Show the Sleep, Restart and Shut Down buttons on your Mac's login screen

Why it happens

Your Mac lets you choose whether the login window offers Sleep, Restart and Shut Down. Some people hide them so nobody can switch the Mac off without signing in, which is why they can go missing. The choice is one switch in Lock Screen settings.

How to fix it

1. Sign in, open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Lock Screen in the sidebar.

2. Turn on Show the Sleep, Restart, and Shut Down buttons. If your Mac asks for an administrator's name and password, enter them to allow the change.

   Lock Screen›Show the Sleep, Restart, and Shut Down buttons

3. To check, choose Apple menu > Log Out. The buttons should now show on the login screen.

Still not fixed?

1. If the switch is greyed out, you may need an administrator account. Ask the person who owns the Mac to sign in and change it, or ask the school or company that manages it.

2. Need to switch off or restart right now? Sign in, then choose Shut Down… or Restart… from the Apple menu.

3. If the switch is on but the buttons still don't show, restart your Mac and check again, then install the latest update in General > Software Update.

   General›Software Update

4. If the buttons stay missing after an update, contact Apple Support.