The advice to "turn it off and then turn it back on" to fix a variety of problems, including driver errors or software issues, won't work if a computer doesn't shut down completely. In most cases, Windows 10's Fast Startup feature determines the type of restart the computer performs.

The cause of an incomplete shutdown in Windows 10 is the Fast Startup feature, which allows the computer to quickly boot from sleep mode. This process is usually useful for getting a computer up and running again quickly, but it can sometimes get stuck and may not be a strong enough shutdown to fix certain system errors.

Since most Windows 10 shutdown issues are caused by the Fast Startup feature, the best way to fix these problems is to try a more direct way of telling Windows to shut down. Try these alternative options before you get frustrated and start holding down the power button.

Try a specific key combination. Hold down Shift on the keyboard while pressing Power > Shut down from the Start menu or lock screen. This approach bypasses the Fast Startup feature and puts the system in a shutdown state.