How Do You Turn Off Fast Startup in Windows 10?
In today’s fast-paced digital world, every second counts—especially when it comes to booting up your computer. Windows 10 introduced a feature called Fast Startup, designed to speed up the boot process and get you working or browsing in a flash. While this feature can be a time-saver for many, it’s not always ideal for every user or situation. Some may find it causes compatibility issues, interferes with dual-boot setups, or simply prefer a traditional shutdown and startup routine.
Understanding how Fast Startup works and why you might want to disable it is essential for optimizing your Windows 10 experience. Whether you’re troubleshooting hardware conflicts, aiming for a complete system shutdown, or just curious about how this feature impacts your PC’s behavior, knowing how to turn it off can give you greater control over your machine. This article will guide you through the basics of Fast Startup, its benefits and drawbacks, and prepare you to make an informed decision about whether to keep it enabled or turn it off.
Before diving into the step-by-step instructions, it’s helpful to grasp the broader context of what Fast Startup does behind the scenes. By exploring its impact on system performance and stability, you’ll be better equipped to tailor your Windows 10 settings to fit your unique needs. Let’s
Disabling Fast Startup via Control Panel Settings
To disable Fast Startup on Windows 10, you need to access the power options through the Control Panel, as this feature is not directly accessible via the standard Settings app. Begin by opening the Control Panel and navigating to the Power Options section. From there, you will adjust the shutdown settings to turn off Fast Startup.
Follow these steps precisely:
- Open the Control Panel by typing “Control Panel” in the Windows search bar and selecting it.
- Click on Hardware and Sound, then choose Power Options.
- On the left pane, select Choose what the power buttons do.
- Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable at the top of the window to enable modification of shutdown settings.
- Under the Shutdown settings section, locate the option labeled Turn on fast startup (recommended).
- Uncheck this box to disable Fast Startup.
- Click Save changes to apply the new setting.
Disabling Fast Startup will cause your computer to perform a full shutdown instead of a hybrid shutdown, which can help resolve certain hardware or driver issues that are sometimes caused by the fast boot process.
Using Command Prompt to Turn Off Fast Startup
For users comfortable with command-line tools, Fast Startup can also be disabled through the Command Prompt by modifying the system’s hibernation settings. Since Fast Startup relies on hibernation, turning off hibernation effectively disables Fast Startup as well.
Perform the following:
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator by typing “cmd” in the search bar, right-clicking Command Prompt, and selecting Run as administrator.
- Enter the command:
“`
powercfg -h off
“`
- Press Enter to execute.
This command disables hibernation, which in turn disables Fast Startup. Note that disabling hibernation will also remove the option to hibernate your PC, so consider this before proceeding.
To re-enable hibernation (and Fast Startup), you can use:
“`
powercfg -h on
“`
Troubleshooting Common Issues Related to Fast Startup
While Fast Startup can improve boot times, it can occasionally cause problems such as:
- Failure to access BIOS/UEFI during boot
- Issues with dual-boot configurations
- Problems with external devices not initializing properly
- Windows updates not applying correctly after shutdown
If you experience any of these, disabling Fast Startup is a recommended troubleshooting step.
| Issue | Cause | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to enter BIOS/UEFI | Fast Startup bypasses full shutdown, skipping BIOS initiation | Disable Fast Startup to allow full system reboot |
| External devices not recognized | Devices may not initialize properly on hybrid shutdown | Turn off Fast Startup and reconnect devices after reboot |
| Windows updates fail to apply | Fast Startup can lock system files required for updates | Disable Fast Startup to ensure updates install correctly |
| Dual-boot OS issues | Fast Startup locks the Windows partition, affecting other OS | Disable Fast Startup for smoother dual-boot operation |
Additional Considerations When Disabling Fast Startup
It is important to understand the trade-offs involved when turning off Fast Startup. While disabling this feature can resolve compatibility and hardware issues, it will lead to longer boot times since the system performs a full shutdown and cold start.
Keep in mind:
- Disabling Fast Startup does not affect your ability to put the computer into Sleep or Hibernate mode.
- Some systems may experience improved stability and fewer peripheral issues when Fast Startup is off.
- If you rely on quick boot times for productivity, consider re-enabling Fast Startup after troubleshooting.
By carefully weighing these considerations, you can optimize your Windows 10 experience for stability and performance as needed.
Disabling Fast Startup Through Power Options
Fast Startup is a hybrid shutdown feature in Windows 10 designed to reduce boot time by saving the operating system state to a hibernation file. However, it can sometimes cause issues with dual-boot setups, hardware recognition, or system updates. Disabling Fast Startup involves modifying settings in the Power Options menu.
Follow these steps to turn off Fast Startup:
- Open the Control Panel. You can do this by typing Control Panel in the Windows search bar and selecting it from the results.
- Navigate to Hardware and Sound, then click on Power Options.
- In the left sidebar, select Choose what the power buttons do.
- Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable at the top of the window. This will allow you to modify the shutdown settings.
- Under the Shutdown settings section, locate the checkbox labeled Turn on fast startup (recommended).
- Uncheck this box to disable Fast Startup.
- Click Save changes to apply the settings.
- Restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
| Step | Action | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Power Options | Access to power management settings |
| 2 | Click “Choose what the power buttons do” | Display shutdown setting options |
| 3 | Click “Change settings that are currently unavailable” | Enable modification of shutdown settings |
| 4 | Uncheck “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” | Disables Fast Startup feature |
| 5 | Click “Save changes” and restart | Apply changes and reboot system |
Disabling Fast Startup via Registry Editor
For advanced users or system administrators who prefer direct registry modification, Fast Startup can be disabled by editing the Windows Registry. This method allows more granular control but requires caution to avoid unintentional system changes.
To disable Fast Startup through the Registry Editor:
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type
regedit, and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor. - If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to continue.
- Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Power - In the right pane, locate the HiberbootEnabled DWORD value.
- Double-click on HiberbootEnabled and change its value data from
1to0. - Click OK to save the change.
- Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
| Registry Path | Value Name | Current Value | Modified Value | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Power |
HiberbootEnabled |
1 | 0 | Disables Fast Startup |
Using Command Prompt to Disable Fast Startup
Another method to disable Fast Startup is by using the Command Prompt with administrative privileges. This approach modifies the registry value via command line without opening the Registry Editor manually.
Execute the following steps:
- Press Win + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
- In the command window, enter the following command and press Enter:
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Power" /v HiberbootEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
- Wait for the confirmation message indicating the operation completed successfully.
- Close the Command Prompt and restart your computer to apply changes.
Verifying Fast Startup Status
After disabling Fast Startup, it is important to verify that the feature has been turned off correctly. You can do this through the Power Options or via the Registry Editor as follows: