Shutdown Timer for Windows: Commands, Sleep Timers and Your Phone

Disclosure: we make SofaDeck, whose sleep timer is one option below. The Windows commands work on their own. Checked on 20 October 2026.

Falling asleep to a film on the PC, leaving a download to finish, or making sure the kids' game night ends on time: a shutdown timer turns the PC off for you. Windows has one built in if you know the command; this guide covers it, the sleep-timer gap, and how to set and cancel a timer from your phone.

The built-in way: the shutdown command

Shut down in an hour: press Win+R, type shutdown /s /t 3600 and press Enter. The number is seconds: 1800 is 30 minutes, 7200 is two hours.
Restart instead: shutdown /r /t 3600.
Cancel: shutdown /a.
Make it one click: create a desktop shortcut whose location is shutdown /s /t 3600.

Two limits: it only shuts down or restarts (there's no "sleep in 30 minutes" switch), and you have to be at the PC to start or cancel it.

Sleep timers on Windows

For sleep, the usual workarounds are a Task Scheduler task at a fixed time or a small script that waits and then sleeps. Both work, both are fiddly to change on the night. A timer app is simpler.

Set a sleep or shutdown timer from your phone

SofaDeck (free) adds a sleep timer to the phone remote you already use for the film:

Pair your phone with SofaDeck on the PC (scan the QR code, type the PIN).
On the phone, open the ⋯ menu and tap ⏲ Sleep timer.
Choose what should happen: Sleep, Shut down, Screen off, or Stay ready (screen off, PC awake).
Tap a time (15 minutes to 2 hours) or type any number of minutes up to 12 hours.
Change your mind? Tap the timer bar to add 15 minutes or cancel; at the PC, cancel it from the SofaDeck tray icon.

Voice: "sleep in 30 minutes", "shut down in an hour", "turn the screen off in 10 minutes", "cancel the sleep timer".
Stay ready: instead of sleeping, turn the screen off and keep the PC awake so the phone connects instantly next time; optionally let it really sleep after a few hours without phone use.
Visible everywhere: the phone shows a countdown, and the PC's tray icon offers Cancel to anyone sitting at it.

SofaDeck on a phone: a 3 by 4 grid of buttons (Play/Pause, Previous, Next, Vol −, Mute, Vol +, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, Fullscreen, Enter, Lock PC) with a say-or-type bar and a microphone button — Screenshot: the default SofaDeck page on a phone, connected to a PC called Living Room PC.

Direct installer .exe · 3.7 MB Store version signed by Microsoft No account Local network only Signed updates SofaDeck installs on your Windows PC. Your phone is the remote — it works in the phone’s browser. Or email me the link to open on my PCOne email from support@dixonappstudio.com. No list unless you tick the box. PrivacyOr on your PC, go to sofadeck.com/get

Which to use

Overnight download: shutdown /s /t with enough time, or SofaDeck's Shut down timer.
Film in bed: Sleep, so tomorrow everything is where you left it.
PC you want to reach from the phone later: Stay ready, or Sleep with Wake-on-LAN set up.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set a shutdown timer on Windows 11?

Press Win+R, type shutdown /s /t 3600 and press Enter to shut down in 3600 seconds (one hour). Windows shows a notice; shutdown /a cancels it. For sleep instead of shut down, use a scheduled task or an app such as SofaDeck.

How do I cancel a shutdown timer?

Run shutdown /a (Win+R → shutdown /a → Enter) before the time is up. A SofaDeck timer is cancelled from the phone or from SofaDeck's tray icon on the PC.

Is there a sleep timer command?

Windows has no built-in "sleep in N minutes" command like shutdown /t. People use Task Scheduler, a script with a delay, or an app. SofaDeck's timer can put the PC to sleep, shut it down or just turn the screen off.

Can I set the timer from my phone?

Yes, with SofaDeck (free): set it from the phone's menu or say "sleep in 30 minutes" to the voice remote. The PC page and the tray show it too.

What happens to open programs?

Shut down closes everything, so unsaved work is lost. Sleep keeps everything open in memory and resumes in seconds. Screen off only turns the display off.