How to schedule automatic computer shut down with Group Policy

Create Group Policy Object

• From a Domain Controller, open the Active Directory Users and Computers management console:

• Move Users for whom we wish to activate automatic shut down to an OU (Organizational Unit):

• Then open the Group Policy Manager console:

• Right-click on the OU where the users are located, then click on Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here…:

• Give the new GPO a name:

• Edit the GPO:

• Go to User Configuration > Preferences > Control Panel Settings then right-click on Scheduled Tasks to open New > Scheduled Tasks (At least Windows 7):

Set up the Group Policy Object

• Define the properties of the New Task:
  • Action: Create
  • Name: Auto_Shutdown
  • User Account: System (⚠️ Just write it, don't use "Change User or Group… button.⚠️)

• In the Triggers tab, click on New:

• Specify the time at which the computers will shut down:

• In the Actions tab, click on New:

• Define the properties of the New Action as follows:
  • Action: Start a program
  • Program/script: C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe
  • Add arguments(optional): /s /t 0

• In the Conditions tab:

It avoids shutting down a computer if a user is still working (called overtime).

Check from a user workstation

• From a workstation, open the task scheduler with administrator rights (otherwise you won't be able to see the task), you should see the Auto_Shutdown task:

Note: To prevent the task from installing on servers, I also recommend using the WMI Filters so that the GPO only applies to client workstations.