Microsoft's First Windows 11 Update in 2026 Is Preventing Some PCs from Shutting Down

Microsoft’s first Windows 11 security update of 2026 triggered a shutdown bug on some systems, leaving affected PCs unable to properly shut down or hibernate and restarting instead. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and pushed an out-of-band (emergency) update to address it.

What’s happening

After installing the January 13, 2026, Windows 11 update (reported as KB5073455 in multiple reports), some devices fail to complete a shutdown, restart, or hibernation cycle. Instead of powering off or entering the selected power state, impacted PCs may reboot, creating the impression that the shutdown function is “broken.”

Who is affected

The issue appears limited rather than universal. Reports indicate it primarily affects Windows 11 Enterprise and IoT editions on systems that have System Guard Secure Launch enabled. Secure Launch is a security feature designed to protect the boot process against firmware-level threats, which means the bug intersects with a feature typically used on managed or security-hardened devices.

Microsoft’s response

Microsoft has acknowledged the bug via its Windows release health communications, and multiple outlets report it issued an out-of-band update on January 17, 2026, to mitigate issues observed after the January security updates. The same emergency patch cycle also addressed problems impacting remote access apps, which surfaced alongside the shutdown bug.

Temporary workarounds

Until the fix fully lands on all affected machines, Microsoft has also shared a workaround that involves using Command Prompt to force a shutdown. Users are generally advised to save work first, since forced shutdown procedures can close apps without the usual graceful prompts.

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