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Add Disable button to the taskbar in Windows

Stefan
Stefan
March 31 2023
Add Disable button to the taskbar in Windows

The Start button houses a whole bunch of shortcuts for Windows apps, settings and functions. This also applies to the switch off button. This button is located at the bottom right of the start menu in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

It is also possible to add a disable button directly in the taskbar. You no longer need it startmenu to open, but immediately click on the disable button and Windows will also be closed immediately. To add a shutdown button to the taskbar you need to follow a few steps.

There is currently no setting in Windows that allows you to add a shutdown button directly to the taskbar. However, with a few steps it is possible, in this article you can read how.

Are you looking for how to shut down Windows 11? (click here)

Add Disable button to the taskbar in Windows

Right-click in free space on the Desktop. Then click New and then Shortcut.

new shortcut

In the path type:

shutdown.exe -f -s -t 0

shutdown exe

I will explain what the parameters mean.

“-f” means force. In other words, force close all apps and applications.
“-s” means shutdown.
“-t” means, time, with parameter 0 it means that Windows waits 0 seconds before shutting down. Windows shuts down immediately. If you replace this with a different number of seconds, Windows will wait until the seconds have expired before shutting down.

Click next. Then give the shortcut a clear name and click finish.

Shut down Windows with shortcut

You will now see a new shortcut on the Windows desktop with the name you just created. Right-click on it and click properties from the menu.

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Then click on the tab: Shortcut. Then click on the “Other icon” button and select the desired icon. For example, you can select the “red close button”. Click OK here and apply again.

Change shortcut icon

You will now see a custom shortcut on the desktop with the selected icon. Right-click on it. Windows 11 users click first “Show more options”.

Show more options

Then click on “pin to taskbar”.

Pin shortcut to taskbar

You now have a shortcut on the taskbar that shuts down Windows.

Windows shutdown button in the taskbar

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I hope this helped you. Thank you for reading!


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49 comments

  3. Have PC secure from KPN (F-secure) on my PC. F-secure has been updated. F-secure browser security has now been added as an extension in my Chrome browser. If I now search for something using the Google search field in Chrome, for example with the term clothes dryer, I get several sites that sell clothes dryers. If I then click on one of those sites, for example bol.com, that site will not open but I will receive the message: http://www.googleadservies.com is blocked. If I remove the F-secure extension from Chrome, I don't have this problem, but my browser is not protected. How do I solve that???

    To answer

    1. Hello, this is apparently a known issue with the F-Secure extension:
      https://community.f-secure.com/en/discussion/127090/f-secure-chrome-browser-extension-is-blocking-google-maps-ads
      For now, there apparently is no other option than to wait until F-Secure resolves this or disable the extension as advised in the URL above.
      Success!

      To answer

      1. Thanks for the info.

        I turned off the ad blocker in F-secure. Problem is now solved. I block advertisements with Adblock plus.

        Thank you,

        Hans Weertman

        To answer

  5. Stefan, I purchased a new tablet, Samsung Galaxy S7. The Spotify app is on there. If I have listened to something with Spotify, I cannot stop Spotify. Every time I turn the tablet back on, Spotify also starts up. I have tried everything, including forcing the app to stop, emptying the cash, etc., but Spotify starts up again every time.
    How to stop Spotify?

    To answer

    1. Hallo,
      There should be an option in the settings to disable Spotify startup. I don't have an Android tablet, so I can't test it. If anyone else knows, you can of course respond.

      To answer

  6. First of all, many thanks for this very useful tip about shutting down windows 11 pro. The methods known to me to shut down Windows 11 Pro only ensure that Windows is closed, but the computer is not completely turned off. A connected fritzboxwlan stick AC 860 remains live (green light). However, by using the shutdown.exe it appears that the power on the stick is also turned off and another red light appears on the front of the PC. Simply switching the voltage switch on the back of the PC completely disconnects the computer. I also noticed when giving up shutdown after a Windows update, that these lights were also off. Apparently there is a big difference in effect between the normal methods of shutdown on the one hand and shutdown.exe on the other. Question: Does this affect the lifespan of the CMOS button battery?

    To answer

    1. Hello, this has no consequences. BIOS data is stored in the CMOS. This CMOS chip is supplied with power via a CMOS battery, which always remains on, usually for years. Good luck!

      To answer

  9. Super thanks. My husband was quite annoyed by the lack of an off button. Since I am a bit more patient, I did a search and luckily found your clear explanation. It's on there now. 😃

    To answer

  11. What a clear explanation for shutting down the PC. I was endlessly annoyed by the Windows closing window that always said “different user”. Without looking, I went back to it. To compress. And now with the button in the taskbar. Fantastic

    To answer

  12. Hello Stefan. That off button on the taskbar worked. Thank you. See also 24-11 Jennifer. How do I get that previous on/off button back on my taskbar where you could also choose to restart, shut down and restart, etc., as in my previous version after the update to Windows 11 (so I should never have done that)
    Or has it now become those 4 blue square blocks and then make the choice at Close or unsubscribe?

