Windows 11 now reliably supports the “Update and Shut Down” option in its power menu, addressing a UX flaw that has persisted for nearly ten years.
Users of Windows 10 and Windows 11 have long reported that choosing “Update and Shut Down” did not actually power off the device. Instead the system would reboot one or more times or remain at the login screen. This behaviour was especially inconvenient for users who wanted to end their day and leave the PC off overnight, yet found it still running or rebooting instead.
Microsoft’s support documents explain that some updates require a full restart to complete, and therefore “Update and Shut Down” may default to a restart in those cases. It was also tied to power-management features such as Fast Startup, which influenced whether shutdown really happened or a hybrid state remained.
The fix arrives as Microsoft has gradually refined its update process in recent major Windows 11 builds. While the company did not publish a specific changelog line calling out this fix, the lack of new user complaints suggests that the option is now functioning as intended. (Assumption: detailed internal documentation has not been released publicly.) For IT managers, the update means fewer manual shutdown workarounds and reduced overnight power drain. For regular users the change means less frustration and better alignment between what the button says and what it does.
Going forward this stabilization may improve trust in Windows updates and power workflows, especially in enterprise and hybrid environments where devices are left unattended overnight. The key now will be whether this behaviour remains consistent across vendors, hardware configurations and future updates.