There can be various causes for your Dell laptop not shutting down properly, from incomplete work and forgetting to close it all the way, to viruses or malware infecting it. There are a few things you can try in order to address the issue; these include forcing the computer to shutdown, performing a hard restart and resetting BIOS settings.
To force a laptop to shut down, you will need to press and hold the power button for at least 10 seconds, which should drain any remaining battery power and turn off the device. After doing this, unplug its AC adaptor as well as any external devices like USB drives, printers or media cards before unplugging AC adapter - this method should work on most laptops but is recommended only as an emergency measure.
As another solution, performing a hard restart on your Dell laptop may also prove effective. You can access this option by going into Settings and selecting Update & Security; here, the troubleshooter should attempt to fix any problems with your device; once completed, you should be able to shut it off normally again.
Resetting the BIOS on your Dell laptop may also provide relief; this will restore its default settings back to their initial state and should work for most users; however, be aware that doing so will delete all personal data stored on it - this solution should only ever be employed if all else has failed.
Resetting the BIOS may also fix software issues causing your laptop not to shut down properly; however, this approach may not always work and if this does not solve it it may be necessary to visit a repair shop to identify and address its cause.
If your Dell laptop still refuses to turn off, it may be beneficial to remove its internal coin cell battery and disconnect from power sources - this will prevent its hibernation mode when not charging or connected with an outlet. To safely do this, referring to the Dell tear down guide will ensure proper battery removal from your device.
Your Dell laptop may not be shutting down properly for various reasons, usually related to an installation of a program with issues that is causing conflict with hardware such as RAM or power ports, display, or both. In such a situation, contact Dell customer service for assistance; alternatively try installing an older version of that particular program to see if that resolves it; otherwise perform a forced shutdown to reset your device and try again later.
