Mystery app preventing Windows 10 shutdown after update.

Anonymous
2018-02-10T04:10:34+00:00

Since a Windows 10 update a few weeks ago, when I go to shut down, it says it is closing and there is an app running  ------- but there is no app running   So I wait for it to close that nonexistent app, and after a few minutes, I am back to the computer being ready to work, not shutting down. When will a new update fix this?  Yesterday's update did not fix this. It is not a serious problem, but it is annoying to have to click "Shut down anyway" to really shut down.  What is this app that hides itself and won't quit?

[Moved from Windows / Windows 10 / Windows update, recovery, & backup]

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Sleep and Power on, off

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

131 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2019-10-18T01:52:29+00:00

    This is the problem I am having and it is so annoying I don't which app is open.  I click usually close anyway cause I am sick and tired of the message.  Sometimes I come back the computer its still on. This happened after an update to windows. Really annoying.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2019-10-09T16:45:20+00:00

    I am having problems when I shut down windows 10 (message state that windows is unable to close due to an open app) there is no app open.  There is no clarification what that app might be.  This has been going on for months after an upgrade of windows 10 than it stopped then there was another upgrade and I am back to babysitting my laptop when shutting down.  Also I lost my computers ability to us up and down volume keys after a windows upgrade a few years ago.  

    Thankfully the keyboard still works.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2019-10-04T10:59:48+00:00

    After much searching, and trying many, many suggestions, this is what eventually worked for me:-

    Run Windows System File Checker

    Your Windows PC comes with an in-built system file checker utility program. It can scan your system files and let you know if there is some corruption over there for which you get smashed with the error message “Task Host Window Preventing Shutdown”. You must follow these simple steps here to run the Windows System File Checker,

    • Press the Windows Logo Key + X from your PC
    • From the drop-down list select the Command Prompt(Admin)
    • Click on Yes if prompted for permission. It will open the elevated command prompt on your system
    • Now, type in the following command and press the enter button
    • sfc /scannow
    • Then, wait until the System File Checker continues the process of scanning. Press Y if the program asks for permission to apply the fixes for your missing system files
    • Finally, Restart your PC once again and check if you can get over the problem there

    I found the above on a list of several suggestions, which are on the following link, but the above was what removed the problem for me.

    https://silicophilic.com/this-app-is-preventing-shutdown-in-windows-10/

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2019-10-04T01:40:28+00:00

    I have this issue as well.

    Here is the shutdown screen:

    Here is the application I think matches the icon:

    I can't close that application.

    Any ideas?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2019-08-19T23:27:54+00:00

    Francis  thanks for your input, but I think you have not carefully read the previous posts. There is no icon appearing on the shutdown screen.

    That is exactly what happened, no icon appearing.  I eventually did find a solution last year but for the life of me I can't remember what it was.

    Craig

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments