As reported on and discovered by WindowsLatest. If you’ve ever hit update and shut down on your PC, walked away feeling productive, and then later found your system still sitting at the login screen like nothing happened, you’re not alone. It turns out this wasn’t user error or a misclick. It was a real Windows issue that has been lingering for years across both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
In the latest Windows 11 25H2 Build 26200.7019, or 26100.7019 on 24H2 and newer updates, Microsoft has finally fixed it. For me, it goes all the way back to Windows 10, where I’d head out after hitting update and shut down, only to come home to a PC humming away hours later. It always left me questioning whether I pressed the wrong option.
Good news: we weren’t losing our minds. Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and corrected it. From here on out, update and shut down should actually shut down, just like it always should have.
What caused the “Update and shut down” bug
As WindowsLatest haven’t had confirmation on what was happening from Microsoft, they do have their own theory as to what could of happened.
Typically Windows updates normally happen in a couple of stages. First, the OS installs anything it can while you are still logged in. Then it needs to reboot into a special update mode to replace the files that Windows cannot touch while it is running. That is the phase where your screen shows progress messages and your PC feels briefly out of your hands.
Once that internal housekeeping finishes, Windows is supposed to act on whatever choice you made. If you selected update and shut down, it should close everything down and power off. Instead, Windows sometimes treated that request as a normal restart and brought you back to the login screen. For years, many people assumed they mis-clicked or imagined it, but it turns out the system simply was not holding onto the shutdown instruction correctly.
Microsoft has now corrected the behavior in the latest Windows 11 builds. The fix first appeared in the optional KB5067036 update for version 24H2 and 25H2, and it is included for everyone in the November Patch Tuesday release. After installing the update, update and shut down finally behaves like a true shutdown rather than a clever disguise for restart.
If you want to be certain you have the fix, open Settings, check for updates, and make sure your system is running Build 26100.7019 or higher on 24H2, or Build 26200.7019 or higher on 25H2. Once you are on those builds, Windows will respect your choice and turn the machine off properly instead of pretending it did you a favour by rebooting.
FAQ
Does this fix apply to Windows 10 as well?
No. Microsoft confirmed the fix for this behavior in Windows 11. While the issue also affected Windows 10 users over the years, the correction has only been delivered to supported Windows 11 builds at this time.
Which update includes the fix to the update and shutdown bug?
The fix first appeared in the optional KB5067036 update for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, and rolled out to everyone with the November 2025 Patch Tuesday cumulative update.
Can I still use Update and restart normally?
Yes. Update and restart continues to work as expected. The fix only ensures Update and shut down now behaves correctly and powers off the system once updates are finished.
How can I check if my PC has the fix to the update and shutdown bug?
Go to Settings, open Windows Update, and install the latest cumulative update. Then check your build number in Settings → System → About.
You need Build 26100.7019 or later on 24H2, or Build 26200.7019 or later on 25H2.
Why did it take so long to fix?
Microsoft hasn’t given a detailed explanation, but the bug was tied to how Windows handled pending updates and restart logic.
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