Shutdown

If you are even a novice Windows user, then you probably already know how to turn off, reboot or 'put your computer to sleep.' You can easily do all of the above by just accessing the conveniently placed options within the Start Menu or with the help of keyboard shortcuts.

If this seems a bit too mainstream or if you are bored with the familiar techniques, you can try a lightweight piece of software, appropriately named, Shutdown.

The app does not require any form of installation, simply unzip the package and double click its executable.

Upon launching the app, you are greeted by a compact main window with an ultra-minimalist user interface. Basically, the interface is made out of four differently-coloured buttons with widely recognizable symbols and not much more.

This said, you can shut down and restart your computer, activate the Hibernation / Sleep mode, as well as access the Windows Lock Screen with no more than a single click.

At this point, we should mention that if you are looking for anything more, then this is surely not the appropriate tool for you, as this app truly gives the expression of "what you see is what you get" a new meaning.

There are no clever customizable hotkey options, no automatic shutdown features, no options for scheduling a shutdown or anything of this nature.

It would have been nice if the app would at least integrate with the system tray or if it would enable you to customize its transparency level; no need to mention that a minimize button would have also been quite useful.

Shutdown is a straightforward utility that does its overly simplified job right without much fuss. While its practical usefulness is somewhat limited, some users might prefer using it over the typical methods.