6. Log Off or Shut Down
When you are finished a session on your computer, it is good practice to either lock, log-off or shut down your computer. The main reason for this has to do with security - if your computer is left unattended with you logged in, others could use the computer and impersonate you.
To shut down your computer, activate the Charm Bar® on the right side of your screen by placing your mouse cursor in the top right corner of the screen and then moving it downward. (If you have a touch screen, you can swipe the right side of the screen to activate the Charm Bar®). Click on the Setting icon and then choose the Power icon in the bottom section of the bar. You can then choose whether to close or restart your computer.
You can also find options to Shut Down or Log off your computer by right-clicking on the Windows® icon in the lower left corner of the taskbar.
On older versions of Windows®, the start menu that pops up when clicking the Windows® icon in the taskbar will have options to shut down, restart or log off.
Note: Never shut down your computer by pressing the power button before you have closed off your session using one of the techniques described above. Turning off the power suddenly can damage the operating system or hardware and could result in the loss of data.