    To answer

    1. Hello Kees, at the moment it is the blue squares - this is the start button - and then clicking on the on/off button indeed. You can then choose between sleep mode, shutdown or restart. If you do not see these choices, you need to update Windows 11 to the latest version. Greetings, Stefan

      To answer

  13. Hi Stefan,

    My computer also occasionally had trouble restarting after shutting down.
    Applied your tip and it worked. Thank you for this!! Greetings, Bert67+

    To answer

  14. Added shutdown button for Desktop PC to taskbar as per your instructions. The only thing that doesn't get turned off is my keyboard. Well, my PC. How should I solve this? Use windows 11

    Greetings Hans

    To answer

    1. Hello, that's not something related to Windows. This setting is in the computer's BIOS. There is a setting in the BIOS that you need to adjust. I expect “wake on USB” or something with “USB power” to be enabled for a specific port. Good luck! Greetings, Stefan

      To answer

    2. Stefan, I connected the keyboard to a different USB port, it works now. I always have to turn the screen on and off manually.
      Regards, Hans

      To answer

      1. Ok, then it is indeed in the BIOS. If you have connected the keyboard to a different port, that setting for this specific USB port will not be active. That also works! Greetings, Stefan

        To answer

  15. I have moved the on and off button to the right in the small square field, but I don't know how to tell me where I can find this

    To answer

  16. Thank you Stefan, I would never have figured it out without your instructions.
    I don't understand why all this is necessary, next time don't 'update' to a 'higher' windows.

    Greetings, Ton

    To answer

    1. Hello JanWillem, hibernation is not part of shutdown.exe. It is possible to put the computer into sleep mode via scripting, but that requires multiple commands and a custom script. Greetings, Stefan

      To answer

  18. What useful tips!
    My question is the off button... previously I had the option to restart in sleep mode... but the power button is now only off...

    To answer

    1. Hi Jennifer, this is an adjustment. The standard power off, restart and sleep button is still there too. You will find these buttons when you click on the start button. At the bottom right of the start screen you will see an on/off button. Click on it, there you will see the options.
      Good luck! Greetings, Stefan.

      To answer

  19. Hello Stefan..trying to create an extra Shutdown button on Win11 via your prompt But I'm missing a step. Your clue:
    1. Rclick in Screen
    2. NEW..Shortcut
    3. For which item Shortcut. to make?

    You then ask to type:
    shutdown.exe -f -s -t 0

    But the comp. then says:
    Location unknown.

    So you can't go any further

    To answer

    1. Hello Wim, I don't know where exactly you are going wrong. The information is correct and clear, I don't see where you are going wrong. Shutdown.exe exists in the c:\windows\system32\
      Greetings, Stefan

      To answer

  20. How can I move an app from the taskbar to the desktop in Windows 11, for example funda.nl or bol.com.
    I've tried everything but it doesn't work.
    Thanks in advance.
    Piet

    To answer

    1. Hello Piet, you do this by right-clicking on the shortcut in the taskbar and then clicking “unpin from language bar”. Then create a shortcut from the app to the Desktop. The latter depends entirely on how the app and which app is installed. As a rule, click on free space on the desktop, then click New, then Shortcut, select the app's output file and give the shortcut a recognizable name. There is now a shortcut on the desktop. Greetings, Stefan.

      To answer

  21. LS,
    recently installed wind 11, on wind 10 there were links to div program on the task bar,
    wind 11 has taken over this, but now I can't get a new link installed on the taskbar,
    how does wind 11 work?
    like to hear,
    greeting
    Ben

    To answer

    1. Hi Ben, You can pin an app shortcut to the taskbar. Click with the right mouse button on the shortcut, then click “Show more options”. Then click on “pin to taskbar”. The shortcut is now pinned to the taskbar. Greetings, Stefan

      To answer

        1. Yes, that is not possible by default, but with a detour. Apparently it concerns a folder and an Excel file. I assumed it was a shortcut, which works with the instructions above.

          Right-click on the folder, click “show more options” and then click Copy to and then Desktop (create a shortcut). Right-click the shortcut and click Properties. Go to the shortcut tab and in the “Target:” path, for everything already there, type “explorer.exe” without quotes. You will then see something like explorer.exe “c:\folder” click OK. Then right click on that shortcut and click show more options, now you will see “pin to taskbar”. If you don't see it yet, something is going wrong. I just tested it and it works. Good luck!

          To answer

          1. After adding explorer.exe, you must also remove the " in its entirety, including a space after exe
            it works now, thanks for the tip.
            gr.
            Ben

  22. Hello, Creating this button worked fine, thanks for the explanation. What I am unable to do is create a restart button, option " /r ". It shouldn't be too difficult...

    To answer

    1. Hello Jan, glad I could help. As for the restart button, use the following path “shutdown.exe -f -r -t 0”. It is not “/r” but “-r”. I tested it and it works. Good luck! Greetings, Stefan

      To answer
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