How to Set a Bedtime or Curfew on a Windows PC

Q: How do I make a Windows PC shut down at a certain time?

Create a Task Scheduler task that runs shutdown.exe /s /t 60 at the chosen time. The PC shuts down after a 60-second warning. Save work first: a forced shutdown can lose unsaved data. A time-limit app that locks the screen is usually gentler.

Updated 21 October 2026 · 7 min read

Windows has no separate bedtime button for a local account. With Microsoft accounts, Family Safety can set a schedule; the PC locks outside the allowed hours. Without a Microsoft account, use a third-party app that enforces a schedule, a Task Scheduler shutdown, or a router schedule that cuts internet access. The app is the gentlest option; a forced shutdown is the bluntest.

A bedtime rule works best when it is part of a routine, not a surprise. The goal is not to win a technical arms race. It is to make the end of the evening predictable, so the child knows when to save the game and the parent does not have to argue every night.

Option 1: Microsoft Family Safety schedule (Microsoft accounts)

Family Safety can set allowed hours for each day. Outside those hours, the child's Windows account is locked. This is the official Microsoft method and it is free.

Open the family settings. Sign in at family.microsoft.com with the parent account and select the child.
Open Screen time. Choose the Windows device. If the device is not listed, sign in once on the PC with the child's Microsoft account and wait a few minutes.
Set the schedule. Turn on the schedule for each day, then set the allowed hours. For example, 15:00–20:30 on school days and 09:00–21:00 at weekends.
Save and sync. The child's PC applies the change after it syncs. Sign out and back in if the schedule does not appear.
Test it. At the end time, the screen should lock. If it does not, see the Family Safety troubleshooting guide.

Limitation: Family Safety requires Microsoft accounts. A local Windows account is not covered, and a child with administrator rights can work around the schedule.

Option 2: A time-limit app with a schedule (local accounts)

A dedicated app can enforce a schedule on a local Windows account without a Microsoft cloud login. ScreenRhythm is one example: the free plan includes a weekly schedule, a daily limit, breaks and a screen lock.

Install as the parent administrator. Use the official download page and check the SHA-256. The installer is not code-signed yet, so Windows may warn.
Set the parent password. Use a password the child does not know.
Set the schedule. For example, computer available 15:00–20:30 on school days and 09:00–21:00 at weekends. Outside that window the screen locks.
Keep the child on a standard account. The child sees the countdown and the tray icon, so the rule is visible.
Explain the routine. A 10-minute warning before the lock is part of the agreement, not an optional extra.

What ScreenRhythm does not do: it does not shut down the PC or cut the internet. It locks the screen when the schedule says so. That is usually enough for bedtime, and it avoids losing unsaved work.

Option 3: Task Scheduler shutdown (no extra app)

Windows can run a scheduled shutdown without any third-party software. This is useful as a backstop, but it is a hard stop: unsaved work can be lost.

Open Task Scheduler and choose Create Basic Task.
Name it, for example “Bedtime shutdown”, and choose Daily.
Set the time, for example 21:00, and choose Start a program.
Program: shutdown.exe; arguments: /s /t 300 /c "Bedtime in 5 minutes. Save your work."
Finish the wizard. The PC shows a five-minute warning and then shuts down.

Be careful: a forced shutdown can lose unsaved homework or game progress. A screen lock is gentler. If you use Task Scheduler, keep the warning long enough for the child to save and close.

Option 4: Router schedule (internet only)

Many home routers can block internet access for a device on a schedule. This stops online games and videos at bedtime, but it does not stop offline games, local files or a phone on mobile data.

Open the router's admin page and find Parental Controls, Access Control or Time Scheduling.
Select the child's PC and set the blocked hours, for example 21:00–07:00.
Test it with an online video. Then check whether an offline game still works — it usually does.

A router schedule is a useful second layer, especially for phones and tablets, but it is not a PC bedtime by itself.

Which option should you use?

Your situation	Best option	Main limitation
Microsoft accounts, Edge, free	Family Safety schedule	Requires Microsoft accounts; admin can bypass
Local Windows account	A schedule in a time-limit app	Does not cut internet or shut down the PC
No extra software at all	Task Scheduler shutdown	Hard stop; unsaved work can be lost
Phones and tablets too	Router schedule plus a PC app	Does not stop offline games or mobile data

Make the routine easier to keep

Give a warning. A 10-minute warning is fairer than a sudden lock, and it reduces lost work.
Charge devices outside the bedroom. The most effective bedtime rule is often physical, not technical.
Keep the same time every night. A routine is easier to accept than a schedule that changes with the parent's mood.
Agree on weekend exceptions in advance. A written agreement, such as this screen time agreement template, makes exceptions part of the plan instead of a negotiation every Friday.
Review after two weeks. If the child is lying awake or the morning is a disaster, move the time earlier.

Do not make it secret. A hidden shutdown or a surprise password change creates conflict. The child should know the schedule and see the countdown. The rule is the agreement; the software is only the reminder.

Questions

Does Windows 11 have a built-in bedtime mode?

Windows itself does not have a separate bedtime button for a local account. Microsoft Family Safety can set a schedule for a child's Microsoft account, and the PC locks outside the allowed hours. For a local account, use a third-party time-limit app, Task Scheduler or a router schedule.

How do I make a Windows PC shut down at a certain time?

Create a Task Scheduler task that runs shutdown.exe /s /t 60 at the chosen time. The PC shuts down after a 60-second warning. Save work first: a forced shutdown can lose unsaved data. A time-limit app that locks the screen is usually gentler.

Can I set a curfew without a Microsoft account?

Yes. Use a third-party app that enforces a schedule on a local Windows account, a Task Scheduler shutdown, or a router schedule that cuts internet access. Only the app and Task Scheduler can lock the PC itself; a router schedule stops internet, not offline games.

What time should a child's screen curfew be?

There is no single correct time. A common approach is 30–60 minutes before the child needs to be asleep, with all devices charging outside the bedroom. The routine matters more than the exact minute; choose a time the family can keep every night.

Can my child bypass a bedtime schedule?

A child with administrator rights can change the clock, disable the task or remove the app. Keep the child on a standard account, keep the parent password private, and make the schedule visible rather than secret.

A bedtime the child can see

ScreenRhythm shows the countdown and locks the screen at the end of the schedule. Free plan on Windows 10/11; Pro adds extra-time requests and the phone panel.

Download for Windows

This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. ScreenRhythm is our product. A bedtime routine is a family decision; the software is only one part of it.