Microsoft released its first Patch Tuesday update of the year for Windows 11 on January 13, but the update has introduced an unexpected issue for some users. After installing update KB5073455, certain PCs may no longer shut down properly, instead restarting automatically when a shutdown is initiated.
Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and listed it as a known issue. According to the company, affected systems restart instead of powering off, and Hibernate mode is also impacted. At the moment, there is no permanent fix available, and Microsoft has not provided an estimated timeline for a resolution.
The issue specifically affects devices running Windows 11 version 23H2 that have System Guard Secure Launch enabled. This security feature is designed to protect the operating system during the early startup process, functioning in a similar role to Secure Boot by preventing low-level attacks before Windows fully loads.
While Windows 11 23H2 has been officially unsupported since November 2025—except for Enterprise and IoT editions—there are still enough active systems running this version for the issue to be widely reported. Microsoft says it is actively working on a fix, but until an official patch is released, users must rely on temporary solutions.
As a workaround, users can still force a full shutdown using Windows command-line tools. Running the command shutdown /s /t 0 in Command Prompt will power off the system correctly. Alternatively, users can create a desktop shortcut using this command to make shutdowns easier until the issue is resolved.
