Windows 11 Won’t Shut Down? Download Official Jan 2026 fix now

Microsoft Releases Emergency Fix for Affected Windows 11 23H2 Users.

Image: Windows / Unsplash

If you try to shut down your PC, but it immediately restarts every single time, don't worry. You are not alone, and your PC is certainly not broken.

This is an official bug in the Windows 11 2026 first security update, and Microsoft has officially released an emergency Out-of-Band (OOB) update to squash it. This frustrating glitch specifically targets Windows 11 23H2 users who downloaded the January 13 security update, dubbed KB5074109.

Why Is This Happening?

Just four days after the initial rollout, Microsoft released an emergency fix. Because this is an Out-Of-Band (OOB) update, it will not appear in your standard Windows Update settings automatically for most users. To break the loop, you must install the patch manually.

This bug prevents the system from shutting down or hibernating properly, leaving you unsure if your PC got corrupted or if malware is attacking it. The culprit? The System Guard Secure Launch service.

When you click "Shut down," Windows attempts to verify that the kernel is safe to close. Due to the bug in KB5074109, Secure Launch interprets the shutdown sequence as an "unauthorized crash" or system instability. To protect the integrity of the system, it triggers an automatic restart.

Immediate Workaround (If You Can't Update Now)

If you cannot install the patch immediately, you can easily force a safe shutdown using the Command Prompt. This method effectively bypasses the "Secure Launch" service causing the system to hang and reboot.

Warning: Do not try to shut down your PC by long-pressing the power button, as it may eventually corrupt your file system.

Follow these steps to force a safe shutdown:

1. Press Windows Key + R.
2. Type cmd and press Enter.
3. Copy and paste the following command: shutdown /s /f /t 0

This command forces (/f) a shutdown (/s) with zero seconds delay (/t 0). This successfully kills the restart loop because it overrides the polite request that the Secure Launch service is currently failing to process.

How to Download the Official Fix (KB5077797)

Since this update is not automatic, you don’t need to look for the dedicated install button in your laptop settings, it won’t appear there. You must manually download the .msu file from the Microsoft official updates catalogue.

Installation Steps:

1. Download: Locate the update KB5077797 in the catalog.
2. Install: Double-click the downloaded file.
3. Confirm: Click "Yes" when asked to install the "Hotfix for Windows."
4. Reboot: Restart your PC once specifically requested by the installer.

After restarting, navigate to Settings > Windows Update > Update History. You should see "Security Update for Windows (KB5077797)" listed as "Successfully installed."

This is not the first time Microsoft has rolled out an emergency update. We already saw an OOB update back in October 2025 for the Win 11 WinRE USB Not Working issue during recovery. However, this is the first major bug for 2026.

You need to manually update this emergency fix now, do not wait for the standard security patch update next month.