To shut down a Chromebook, select the time at the bottom right, select Power, then select Shut down. These steps apply to current ChromeOS, including Chromebook Plus, although administrator restrictions can affect shutdown access.
You can also use your keyboard or the physical power button. Closing the lid normally puts your Chromebook to sleep, with specific exceptions for certain Dell models and devices configured by an administrator.
The short version
- Standard shutdown: Select the time, select Power, then select Shut down.
- Keyboard access: Press Alt + Shift + S, then select Power and Shut down.
- Power key: On a Chromebook with a keyboard power key, hold Power for 3 seconds.
- Frozen screen: Use your model's manufacturer instructions because force shutdown timings differ and unsaved work can be lost.
| Method | Action | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Settings | Select the time, Power, then Shut down | Current ChromeOS where policy permits |
| Keyboard menu access | Press Alt + Shift + S, then select Power and Shut down | Chromebooks with a keyboard |
| Keyboard power key | Hold Power for 3 seconds | Chromebooks with a power key |
| Physical power button menu | Hold Power until the menu appears, then select Shut down or Power off | Models offering this menu |
| Sign-in or lock screen | Select Shut down and confirm if prompted | Devices where policy permits shutdown |
| ASUS force shutdown | Hold Power for at least 4 seconds | ASUS models covered by its hardware-reset instructions when ordinary shutdown fails |
| HP force shutdown | Hold Power for at least 10 seconds | Unresponsive HP Chromebook x360 14b-cd0xxx models when ordinary shutdown fails |
| Dell lid closure while signed out | Sign out, then close the lid | Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chromebook and Latitude 5400 Chromebook |
| Storage without a bottom-row G key | Hold Refresh + Power while disconnecting the charger | Supporting Chromebooks prepared for extended storage |
| Storage with a bottom-row G key | Hold Refresh, tap Power, then disconnect the charger while holding Refresh | Supporting Chromebooks prepared for extended storage |
| Managed session inactivity | Configure AC/Battery idle action and its delay | Managed ChromeOS user sessions |
| Managed laptop lid closure | Configure Action on lid close | Managed ChromeOS laptops |
| Kiosk inactivity | Configure Action on idle and Idle timeout | Enrolled ChromeOS kiosk devices |
| Kiosk lid closure | Configure Action on lid close | Enrolled ChromeOS kiosk laptops |
| Restore shutdown access | Configure Allow shutdown | Managed devices with restricted shutdown controls |
Shut down through Quick Settings or your keyboard
Select the time in the bottom-right corner to open Quick Settings. Select Power, then select Shut down to turn off your Chromebook.
To open the status area with your keyboard, press Alt + Shift + S. Select Power, then select Shut down.
The keyboard shortcut opens the menu; it does not shut down immediately. Google does not list a universal direct shutdown shortcut using multiple keys in its current Chromebook shortcut reference.
Use the power key or physical button
If your Chromebook has a keyboard power key, press and hold Power for 3 seconds. Google lists this as another way to turn off your Chromebook.
On models offering a physical power button menu, hold Power until the menu appears, then select Shut down. Google's help article describes this menu option as Power off. The button's location varies by model, including on convertibles and tablets. Briefly pressing Power on a convertible normally puts it to sleep, so hold it until the menu appears when you want to shut down.
Turn off from the sign-in or lock screen
At the sign-in screen, select Shut down. If the Shut down device? dialog appears, select Shut down again to confirm.
To reach the lock screen from an active session, press Search + L or Launcher + L. Select Shut down there and confirm if prompted. These controls depend on your device's administrator allowing shutdown.
Force off a Chromebook that has stopped responding
Use a forced shutdown when ordinary shutdown is ineffective, because unsaved work can be lost. Follow your model's manufacturer instructions instead of applying one hold time to every Chromebook.
For ASUS Chromebooks covered by ASUS's hardware-reset instructions, hold Power for at least 4 seconds to force shutdown. For HP Chromebook x360 14-inch models in the 14b-cd0xxx series, hold Power for at least 10 seconds when the computer has stopped responding and ordinary shutdown does not work. For another model, use its own manufacturer instructions.
