Why is my computer saying getting windows ready dont turn off your computer?

If you're a longtime Windows user, you're probably familiar with the operating system's tendency to insert a roadblock when you restart your PC. As Windows integrates updates or performs other routine house cleaning, it will sometimes display the message that it is "Getting Windows ready."

This is usually a brief interruption, but sometimes the Getting Windows ready screen appears to get stuck, and your computer is frozen indefinitely. When that happens, it's often unclear what you should do. Here are the top seven troubleshooting tips to resolve a "Getting Windows ready" screen that's stuck.  

Keep waiting — really

Windows doesn't give you any indication of how long it's going to take to get Windows ready, and that's because it doesn't know. Some updates can take a very long time, and the OS can't reliably calculate the completion time. Even if it has already taken quite a while, your best bet is to try to let the update run its course. How long is long enough? If the Getting Windows ready screen is visible for more than three hours, it might be time to move on and try something else. 

Check your internet connection

Updates often rely on an internet connection, and if your Wi-Fi is spotty, it could cause the Getting Windows ready screen to get stuck. Double-check your connectivity; if you're on Wi-Fi, make sure another device in the same room can connect without a problem. If you're still in doubt, connect the computer directly to the router with an Ethernet cable, if possible, or reboot your router and internet modem. 

Restart your computer and try again

In the past, it was dangerous to restart your PC in the middle of an update or a Getting Windows ready screen — it could lead to corrupted data and potentially even a Blue Screen of Death. In the latest versions of Windows, it's still inadvisable, though the risk of truly catastrophic consequences has gone down substantially. All that is to say that if you have waited several hours and are certain the update is really stuck, you might want to try restarting your PC and seeing if it boots normally after that. To do that, be sure you perform a hard shutdown: Press and hold the power button until your computer shuts off or, if you're using a desktop computer, simply remove the power cord. Wait one minute, and then turn the computer on again.  

Run Windows startup repair

If you've restarted your PC and it continues to "hang," there are a few ways to get past the Getting Windows ready screen. To begin with, try the Windows Startup Repair tool, which you can find in the special startup options screen. 

Before you can get there, though, you need a bootable version of the Windows installation software on USB. Use a different computer to go to the Download Windows 11 website and follow the instructions in the Create Windows 11 Installation Media section to create a bootable USB thumbdrive with the Windows 11 installer. 

After you do that, turn off the problematic computer, insert the USB drive, and boot the computer with the Windows installation software. When it starts, choose Repair your computer and then Troubleshoot. On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Repair. Allow the repair tool to run, and then when the computer restarts, remove the USB drive and see if the computer works normally. 

Run the system file checker

If that didn't resolve your issue, there are other troubleshooting steps at your disposal. Use the bootable USB drive from the previous step and boot to the startup screen. choose Repair your computer and then Troubleshoot. On the Advanced options screen, choose Command Prompt. When the command prompt window opens, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Allow the file checker to run, then restart the computer and see if that solved your problem. 

Perform a system restore

One way to get out of a stuck Getting Windows ready screen is to restore your computer to a time before the problem started. You can do this by resetting Windows to an earlier System Restore point. 

Again using the bootable USB drive, boot to the startup screen. choose Repair your computer and then Troubleshoot. On the Advanced options screen, choose System Restore. Pick a date and time that's recent, but from before your PC got stuck on the Getting Windows ready screen. Let the computer reset, and it should work properly when it resets. 

Reset Windows to factory conditions

Unfortunately, if none of those troubleshooting steps solved your problem, there may be a very serious problem with your installation of Windows, and the only practical solution is to reset Windows to its factory conditions. The good news is that you can use the bootable USB drive to install Windows. Boot from the drive and follow the installation instructions to reset Windows.