Windows 11 24H2 – Shutdown/Restart options missing or not working

Hello,

I’m having an issue with a Windows 11 24H2 desktop.

When I try to shut down or restart the PC from the Start menu, the only option available is Lock, instead of the usual Shut down / Restart / Sign out options.

If I try from the lock screen (or the Ctrl+Alt+Del screen), the correct shutdown menu appears, but clicking Restart or Shut down does nothing.

Using the shutdown command (from an elevated Command Prompt) returns “Access denied”.

The only way I can actually shut down or restart the PC is by first signing out. After signing out, the shutdown/restart buttons work normally.

Other symptoms:

Pressing Alt+F4 on the desktop automatically signs me out instead of showing the shutdown/restart dialog. From the sign-out screen, the bottom-right power menu works fine.

After Windows Updates, if a restart is required, the Restart now button in Windows Update is grayed out and unclickable. Again, I have to sign out first before I can restart.

Environment:

This is a company PC joined to a domain. I’ve checked and there are no Group Policies blocking shutdown/restart functions. Other PCs in the office do not have this issue.

In gpedit.msc, the policy Prevent shutdown, restart, sleep is correctly disabled.

In Computer Configuration → Windows Settings → Local Policies → User Rights Assignment → Shut down the system, the list was empty. I added Users and Administrators (as on other working PCs) and thought I had fixed it, but after a couple of reboots the entries disappear again and the problem returns.

Has anyone seen this behavior before or knows how to fix it?