Restarting your laptop using the keyboard can be a quick and convenient method, especially if your mouse is not working or the screen is unresponsive. Most laptops support keyboard shortcuts that allow you to shut down or restart without navigating menus. This guide explains how to restart your laptop using keyboard commands on both Windows and macOS.
Restarting a Windows Laptop with Keyboard
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete simultaneously. This opens a screen with several options.
Use the arrow keys to navigate to the power icon in the bottom right corner.
Press Enter to open the power options menu.
Use the arrow keys to select Restart and press Enter.
Alternatively, press Alt + F4 when on the desktop. This opens the shutdown dialog.
Use the arrow keys to select Restart and press Enter.
Restarting a macOS Laptop with Keyboard
Press Control + Command + Eject or Control + Command + Power button together. This immediately restarts your Mac.
If your Mac has no eject key or power button, press Control + Command + Media Eject.
Using Terminal Command on macOS
Open Terminal and type sudo shutdown -r now then press Enter.
Enter your administrator password when prompted and press Enter again.
This command restarts your Mac via command line.
When to Use Keyboard Restart
Keyboard shortcuts are useful when your laptop is frozen, your mouse is unresponsive or you prefer keyboard navigation.
Using these methods avoids the need to physically power off your laptop which can cause data loss.
Precautions Before Restarting
Save any open work if possible to avoid losing unsaved data.
Close applications properly unless your laptop is unresponsive.
Conclusion
Restarting your laptop with the keyboard is efficient and helpful in many situations. Windows users can use Ctrl + Alt + Delete or Alt + F4 shortcuts while macOS users have key combinations or terminal commands. Knowing these methods helps you restart safely without needing a mouse or touchpad.