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Why is my Windows 11 PC restarting instead of shutting down lately?
Why Your PC Won’t Sleep After the January 2026 Update
The security updates released by Microsoft on January 13, 2026, intended to patch vulnerabilities, have inadvertently introduced significant power management issues. Specifically, users across multiple Windows versions are reporting that their devices fail to shut down or enter sleep mode properly. Instead, these systems restart.
This problem stems from conflicts with specific security protocols—Secure Launch and Virtual Secure Mode. While Microsoft initially released a fix for a specific subset of users, they have recently confirmed the issue is more widespread than previously thought.
The Root Cause: Secure Launch Conflict
The core of the malfunction lies within the interaction between the update (specifically KB5073455) and virtualization-based security features.
- Secure Launch: This feature protects your system from firmware-level threats during the boot process.
- Virtual Secure Mode (VSM): This uses hardware virtualization to create an isolated environment, protecting security credentials.
When these features are enabled, the January update triggers a restart loop when you attempt to power down or hibernate the machine.
Timeline of Events and Fixes
- January 13, 2026: Microsoft releases standard monthly security updates (including KB5073455).
- January 15, 2026: Microsoft acknowledges the bug in the Windows 11 23H2 Release Health Dashboard.
- January 17, 2026: An out-of-band update (KB5077797) is released to fix the issue. This was not pushed automatically; administrators had to manually download it from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
- January 30, 2026: Microsoft updates their support documentation. They confirm that the initial fix was insufficient for all scenarios and that devices with VSM enabled remain affected.
Which Systems Are Currently Impacted?
Microsoft has expanded the list of affected operating systems. If you are running any of the following, you may experience this shutdown failure:
- Windows 11 Version 23H2 (specifically Enterprise and IoT editions).
- Windows 10 Version 22H2.
- Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019.
Current Recommendations
If you have applied the out-of-band update KB5077797 and are still experiencing issues, the problem likely stems from the “Virtual Secure Mode” variable which the initial patch did not fully address.
Currently, there is no manual patch available for the newly confirmed affected systems (Windows 10 22H2 and LTSC 2019) or for Windows 11 users with VSM enabled who found the first fix ineffective. Microsoft developers are actively working on a comprehensive resolution planned for a future Windows update.
For now, monitor the Release Health Dashboard and delay optional updates until a verified patch is deployed.