Windows 7's Power Options dialog lets you change the power button's action from the default 'Shut down' to either 'Hibernate,' 'Sleep,' or 'Do nothing.' Click 'Choose what the power buttons do' in the left pane, click the menu next to 'When I press the power button' and make your selection: Shut down, Hibernate, Sleep, or Do nothing. To open Power Options, press the Windows key, type 'power options,' and press Enter. You can set the power button to put your system in hibernate or standby mode via Windows' Power Options. Keep in mind that some organizations want you to leave your PC running because updates and backups may be scheduled for the middle of the night. Windows will prompt you to save any files that require it before closing the host app, just as it does when you press the power button or click 'Shut down' on the Start menu (which is an odd place for a 'Shut down' button, if you ask me).Įqual time for Mac users: open the shutdown dialog by pressing Control-Eject activate sleep mode by pressing Option-Command-Eject close all applications and restart the machine by pressing Control-Command-Eject (you'll be prompted to save changes to open documents) close all applications and shut down by pressing Control Option-Command-Eject (once again, you'll be prompted to save changes to open documents). Finish early: Create a Windows shutdown shortcut.How to get the classic Start menu back in Windows 8 RTM.How to create a shutdown and reboot tile in Windows 8.
