Windows 7 bug causing PCs to not shut down or reboot; Here's how to fix it

Recently it was reported that a Windows 7 Bug is preventing users from shutting down and rebooting their PCs and laptops. According to reports, this bug has been reported on tech discussions and forums in the last 24 hours and has been causing confusion among Windows users. Here is everything we know about the Windows 7 bug and why is Windows 7 not shutting down/rebooting:

Also read: Microsoft Has Ended Free Windows 7 Security Updates

Windows 7 bug reported

According to the reports, a message saying: ‘You don’t have permission to shut down this computer’ is flashing on the screens of a majority of the Windows 7 PC owners. It has also been reported that it is due to the bug in Windows 7 which is not rebooting or shutting down. Hundreds of Windows 7 users have already reported the Windows 7 bug on Reddit forums and other social media platforms like Twitter as well.

Also read: Microsoft To Withdraw Windows 7 Support In January 2020; More Details

The Microsoft Answers Forum is also observing users asking for possible solutions to this Windows 7 bug, and ways to prevent the Windows 7 not rebooting issue. Although Microsoft has not officially confirmed this Windows 7 bug, many users are listing the possible reasons for facing this bug. They are mentioning how broken User Account Control group policies, Windows 7 Monthly Rollup updates, or telemetry updates might be acting up and leading to this Windows 7 bug.

Also read: Using Microsoft Windows 7 Computers: Mark 14 January 2020 On Your Calendars

How to fix the Windows 7 not shutting down issue?

Though Microsoft has not yet confirmed the bug nor given a solution to fix it, leading anti-virus brand Quick Heal has provided a working solution for Windows 7 not rebooting or shutting down. Here is how you can solve this Windows 7 issue according to them (only works on the Enterprise, Professional and Ultimate version of Windows 7):

1. Open ‘Run’ dialogue box by pressing the Windows key+R combo at the same time.
2. Once the ‘Run’ dialogue box is running, type ‘gpedit.msc’ and hit ‘Ok’ or the enter key.
3. Go to your Computer Settings > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options.
4. Search 'User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode' security policy setting and set it to ‘ENABLE’.
5. Open the ‘Run’ dialogue box again and do a ‘gpupdate /force’.
6. Restart the system by opening the ‘Run’ dialogue again and typing ‘shutdown-r’. If you still face the issue, then kill and rerun the ‘Explorer.exe’ from the Run dialogue.

Also read: Microsoft Eliminates Notable Functionality From WIndows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1: Check Out Now

How to fix the Windows not rebooting issue? (Temporary workarounds)

For the people who cannot follow the above steps to make Windows 7 shut down/reboot successfully, these are a few temporary workarounds that can help you with it. These workarounds have been posted on Reddit by people who faced the Windows 7 bug and might come in handy if you are running a Windows 7 Home/Basic edition or are not able to shut down after the gpupdate fix. Here is how you can temporarily bypass the Windows 7 not shutting down issue:

1. Open the Task Manager menu using ‘Alt+Ctrl+Delete’ then click the red button that you see on the bottom right of the screen. It will help you shut down and reboot your system temporarily.
2. Many users reported that they had to create a new admin profile and login to the new profile, then switch back to their original profile which helped them bypass the Windows 7 not shutting down issue temporarily.

Also read: Windows 7 Will Reach End Of Life For Consumers Next Year