Software shutdown does not work in Windows 8

Some time ago I installed Windows 8 64bit RTM version (as a student I had access to it before premiere). What I discovered is that "shutdown" doesn't work as expected. When I want to shutdown the computer it simply logs me out. In order to turn off my machine I have to click "restart" and then press the physical power button. I installed some updates but this issue is still not resolved. Is there any way to shutdown the computer in a normal way?

Note: This is regarding the software shutdown (e.g. Settings > Power > Shutdown), not what the physical power button is mapped to.

Windows 8 does not shutdown like it used to. Now, shutdown is called hybrid boot, which is basically log off + hibernate. This enables Windowes to start-up more quickly as well as start apps more quickly.

If you want to disable this behavior and go back to the old shutdown behavior, do this:

1. Open Start > Control Panel.
2. Navigate to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
3. ON LHS , click on “Choose what the power button does”.
4. Click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable”.
5. Now at the bottom, you will be able to disable hybrid boot.

Edit: Try this to add a tile to shutdown with the old behavior.

Adapted from Ben Oostdam's blog.

1. Go to %Appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.
2. Right click > New > Shortcut.
3. Enter %windir%\system32\Shutdown.exe -s -t 00 as the location.
4. Give it a name and click Finish.
5. Position the icon where you want it:
   

Optional:

1. Right click on the shortcut and select Properties.
2. Click the Change Icon... button. (There is a power button icon in %SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll)

To add the shortcut to the All Apps group:

1. In the shortcut properties, go to the Security tab.
2. Add All Application Packages and make sure the Read and Read & execute permissions are enabled.

Try Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Power Options.

This will allow you to change the behavior of the power button to power down the machine (instead of hibernate). Depending on configuration you may need to enable the "Change settings that are currently unavailable". (in green)

There are lots of way to shutdown your system without touching the physical power button. You can create a batch file to shut it down. Or you can type it in Run dialog box by press Win+R.

shutdown /s /f /t 0

/s for shut it down

/f for forcefully close any application and shut it down immediately

/t for time in milliseconds, without delay

/r for reboot, replace with /s and it will reboot your computer

/hybrid for a fast startup just followed by /s

Write that code in notepad and then save the file with .bat on your desktop and you done. Just run the file as admin if it doesn't work.

Now another way is focus to the desktop and then just press the Alt+F4 and you will get the classic shutdown prompt window.

Another way is edit the registry entry and get the power button in your right click context menu. Just download the registry file and run the add-menu.reg file and it immediate add the menu to the right click menu.