What is Fast Startup and how to enable or disable it in Windows 10/8

In Windows 8/10, Microsoft has introduced a way to start your computer. This feature is called as Fast Startup. Currently, in Windows 7, users could either shut down their computers, put it to Sleep or Hibernate. According to usage data it had, it found that a very small percentage of users actually preferred to use the Hibernate option.

Fast Startup in Windows 10/8

This new Fast Startup mode is a hybrid of the traditional cold boot and resuming from hibernate option. In Windows 7, during a shutdown, the OS closes the user session and the kernel session. But in Windows 8, the kernel session is not closed, but it is hibernated. Unlike the full hibernate data, whose file size is very large, this “kernel only” or 0 Hibernation data file is much smaller. As a result, it takes much less time to write it to disk. Using this file during boot gives a substantial time-advantage while starting Windows 10/8.

Enable or Disable Fast Startup in Windows 10/8

The Fast Startup option is enabled by default in Windows 8/10. You can access its settings here. Press Win+W key, start typing Power and hit Enter to open Power Options. You can learn more such Windows  search tips here. Alternatively, you could click on the Power icon in your notification area and select More Power Options.

Clicking on Power Options will open the following window.

Enable or Disable Fast Startup in Windows 10

In the left pane, you will see the option: Choose what the power buttons do. Click on it.

Here, you will see that the default recommended setting box Turn on fast startup (recommended) is checked. This is one of the reasons, why Windows 8 starts faster.

Do note the Fast startup settings comes into play only when you are shutting down the computer and not when you are restarting it. To fully reinitialize Windows 8/10, you have to force a full shutdown.

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Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP Awardee in Windows (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.