PwrschdlrFive actions
Shut down, restart, sleep, hibernate or sign out. Actions your PC can't do, such as hibernating when hibernation is off, are grayed out with the reason.
- Actions
- Shut down, restart, sleep, hibernate, sign out
- When
- In a while, at a time, when something ends, or on a repeat
- Warning
- 30 s to 5 min before, on top
- Data sent
- None
What it does
Windows can shut down on a timer with shutdown /s /t 5400, if you remember the flags, do the math in seconds and trust a command you can't see counting down. Pwrschdlr does the same in a window you can see, and lets you change your mind.
In a while, or at a time
Set how long to wait, with presets from 15 minutes to 4 hours, or pick a time of day. Daylight saving time is handled.
When something ends
Instead of a time, wait for your downloads to finish, for an app to close, or for nobody to use the PC. Pwrschdlr watches while its window is open, shows what it is reading, and then runs the timer as usual.
Repeat
Set a time and the days of the week, such as shut down on weekdays at 23:30. A per-user scheduled task opens Pwrschdlr for the warning before each occurrence, so it works with the window closed.
A countdown you can see
A ring empties as the time runs out, and the taskbar shows the time left. Cancel or add 15 minutes at any time.
Close it, keep the timer
The timer keeps running when Pwrschdlr is closed. Nothing runs in the background in the meantime.
A last chance
Before the end, Pwrschdlr opens again and counts down in a warning that stays on top, so you can save your work, cancel or postpone.
Never late
If your PC was off or asleep when the timer ran out, Pwrschdlr tells you and does nothing, instead of shutting down when you come back.
Readable updates
When a new version is out, Pwrschdlr shows what changed in plain words, grouped New, Improved and Fixed, with a link to the full notes. After it updates, it shows what changed in the version you got.
How it works
Pwrschdlr keeps the timer in Windows itself, so closing the app, or a crash, doesn't lose it.
A scheduled task, not a background app
Starting a timer adds a one-time task to Windows Task Scheduler that opens Pwrschdlr when the warning starts, and a repeat adds a weekly task that opens Pwrschdlr before each occurrence. The tasks run as you, without administrator rights, and are removed when the timer ends, you cancel it, or you remove the repeat.
One timer, one repeat
The timer and a saved repeat are stored in your part of the registry. Starting a new timer replaces the old one, and changing the warning moves the task.
Waiting happens in the window
When something ends, Pwrschdlr reads the condition while its window is open, once a second, and saves nothing for it. When the condition is met, it starts an ordinary timer.
Windows does the action
Shut down, restart, sign out and hibernate use
shutdown.exe. Sleep uses the Windows power API, and on Modern Standby PCs, which have no classic sleep, it turns off the display, which is how those PCs go to sleep.Late is never
When the warning ends, Pwrschdlr acts only if the end has just passed. A timer that ran out while the PC was off, asleep or signed out is reported instead.
Tested, and honest about limits
How it's verified
- 164 unit tests cover the timer's phases, postponing, countdowns and times across daylight saving time, the registry storage, the
shutdown.exearguments, the waits for something to end, the repeating schedule and a real round trip through Task Scheduler. - UI Automation on Windows 11 Pro 26H2 checks setting, cancelling and postponing a timer, the warning, the task opening a closed Pwrschdlr, a missed timer and both themes.
- CI builds the installer, then installs and uninstalls it silently on every push, checking that nothing is left behind.
What it can't do
- Run while you're signed out. If you sign out, or your PC is off or asleep when the timer runs out, nothing happens.
- Overrule Windows. An app with unsaved work or a policy can hold up the action, unless you let Pwrschdlr close apps without asking.
- Plan days ahead. Timers can be up to 23 hours 59 minutes away.
- Wait in the background. Waiting for something to end works only while Pwrschdlr's window is open. You can minimize it, but closing it stops the wait.
- Tell downloads apart. Downloads finish counts everything your PC receives on its network adapters, so streaming or a call keeps the rate up.
- Notice a controller or a video. Nobody uses the PC counts only mouse and keyboard input, so a game controller or a playing video can count as idle.
- Catch up a repeat. A repeat that came while your PC was off, asleep or signed out is reported as missed, never run late, and one that comes while a timer or a wait is running is skipped.
Questions
How do you say Pwrschdlr?
Power scheduler. It's the same name without the vowels.
Is Pwrschdlr free?
Yes. Pwrschdlr is free and open source under the MIT License. It has no ads, accounts or telemetry.
What happens if I close Pwrschdlr?
The timer keeps running. A scheduled task opens Pwrschdlr again 30 seconds, 1, 2 or 5 minutes before the end, and it counts down in a warning that stays on top, so you can still cancel or postpone.
What if my PC is asleep or off when the timer runs out?
Nothing happens. Pwrschdlr tells you about the missed timer the next time it opens, and never runs it late.
Does Pwrschdlr need administrator rights?
No. Setup installs it for your account only, and the timer's scheduled task runs as you, without administrator rights.
Does Pwrschdlr collect any data?
No. Pwrschdlr collects nothing. The only request it makes itself is the update check, which asks GitHub for the latest release and sends nothing but its version number. Its settings and timer stay in your registry. See the privacy statement.
Why does Windows SmartScreen warn about the installer?
The installer isn't code-signed yet. Check that its SHA-256 hash matches the one in the release notes (Get-FileHash in PowerShell), then choose More info and Run anyway.
Can Pwrschdlr wait for something instead of a time?
Yes. With When something ends, Pwrschdlr waits for your downloads to finish, for an app to close, or for nobody to use the PC, and then runs the timer with its usual warning and cancel. It watches only while its window is open.
Does waiting for something work when Pwrschdlr is closed?
No. Pwrschdlr watches for something to end only while its window is open; you can minimize it, but closing it stops the wait. Repeat is different: its scheduled task opens Pwrschdlr for the warning before each occurrence, so it works with the window closed.
Can Pwrschdlr repeat a shutdown on chosen days?
Yes. Repeat saves a time and the days of the week, such as shut down on weekdays at 23:30. A repeat that came while your PC was off, asleep or signed out is reported as missed, never run late, and one that comes while a timer or a wait is running is skipped.
What does the update notice show?
Pwrschdlr shows just what changed, grouped New, Improved and Fixed, with the release date and a link to the full notes on GitHub. After an update, it shows what changed in the version you just got.