- To disable Fast Startup on Windows 11, open Control Panel System > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Choose what the power button does, click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable,” turn off “Fast Startup,” and click “Save.”
- Alternatively, open Command Prompt (admin) and run the “powercfg /h off” command to turn off Fast Startup.
- It’s also possible to disable the power feature with the Registry or Group Policy Editor.
UPDATED 12/20/2023: On Windows 11 (and 10), you can disable “Fast Startup” in at least two ways through the Control Panel Power Options settings or Command Prompt since the feature isn’t available through the Settings app, and in this guide, you will learn how.
Fast Startup is a feature that speeds up the boot process, combining hibernation and regular shutdown to accomplish quicker system startup. In other words, when the feature is enabled, the system saves the kernel, drivers, and system state to the hibernation (hiberfil.sys) file, and then the computer turns off, but without saving the current desktop session or running apps. When the computer turns on, the system will load the contents from the hibernation file to resume more quickly.
Although it’s a useful feature, Fast Startup may also cause problems. For example, it can cause conflicts when installing updates, managing storage devices with encryption, or in dual-boot systems since it won’t allow you to access the drive from the other setup. In some systems, you may be unable to access the motherboard’s UEFI (BIOS) if Fast Startup is enabled.
Disable Fast Startup on Windows 11 from Control Panel
To disable the Windows 11 Fast Startup feature, use these steps:
- Open Start on Windows 11.
- Search for Control Panel and click the top result to open the app.
- Click on Hardware and Sound (in the “Category” view).
- Click on Power Options.
- Click the “Choose what the power button does” option from the left pane.
- Click the “Change settings that are currently unavailable” option.
- Clear the “Turn on fast startup” option to disable the feature.
Once you complete the steps, the feature that allows the operating system to boot faster will be disabled.
If you want to enable the feature again, you can use the same instructions, but in step 7, check the “Turn on fast startup” option.
Disable Fast Startup on Windows 11 from Command Prompt
To disable Fast Startup from Command Prompt on Windows 11, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt (or PowerShell), right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to disable Fast Startup on Windows 11 and press Enter:
powercfg /h off
After you complete the steps, the command will instruct the system to disable Fast Startup on Windows 11 (or 10).
If you change your mind, you can enable the feature again with the same instructions, but in step 3, run the powercfg /h on command.
Disable Fast Startup on Windows 11 from Group Policy
To disable Fast Startup from Group Policy, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for gpedit.msc, and click the top result to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
- Browse the following path:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Shutdown
- Double-click the “Require use of fast startup” policy.
- Select the Disabled option.
- Click the Apply button.
- Click the OK button.
Once you complete the steps, the operating system will no longer use Faster Startup.
If you want to undo the changes, you can use the same instructions outlined above, but in step 5, choose the “Not configured” option.
Disable Fast Startup on Windows 11 from Registry
To turn off Fast Startup from Registry on Windows 11, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry.
- Navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSession ManagerPower
- Right-click the HiberbootEnabled key and select the Modify option.
- Change the value from 1 to 0 to disable Fast Startup.
- Click the OK button.
- Restart the computer.
After you complete the steps, the Fast Start feature will be disabled on the computer.
If you want to roll back the previous configuration, you can use the same instructions outlined above, but in step 5, change the value from 1 to 0.
It’s important to know that you should only disable Fast Start on Windows 10 or 11 when it is causing problems with updates or conflicting with apps or when you plan to set up a dual-boot system. Otherwise, you should keep the feature enabled.
Update December 20, 2023: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect new details.