters.
Method number 2. Task scheduler.
You can also set a timer to turn off your computer using the task scheduler. To do this, launch the “Task Scheduler” using the taskschd.msc command. In the scheduler itself, you need to click on the “Create a simple task” button.
After this, the Create a Simple Task Wizard will launch. It can be used to schedule the Shutdown command to run at a specific time. To start creating a task, enter a name and click on the “Next” button.
After this, you need to choose the frequency of completing the task. In most cases, a one-time execution will do.
In the next step, you need to select “Run a program” (we will launch the Shutdown program).
That's it, the task is almost created. All that remains is to click on the “Finish” button.
After this, the task you created will appear in the “Task Library”.
Now, at the selected time, the “Task Scheduler” will execute the Shutdown command and the computer will turn off.
Method number 2. Programs to turn off the computer.
You can also set a timer to turn off your computer using third-party programs. For example, you can use (screenshot below). This program is free and has a lot of functions. With its help, you can configure the computer to turn off by timer, by countdown, or in case of computer inactivity.
Another interesting program for turning off the computer using a timer is (screenshot below).
The Switch Off program adds a special icon to the taskbar with which you can quickly set the computer shutdown timer. Switch Off also has a number of unique features. For example, with this program you can turn off your computer over the Internet.
You've probably encountered a situation where you need to step away, but you can't turn off your computer because certain tasks are running. In such a case, you can schedule an automatic shutdown of the computer according to a schedule. Windows 10 has built-in shutdown scheduling mechanisms, although not every user will find them. Here we have collected all the ways you can set a computer shutdown timer.
How to set the Windows 10 sleep timer using the Run command
Click Win+R and enter the command shutdown -s -t 60. The number is responsible for the number of seconds after which the computer will automatically turn off.
In this case, the shutdown will occur after 1 minute. You can set any time you prefer. Just remember that it is indicated in seconds.
How to Schedule Your Computer to Automatically Shut Down Using the Command Line
How to Automatically Shut Down Your Computer Using PowerShell
Other commands for the computer shutdown timer
You definitely noticed that after the main command shutdown There is also an additional argument that indicates to the system the nature of the action being performed. Using these arguments, you can assign additional commands and not only turn off the computer using a timer, but also reboot or put it into sleep mode.
It looks like this: shutdown -s -t 60. Instead of a letter - s you need to substitute one of the following:
- r- reboot. The team will look like shutdown-r-t 60 . Stands for reboot after 60 seconds.
- h– hibernation. Shutdown-h-t 60 . If you enter this command, the computer will go into hibernation after 60 seconds. You can set any time, as in the previous command. In both cases -t is responsible for time in seconds, followed by any amount of time you specify.
How to set an automatic shutdown timer using Task Scheduler
- Open the built-in operating system Task Manager. To do this, click Win+R and enter the command Taskschd.msc. Alternatively, you can press menu Start and enter into search Task Manager. There are also other launch options, but these two are the fastest.
- On the right side of the window, click Create a simple task.
- The window for creating a simple task will open. On the tab Create a simple task provide a name and description if you need the latter. Click Further.
- On the tab Triggers set value One time.
- Click Further and in the next step set the time when the computer will automatically turn off.
- Next, you need to tell the system the action it needs to perform. Select on the next window Run the program and press Further.
- Near the point Program or script click Review.
- An Explorer window will open in the system folder system32. Find the file in it shutdown.exe. It is he who initiates the process of shutting down the computer.
- Click OK.
- In field Add arguments enter -s. Click OK.
- Click Further, review the options you specified and click Ready.
For a single shutdown, this method may be too complex. But unlike scheduled shutdown using the command line, Task Scheduler allows you to make this procedure regular. For example, turn off the computer every day at 22:00. Trigger timing options can help you sort this out and set a schedule that works for you.
Setting the Windows 10 sleep timer from a shortcut
If you need to use sleep timers frequently, you can create shortcuts on the desktop or anywhere else in the operating system. Opening this shortcut will take over the task of activating the shutdown, reboot, or timed hibernation command.
- Right click anywhere and select Create – Shortcut.
- In the first step, enter the command shutdown-X-tY. Instead of X indicate the letter s to turn off, r to reboot or h for hibernation. Instead of Y– the time you need in seconds.
- Next, name your shortcut and save it.
You can also create a shortcut to cancel shutdown/reboot or hibernation. Everything is done exactly the same, only the command is specified shutdown-a. Once the shortcuts are created, you can move them, rename them, or change the icons as you wish.
How to stop your computer from automatically turning off in Windows 10
If you set a scheduled PC shutdown using the command Execute, Command line or PowerShell, then you can disable everything using a very simple action.
Click Win+R and enter shutdown -a. The system will then notify you that the automatic logout has been cancelled. You can run the same command in Command Prompt or PowerShell.
If a scheduled shutdown is set in the Task Scheduler, then the cancellation process will be slightly different.
There are also a large number of third-party programs that help schedule a shutdown, reboot, or sleep mode in Windows 10. Often, there is no need for such solutions due to the fact that the necessary mechanisms are already built into the system that can regulate the automatic shutdown of the computer. They work quite simply and effectively, which cannot always be said about third-party programs.
Also note that the scheduled shutdown method is not suitable if you want to use it as a parental control. To do this, Windows 10 has separate mechanisms installed that work differently, much more efficiently and reliably.
In addition, pay attention to the settings of the application that occupies your computer for a long time. Often, programs with a long period of task execution have an option to automatically shut down after completion. In this case, you won’t need system methods, not to mention third-party ones, at all.
Nowadays, almost all devices are equipped with timers to turn off after a certain time. And the computer is no exception.
Computer shutdown timer a very useful function when you need to turn off the computer after a certain time, and you won’t be around. In this article, I described the two easiest ways to set a timer to turn off your computer using standard Windows 7 tools, without any third-party programs.
We set the computer shutdown timer in Windows 7 using the standard method.
You can set the time after which the computer will automatically turn off without using third-party programs, but using standard tools! To do this, press the combination Win+ R and in the “Run” window enter the command shutdown -s -t 3600.
(the computer will turn off in an hour).
3600 is the set timer value in seconds (3600s = 1 hour), you can set any value from 0 to 315360000 (10 years).
There are also others computer shutdown timers in the parameters of the shutdown command, which can reboot, end the session, put the computer into sleep or hibernation mode. To view the full list, press Win+R, enter cmd.exe , type in the command line window shutdown -? and press Enter:
For example:
shutdown -r -t 60— restart the computer after 60 seconds.
shutdown -s -t 600 — turn off the computer after 600 seconds (5 minutes); shutdown -a— cancel the reboot/shutdown that was enabled by the previous commands.
shutdown -a — put the computer into hibernation mode.
shutdown -r -t 1000 — restart the computer after 1000 seconds .
Computer shutdown timer in Windows 7 via scheduler:
1. Click the “Start” menu and enter “Scheduler” in the search bar.
2. The line “Task Scheduler” will appear, which is what we need to open.
3. In the left column of the task scheduler that opens, click on “Task Scheduler Library”, and in the right column - “Actions”, select “Create a simple task”.
4. Give a name in the “Name” column, and then click the “Next” button.
5. In the new window, you need to set the period, for example, “Daily” and click “Next” 3 times.
6. In the next window - “Program or script”, enter the “shoutdown” command, and in the “Add arguments” field write “-s -f” without quotes.
There are also quite a lot of third-party programs that allow you to set a timer to turn off the computer, but I believe that standard tools are quite sufficient. They are as simple and safe as possible, unlike third-party software.