It’s frustrating when our PCs do things we don’t expect them to (looking at you, sudden software updates). The only thing more annoying than a rogue computer, however, is when the problem is our own damn fault. One such self-imposed issue occurs when you accidentally reboot your computer. This sometimes happens when I attempt to shut down my PC and instead hit the “Restart” button. But instead of waiting for the computer to reboot just so I can shut it down, next time I’ll use this TikTok tip to abort the process.
Creator jackstechtopia recently posted a TikTok sharing a quick way to cancel a restart once it’s underway. If your PC has just begun to restart, including showing the blue screen with the loading wheel, you can hold down the ESC key to stop it. After a few seconds, you’ll see the blue restart screen disappear, replaced by your home screen. From here, you can keep using your PC, or, if you meant to fully power it off, shut it down.
This hack was new to me, so I tested it out on a laptop running Windows 11. Lo and behold, holding down the escape key canceled the restart exactly as it did for jackstechtopia. Judging from the comments on the video, I wasn’t the only Windows user unaware of this handy trick. (I guess it’s called the “escape” key for a reason.)
If you’re looking for more ways to boost your PC user experience, check out our list of seven frustrating issues with Windows 11 and how to fix them.