How to Restart Windows Server with PowerShell

Before you start

Open PowerShell as Administrator (right-click it and choose Run as administrator).

Check the policy that controls scripts:

Get-ExecutionPolicy

If it is Restricted, you cannot run scripts. Restart-Computer is a cmdlet and works anyway, but scripts need a looser policy:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

To restart a remote server, enable remoting on it:

Enable-PSRemoting -Force

Restart-Computer

Force the restart even if users are logged on or programs are open:

Restart-Computer -Force

Ask for a confirmation:

Restart-Computer -Confirm

Show what would happen without doing it:

Restart-Computer -WhatIf

Restart-Computer -ComputerName "Server01"

With other credentials:

Restart-Computer -ComputerName "Server01" -Credential (Get-Credential)

Several servers at once:

Restart-Computer -ComputerName "Server01","Server02" -Force

Wait until a remote server is back before the script goes on:

Restart-Computer -ComputerName "Server01" -Wait -For PowerShell -Timeout 300

The classic command also works in PowerShell or Command Prompt:

shutdown /r /t 0

/r restarts and /t 0 sets zero seconds of delay.

Warning: A forced restart can lose unsaved data. Use it when you must, and warn the users first.