My laptop keeps randomly shutting down

Kelsey Herrmann 0 Reputation points
2026-05-04T15:02:05.03+00:00

I have a HP Pavilion 16 and it keeps randomly shutting down and refuses to turn on unless it is plugged in, but the battery is at 100%.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | PC Health Checker

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  1. DaveM121 933.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-05-05T05:43:15.96+00:00

    It seems my reply disappeared on this forum.

    Start your laptop and as soon as you see the HP logo screen, repeatedly press the Esc key on your keyboard.

    On the resulting startup menu, press f2.

    On the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics menu, click 'Component Tests'.

    Then select Power - Battery and perform the full battery test to check if any hardware error is indicated.

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  2. DaveM121 933.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-05-04T15:35:16.39+00:00

    1

    Open Device Manager (accessible by right clicking your Start Button)

    Expand the Batteries section

    For each device in that section:

    Right click and choose Disable

    Wait a second or two, then right click and choose Enable

    Close Device Manager

    Restart (not shut down) your laptop to apply the change, then check if that resolves the problem.

    2

    If that does not resolve the problem, I need some information about your system hardware, click your Start Button, then just type msinfo and press Enter, please provide a screenshot of the resulting System Information window.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-05-04T15:02:31.4466667+00:00

    Random shutdowns with a full battery usually indicate a power, battery, or hardware issue rather than Windows itself.

    Try these focused checks:

    1. Confirm it’s not just Sleep/Hibernate
      • In Windows, select Start > Power > Shut down and verify it powers off cleanly.
      • If it “shuts down” but actually resumes instantly, it may be going to Sleep instead of fully shutting down.
    2. Check power button and lid actions
      • Open Control Panel → System and Security → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do.
      • Ensure When I press the power button is set to Shut down (or Sleep only if that’s intended) and not doing something unexpected.
      • On a laptop, also check When I close the lid so it isn’t triggering an unwanted action.
    3. Test behavior on AC vs battery
      • Run the laptop only on AC power (remove the battery if it’s removable, or leave it in but note behavior). If it is stable on AC but shuts down when on battery, the battery or power circuitry may be faulty even if Windows reports 100%.
      • If it shuts down even while plugged in, suspect power supply, motherboard, or other hardware.
    4. Use Windows power troubleshooting
      • In Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then run the Power troubleshooter. This can automatically adjust some power settings that might affect stability.
    5. Watch for hard hangs or power loss symptoms
      • If the system becomes unresponsive (keyboard Caps Lock light doesn’t toggle, mouse frozen) and then power is cut, or it instantly powers off with no error, that often points to:
        • Power supply issues
        • Battery being removed/drained unexpectedly
        • Faulty or underpowered power delivery

    If the laptop only turns on when plugged in and shuts off randomly despite showing 100% battery, the most likely cause is a failing battery or power hardware. In that case, contact HP support or a repair technician to test/replace the battery and check the power circuitry.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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