Make Windows 10 shutdown instead of sleep

Question

I have a tablet which will be left sitting for weeks unused. I would like to make Windows 10 shut the tablet down after inactivity instead of sleeping as after several weeks the battery is usually dead.

Is there a setting in Windows 10 to achieve this? Or do I have to resort to a scheduled task?

Solution

If you create a Scheduled Task to shut down the computer when idle, any open programs will be closed first then the computer will shut down.

Here's How: (Step by Step Guide)

1. In your Search / Cortana box type Task Scheduler then press Enter key to open
2. Click Create Task
3. On the General tab in the Name box type Shut Down Computer When Idle
4. Check the Run only when user is logged on and Run with highest privileges
5. Next to Configure for click the drop arrow and select Windows 10
6. Next at top of window click on the Triggers tab
7. At the bottom left of the Triggers tab click the New button
8. In the New Trigger window check both Daily and Synchronize across time zones
9. Click the drop arrow to adjust the hour to 12, then click the minutes and click drop arrow to set to 00 then click the seconds and again click the drop arrow to set to 00. Now if needed check the PM then click drop arrow to set to AM
10. Ensure the Recur every box says 1
11. Click OK to close the New Trigger window.
12. Next click the Actions tab
13. In the bottom left corner click the New button
14. In the New Action window type shutdown in the box beneath Program/script
15. Click OK to close the New Action window
16. Next click the Conditions tab
17. Check the boxes next to Start the task only if the computer is idle for and Stop if the computer ceases to be idle
18. Set both drop boxes to the right of these as 1 hour
19. Remove checks in any other box.
20. Finally, click the Settings tab
21. Check the first three boxes and the fifth box
22. Remove checks from other boxes if present
23. Set the time for If the task fails, restart every to 15 minutes
24. Set the Attempt to restart up to box to 3 times

You have now successfully created your new Task to shut down the computer when idle for one hour.

Comments

[tvdo]

Use Hibernate. It's effectively sleep-to-disk w/ power off.

[rollsch]

How? Hibernate is only an option on my desktop, doesn't appear on my tablet.

[tvdo]

Are you saying it's not available in the power options when you edit your power plan ("advanced power settings")? It should be under "Sleep" => "Hibernate after". If you mean it's not available in the Start menu, that'll likely be because you have hybrid sleep enabled - you can Google for how to get the hibernate option back. But I think you're more interested in the power plan one.

[rollsch]

It is not available in the advanced power settings.

[tvdo]

Disable hybrid sleep first. Might also need to enable hibernation (powercfg /h on).