Easy Shutdown Scheduler

very good
key review info
application features
  • Schedule when your computer should restart, hibernate, log off or shutdown depending on various actions.
  • (1 more, see all...)

Whether you download multiple files and don’t want to stay up late until they finish, you’re a movie lover and tend to fall asleep before they end or just want to schedule when your computer should shutdown, restart, hibernate or log off, a shutdown timer can easily become your best friend.

There are many applications of this kind on the market that range from a simple window with a timer to the more complex ones which allow you to perform the desired action when a condition has been met. Among them we find Mz Shutdown Scheduler, a small application that will give you the possibility to schedule when your computer should shutdown, restart, hibernate or log off.

The application is very small occupying only 3.64 MB and is released as a Freeware, which means you can use it for free without any restrictions for as long as you want. The interface is simple, well-structured and will give you quick access to all its features. Divided into three sections, the main panel allows you to edit the action you want to schedule with a few mouse clicks.

At the moment, Mz Shutdown Scheduler only supports the Shutdown, Restart, Hibernate and Log Off actions, but there’s surely room for improvement. For future versions the addition of Lock, Sleep or StandBy will be of good use to all the people interested in this application.

The software enables you to configure various triggers for the chosen action. If you want to automatically shutdown your computer after a certain program is closed, Mz Shutdown Scheduler provides you with the option just for that. It will open a list with all the running processes allowing you to choose one or multiple applications that will trigger the event.

Other options can also be chosen to activate the selected shutdown method. Among them we find the CPU usage meter. Using this option you will be able to schedule the desired action when your CPU usage is lower that a given value for a specific amount of time. To begin the action right away you can enter 0 for the designated timer.

The Free RAM monitoring option gives you the opportunity to schedule when your computer should perform the shutdown method selected taking in account the amount of free RAM available at the moment for a determined time period.

Of course, Mz Shutdown Scheduler doesn`t lack the ability to shutdown, restart, hibernate or log off your computer after a number of minutes or a specific date and time. If your keep your computer running for a couple of days, using this option you will be able to select the date and time when it should perform the desired action.

The functionality of the Shutdown Options can surely be enhanced with the addition of other triggers like the amount of network traffic based on download or upload speed. The later can be of great use for people who download very large files and want to shutdown their computer after the process is over.

After you have created the desired action you can preview the timers in the Countdown Window. Here Mz Shutdown Scheduler will display the current CPU usage, Free RAM or the remaining time until the action will be performed.

If needed, you can choose to delay the shutdown for a few seconds until you save your work. Also, the software provides the option to run a specific program before shutdown. This can be useful if you want to run a cleanup tool that will get rid of junk files before the shutdown process.

You can setup the application to display a message before the shutdown procedure in order to alert the user before the action occurs. Unfortunately this option will just inform you about the future task and doesn’t provide the possibility to abort the process.

Mz Shutdown Scheduler will offer its users various possibilities to Shutdown, Restart, Hibernate or Log Off, all packed in a simple and easy to use interface. Though it might need some improvements, it stands up from the crowd with its good looks and ease of use.


The Good

Mz Shutdown Scheduler gives its users the possibility to schedule when their computer will shutdown, restart, hibernate and log off based on various customizable actions. You can also use multiple options at the same time for a better result.

The interface is stylish, easy to use and will give you quick access to all its features. A set of 11 themes can be accessed to change the appearance of the program.

The Bad

A dialog window, that will ask you whether you want to proceed with the shutdown or cancel it, may prove to be of good use if you don’t want to be taken by surprise during hard working hours.

The Wait Before Shutdown option works only when you set the time below 60 seconds. During our tests we've noticed that the computer will perform a forced shutdown even if the option is ticked off.

The Truth

Any application has room for improvement and Mz Shutdown Scheduler surely needs more polishing. In the current state the software does its job very well disregarding some minor issues. The addition of more shutdown options will be a plus for future versions and a step towards the best freeware shutdown utility.

Here are some snapshots of the application in action:  

Review image
Review image

user interface 4
features 3
ease of use 4
pricing / value 4


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good