How To Restart a Computer Using Remote Desktop

You might have been using Remote Desktop to help your friends troubleshoot and solve their computer problems, but do you know that you can also use this feature to restart a computer remotely? Yes, you read that right. You can actually command your friends’ computers to restart without being there physically. Knowing how to do this workaround not only scores you a brownie point from your friends; it also allows you to do all the things you need to do to a computer remotely. Are you ready to know how to restart a computer using Remote Desktop? Read the steps below:

* Command menu. Go to the command menu by clicking on “Start” and then “Run.” Type “shutdown.exe” in the text box that had appeared and press the Enter key. You will then be asked if you want to “Shut Down” or “Restart” the computer. Click on “Restart” to restart the computer.
* Ctrl + Alt + Del. You may be already familiar with the Ctrl + Alt + Del key combinations. If this is the case, you know that you can use these key combinations to bring up the Task Manager and monitor all the running applications in Windows. Aside from this, you would also know that you can use the Task Manager to also close running applications. To restart a computer using Task Manager, hold the Ctrl, Alt, and Del keys at the same time to call up Task Manager. Click on the “Restart” button found at the “Shut Down” menu to restart the computer remotely.
* Ctrl + Alt + End. If Ctrl + Alt + Del are the key combinations used to restart or shutdown a computer through Task Manager, Ctrl + Alt + End is the combination used to restart a computer remotely through Remote Desktop. Press the Ctrl + Alt + End keys at the same time to bring up the Remote Desktop menu offering to restart the computer. Choose to restart the computer so that the computer will restart without someone controlling it physically.
* Ctrl + F4. Another key combination you can use to restart a computer remotely is the Ctrl + F4. Make sure that you’re at the Desktop of Windows first, before using this combination or else you’ll close the window you’re currently browsing. If you’re already at the Desktop of Windows, hold the Ctrl and F4 keys at the same time to bring up the “Shut Down” menu. Choose the “Restart” option from this menu to restart the computer remotely.


Aside from Windows’ Remote Desktop, there are software applications you can use to connect to a computer remotely. Some of the most popular remote desktop software applications are LogMeIn, TightVNC, TeamViewer, and UltraVNC. These applications offer different features to suit your every remote computer controlling needs. If you plan on trying one of these remote desktop software applications, read their reviews first on the Internet so that you can easily decide on choosing which of the applications to use. Also, don’t forget to read or at least browse the user manual of the remote desktop software application you’ve chosen. In this way, you’ll have an easier time using the application.