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In this tutorial: Welcome Screen, user switching and shutdown options in Windows XP, Vista or 7

Last modified: 2011-12-25 13:10:38 EET

After your Windows computer starts, you will most probably see a Welcome Screen. Here you can click your user name and enter your password to log on to Windows.

The screen is a little different in Windows XP, Vista and 7, so let's see some examples.

In Windows XP, the Welcome Screen looks like this. User accounts are listed from top to bottom and on the bottom left there are options for turning off the computer.
Windows XP, Welcome Screen

In Windows Vista and 7, user accounts are listed from left to right and shutdown options are on the bottom right. On the bottom left, there are Ease of Access (Accessibility) options.

Windows Vista, Welcome Screen

Windows 7, Welcome Screen

Switching users in Windows

Since Windows XP, users do not need to close running programs and log off completely to allow some other user to log on. In case someone need quick access to his/her files or e-mails, use keyboard shortcut Windows Key+L to lock your Windows session and allow others to log on.
You can also use Start menu for this. Open it by clicking Start button on the bottom left or by using keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Esc or just by pressing Windows key once.
In Windows XP, click the Log Off button.
Windows XP, Start menu. To log off or switch users, click Log Off.

Then click Switch User in the Log Off Windows menu.
Windows XP, Log Off Windows menu. Click Switch User.

In Windows Vista and 7, click the Shutdown options button (the arrowhead pointing to the right) and select Switch User from the menu.
Windows Vista, Start menu, Shutdown Options. Click Switch User. Windows 7, Start menu, Shutdown Options. Click Switch User.

In Welcome Screen, any logged on user is easily distinguishable. Windows XP even displays the number of running programs for the user(s), while Windows Vista and 7 just display "Logged on".
To log back on, click your user name and enter your password.
Windows XP, User Switching, Welcome Screen. Number of running programs is displayed for a logged on user. Windows Vista, User Switching, Welcome Screen. Logged on is displayed for a logged on user. Windows 7, User Switching, Welcome Screen. Logged on is displayed for a logged on user.

Restarting or shutting down Windows computers

Restarting a computer means that Windows closes all open programs and documents, logs all users off and then resets the PC and starts Windows, so that you will see Welcome screen again.

Turning off or shutting down means that Windows closes all open programs and documents, logs all users off and then completely turns off your computer. To start your computer again, you will have to press your computer's power button.

Any modern laptop or desktop computer supports two more options - Sleep/Standby and Hibernate.

Sleep or standby means that computer turns almost all its power off to save battery or energy. This does not mean that the PC is completely turned off - all information about the running programs is retained in computer's random access memory (RAM, aka memory, read about hard disks and memory here). You can resume from standby by pressing computer's power button once and you will have all your running programs back on your monitor within a few seconds.

If your computer's battery runs out during standby or power outage occurs on desktop computer you will lose all information about running programs and this can potentially damage your computer's hard disk drive (HDD, aka hard disk) or information on it.

Hibernate or hibernation means that all information about running programs in computer's random access memory is written to a special file on computer's hard disk drive and after that process is complete, computer will be turned off completely. After you press power button again, all information in the special hibernation file is written back to computer's memory and you will have all your running programs back on your monitor within a few minutes.

Hibernation is a longer process than stand by, but as your computer will be turned off completely, you are not in danger of losing information or damaging components during power outage.

To access these options, open Windows Start menu by clicking Start button, pressing Windows Key or using the Ctrl+Esc keyboard shortcut.
Please note that the images were taken on a virtual machine that did not support Sleep/Standby or Hibernate options.

In Windows XP, click Turn Off Computer.
Windows XP, Start menu. Click Turn Off Computer to see shutdown options.

Then click the option you need in the Turn off computer dialog.
Windows XP, Turn off computer. Click the appropriate button.

In Windows Vista, there are two default buttons available besides the full Shutdown options menu. The first one is normally Shut down (but it is changeable in Start menu options) and the second allows to Lock your computer and switch users.
Clicking either of the buttons performs the action without any confirmation.
Windows Vista, Start menu, Shut down and Lock buttons.

In Windows 7, the default button is Shut down (also changeable in Start menu and Power options). Clicking the button performs the action without any confirmation.
Windows 7, Start menu, Shut down button.

Full shutdown options are available by clicking the button with arrowhead pointing to the right. Again, any action is performed without confirmation.
Windows Vista, Start menu, Shutdown Options. Click the appropriate item. Windows 7, Start menu, Shutdown Options. Click the appropriate item.

Most of the shutdown options are also available on Welcome Screen (see the beginning of the article).