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After a recent Windows update, the default option (when I press Alt-F4) in the Shut Down Windows dialog in Windows 10 has changed on my laptop:

Shut Down Dialog in Windows 10

The default option is now Switch user. Previously it was what I wanted: Shut down.

How can I restore Shut down as the default?1

Windows version: Windows 10 Home2

1. To avoid a catastrophic mistake, I would prefer not to edit the registry.

2. When I entered the question, the build was v1803. While processing the accepted answer, I rebooted Windows and it updated to v1903.

Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE
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3 Answers3

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The displayed default action is set in :
Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do > When I press the power button.

Set the options of "On battery" and "Plugged in" both to "Shut down". This should also change the default action.

An alternative solution for Windows versions Pro and above (not Home) is to :

  • Start the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
  • Expand User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
  • Double-click on Change Start Menu power button policy to edit it
  • Set the policy to "Enabled" and then the action to "Shut Down"
  • Click OK and reboot.

For the poster, this was still not enough.

So we checked Windows integrity by running sfc /scannow. This, together with a Windows Update and some reboots, finally made this setting stick.

harrymc
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To avoid a catastrophic mistake, I would prefer not to edit the registry.

Unless you are careless it is not possible to make a catastrophic mistake in this case. Since you are using Windows 10 Home modifying the value in the registry is the only way to make this change since you are unable to use the group policy editor. Any solution described in this answer requires you to be an Administrator on the machine.

After a recent Windows update, the default option in the Shut Down Windows dialog in Windows 10 has changed on my laptop to Switch user previously it was Shut Down

How can I restore Shut down as the default?

Within Registry Editor navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced and modify the Start_PowerButtonAction value to 0x2 (i.e. 00000002) from 0x100 (i.e. 00000100). This will change the default behavior for the current user profile.

If you want to change the default behavior for all users on the machine modify the PowerButtonAction key to 0x2 (i.e. 00000002) at the following locations:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Source: How to Change Default Action of Shut Down Windows Dialog in Windows 10

This can also be solved by using the group policy editor. Withing the group policy editor you need to navigated to Users Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar -> Change Start Menu power button

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You must Enable and select the desired action of the button, the modification of this policy, requires a system reboot.

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Since you are running Windows 10 Home, you will have to install gpedit, which is indeed possible.

Windows Starter Edition, Home and Home Premium do not include gpedit, how do I install it?

Community
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Ramhound
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Pretty late to the party, but there might still be people reading this. It's happened to me two or three times in the past, and i'm pretty sure the cause is Windows Update. Before going to change registries or doing other extreme/complicated things, try the Update and Shut Down option from the "usual" power settings (the one in Start Menu). Now it might or might not work for you, but it did solve it everytime for me, and it might be a quick fix worth trying (unless you really don't want to update and shut down ‍♂️).

Albu
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