How to Disable Fast Startup Mode in Windows 10/11

Microsoft added the Fast startup (hybrid shutdown) Feature to reduce the boot times by saving a portion of the system state to a file during shutdown. When you power on your computer, Windows loads the saved system state instead of performing a full boot, and makes Windows startup faster. However, while Fast Startup has its benefits, it can sometimes cause issues, like preventing regular shutdowns, interfering with system updates, and causing compatibility problems with certain hardware or software. Also, disabling the Fast Startup feature, you can fix the Windows black screen or blue screen of death error at startup. Let’s understand what Windows Fast startup is, advantages and disadvantages, and how to disable fast startup feature on Windows 11/10.

What is Windows Fast Startup?

The Fast Startup is a hybrid shutdown feature that combines elements of a cold boot and hibernation. Instead of completely shutting down, Windows logs out active users and saves the kernel session and drivers into a hibernation file (hiberfil.sys). When the system starts again, Windows does not have to reload the kernel, drivers, and system state individually. Instead, it just refreshes your RAM with the loaded image from the hibernation file and delivers you to the login screen. This technique can shave considerable time off your startup.

1. The Fast Startup settings don’t apply to Restart, it only apply to the Shutdown process
2. While Fast Startup mode is enabled, the shutdown should not be performed from the Power Menu.
3. In order to make the Fast Startup mode work better, you have to enable the Hibernate feature on your Windows 10 PC

Pros and Cons of Windows Fast Startup Feature

As the name says, the fast startup, this feature makes Windows faster at startup. Take less time to boot Windows, and save valuable time for you.

• Faster Boot Times – The system loads quicker than a normal startup, reducing wait times.
• Improved Performance – Users experience a seamless and responsive login process.
• Efficient for SSDs and HDDs – Works well with both traditional hard drives and solid-state drives.

However, sometimes users report that disabling fast startup helps them fix startup problems such as blue screen of death, black screen with cursor etc.

• Prevents Full Shutdown – Some hardware changes, such as accessing BIOS/UEFI or installing updates, require a full shutdown, which Fast Startup may block.
• Issues with Dual Boot Systems – If you use multiple operating systems, Fast Startup can cause drive access issues when switching between them.
• Locks System Files – Some system processes remain in a hibernation state, preventing troubleshooting or disk maintenance.
• Potential Driver Conflicts – Some older drivers may not work properly with Fast Startup enabled.

How to Disable Fast Startup Feature

While Fast Startup is beneficial for reducing boot times, you may need to disable it if you encounter driver or hardware compatibility issue. If you use dual boot with Linux or another OS, or the system experiences random crashes or shutdown problem.

Disable fast startup ensures that Windows performs a complete shutdown every time you power off your PC.

Disable Fast Startup via Control Panel

Press Win + R, type control panel, and press Enter. Click Power Options.

• On the next screen, click on the ‘Choose what the power buttons do’ option on the left side of the screen,

• Then click on the blue ‘Change Settings that are currently unavailable’ link to disable Fast Startup mode in Windows 10.

• Now simply uncheck the box next to ‘Turn on Fast Startup’ option and click on the Save changes button

Disable Fast Startup via Command Prompt

If you prefer using the command line, you can disable Fast Startup quickly with this method.

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator (Press Win + X, then select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal (Admin)).
• Type command powercfg -h off and press the enter key, restart your computer to apply the changes.
• This command not only disables Fast Startup but also removes the hibernation file (hiberfil.sys), freeing up disk space.

Disable Fast Startup via Registry Editor

Also, you can disable Fast Startup by modifying the Windows registry.

• Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the windows registry editor.
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Power
• Here locate HiberbootEnabled, Double-click it and set the value to 0. Click OK to save changes and restart your PC.

Disabling Fast Startup is a good option if you frequently modify your hardware, need full shutdowns, or experience compatibility issues.