If you want to get an unresponsive computer running again, see the relevant steps to restart a computer that is unresponsive. If the separate problem is a powered laptop with a blank screen, see how to troubleshoot power with no display.
Shut down supported Dell models by closing the lid
Dell documents shutdown when you close the lid while signed out on the Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chromebook and Latitude 5400 Chromebook. This behavior is specific to those models and should not be assumed for other Chromebooks.
If you are signed in on either model, press Ctrl + Shift + Q twice to sign out. Once the sign-in screen appears, close the lid to shut down.
Prepare your Chromebook for extended storage
For extended storage, Google provides a battery-disconnect procedure for Chromebooks that support it. Charge the battery to around 80%, connect the charger, and turn on your Chromebook. Then use the procedure matching whether your keyboard has a G key on its bottom row.
If your Chromebook does not have a bottom-row G key, hold Refresh + Power together. While holding both keys, disconnect the power cable, then release the keys.
If your Chromebook has a bottom-row G key, hold Refresh and tap Power. Continue holding Refresh while you disconnect the power cable.
After either procedure, wait 20 seconds, then press Power to check that your Chromebook remains off. Reconnect a power source when you want to use it again.
Restore shutdown controls on a managed Chromebook
If administrator policy restricts your managed Chromebook's shutdown controls, an administrator can restore access through the Google Admin console. This setting enables user shutdown; it does not immediately turn off the device.
If you administer the device, open the Admin console and go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Device settings. Select the organizational unit, then open Power and shutdown > Allow shutdown. Select Allow users to turn off the device using either the shut down icon or the physical power button, then select Save.
Configure automatic shutdown for managed sessions
If you administer managed ChromeOS user sessions, you can configure shutdown after inactivity. In the Google Admin console, open Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > User & browser settings. Select the organizational unit or group, then open Power and shutdown > Idle settings.
Set AC/Battery idle action so the device shuts down. Enter a positive value under AC/Battery idle delay in seconds, then select Save, or Override if that is the button shown for your organizational unit. Equivalent idle controls are available for managed guest sessions.
To configure shutdown when a managed laptop's lid closes, open Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > User & browser settings. Select the organizational unit or group, then open Power and shutdown > Idle settings > Action on lid close. Configure the shutdown action and select Save, or Override if that is the button shown for your organizational unit. The user then closes the lid to shut down.
Configure automatic shutdown for kiosk devices
For enrolled ChromeOS kiosk devices, open the Google Admin console and go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Device settings. Select the organizational unit, then open Kiosk power settings. Choose AC kiosk power settings or Battery kiosk power settings for the power condition you want to configure.
Set Action on idle to Shutdown, enter Idle timeout in minutes, then select Save. Configure both the AC and battery settings if you want shutdown behavior for both power conditions.
For shutdown when an enrolled kiosk laptop's lid closes, open Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Device settings and select the organizational unit. Open Kiosk power settings > Action on lid close, configure shutdown, and select Save. Close the device lid to shut down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Refresh plus Power an ordinary shutdown shortcut?
Refresh + Power by itself is a hardware-reset procedure. On applicable Chromebook tablets, Volume up + Power is also used for a hardware reset. Use the shutdown menu for an ordinary shutdown.
Can you set a personal Chromebook to shut down automatically when idle?
On an unmanaged Chromebook, Settings > System preferences > Power does not expose a general shutdown-on-idle or shutdown-on-lid-close control. Shutdown values shown on that page can reflect administrator policy.
Why might a managed Chromebook stay on after its idle delay?
Audio, video, and wake-lock policies can affect when inactivity triggers shutdown in managed ChromeOS sessions. If you administer the Chromebook, check those policies alongside its idle settings.
Does a scheduled reboot or scheduled sleep turn off a Chromebook?
Neither gives you the same result as shutdown. A scheduled reboot restarts the device, while scheduled sleep puts it to sleep.