How to Enable or Disable Fast Startup in Windows 11
Fast Startup is a built-in feature that helps your PC boot up faster after a shutdown. When you shut down, Windows saves the state of the system kernel and drivers into a file called hiberfil.sys on your drive. Instead of loading everything from scratch, your computer loads this file to get you to the desktop quickly.
Why use it? It saves time when you turn your computer on.
What happens when done? Your PC starts significantly faster than a traditional cold boot.
Pros and Cons of Fast Startup
Pros: Faster boot times and improved convenience for daily users. Cons: It can cause issues with dual-booting, prevent full system refreshes, and may take up a small amount of storage space on your drive for the hibernation file.
How to Enable or Disable Fast Startup
You can manage this setting through the Control Panel. Note that these steps require administrator privileges.
- Open the Start menu and search for “Control Panel.” Select it from the list.
- Click on Hardware and Sound.
- Under Power Options, click the link that says Change what the power button does.
- Click the link at the top labeled Change settings that are currently unavailable.
- Check the box next to Turn on fast startup (recommended) to enable it. Uncheck it to disable the feature.
- Click Save changes and restart your computer.
What if the Option is Missing?
If you do not see the Fast Startup option, your computer might have hibernation disabled. You can fix this using the Command Prompt. Note that this requires administrator privileges.
- Press the Windows key and type “cmd.”
- Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
powercfg /h on - Restart your Control Panel window, and the option should now appear.
Performance: SSDs vs. HDDs
If you use a modern SSD, the difference in boot speed with Fast Startup is often minimal. SSDs are already very fast. However, if you use an older mechanical HDD, you will notice a much larger improvement in boot speed. Disabling it on an SSD is safe and will not significantly slow down your boot time.
Advanced: Using the Registry Editor
Advanced users can also manage this via the Registry Editor. Note that this requires administrator privileges.
Navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Power
Find the HiberbootEnabled item in the right pane. Double-click it and change the value to 1 to enable it, or 0 to disable it. If you do not see HiberbootEnabled, right-click in the empty space, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it HiberbootEnabled.
Summary
Fast Startup is a helpful tool for faster boot times. While it is great for most users, those who dual-boot or face update issues might prefer to turn it off. You can easily toggle this via the Control Panel or Command Prompt. If you need more help, check out our other Windows 11 power management guides.
Is Fast Startup enabled by default?
Yes, Fast Startup is enabled by default on most Windows 11 computers that support hibernation. It is designed to provide a quicker user experience by keeping the system kernel ready in a saved state on your storage drive whenever you perform a standard shutdown.
Does Fast Startup cause update problems?
Sometimes, yes. Because Fast Startup does not perform a full shutdown, some system updates may not install correctly until a full restart is performed. If you are having trouble applying Windows updates, try clicking ‘Restart’ instead of ‘Shut down’ to force a complete system refresh.
Should I disable Fast Startup to save storage space?
You can disable it to save space, but it is rarely necessary. The hiberfil.sys file takes up space equal to a portion of your RAM. Unless you are extremely low on storage, the benefit of faster boot times outweighs the small amount of disk space reclaimed.
Was this guide helpful?
This is for Windows 10, not 11.
Surprise! They are the same.
No, they’re not. These options are not shown in Windows 11.
I’m on Windows 11, they are the same.
I’m on 11. Fast startup is gone for me as well. Was there on 10
Have to turn “hibernate” on from command prompt and the fast boot option will then start appearing as shown above. Make sure the command prompt is run as an admin or it won’t work.