How to Enable or Disable Fast Startup in Windows 10?

Welcome to our series of Microsoft Windows 10 tutorials that help you understand the features of the upcoming Windows 10.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the Fast Startup feature in Windows 10.

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What is Fast Startup?

Fast startup is a Windows 10 feature which combines the features of shutdown and hibernation to make your computer start faster after a shutdown than normal startup process.

This is achieved by saving a part of system-related files and drivers to a hibernation file (hiberfil.sys) upon shutdown. When you start your computer again, Windows will resume from hibernating and resume your session.

Following are some points which need to be considered:

  1. The Fast startup setting only applies to Shutdown, it doesn’t apply to Restart.
  2. The shutdown can be performed from the Power Menu shutdown option.
  3. The hibernate feature has to be enabled. If you disable hibernate, then it will also disable fast startup.

How to enable or disable Fast startup in Windows 10:

  1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and select Power Options or select Power Options from Power Menu (Windows + X)
  2. From the links on the left-hand side, click on Choose what the power buttons do.
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  1. Click on the Change settings that are currently unavailable link at the top.
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  1. To enable Fast startup, under Shutdown settings, check the Turn on fast startup box, click on the Save changes button.
  2. To disable Fast startup, under Shutdown settings, uncheck the Turn on fast startup box, click on the Save changes button.
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Note: If the hibernate feature is not turned on, turning on the Fast Startup setting will not be listed here. You will need to close the System Settings window, enable hibernate, and start over again.

Why You Might Want to Disable Fast Startup?

Though there are numerous advantages of Fast Startup, you might be wondering what harm it can do to your system? Well, Fast Startup has its problem too.

  • It may delay the installation of updates. Since installing the Windows Updates requires a regular shutdown, updates won’t be installed when the startup is enabled. However, restarting the system will do the work for you because Fast Startup doesn’t apply to Restart.
  • You won’t be able to configure the Dual-Boot. If you want to use two operating systems on your device, then you have to disable the Fast Startup. The reason is that Fast Startup locks down the device hard disk. Even if you somehow get access to hard disk from another OS and cause some changes, then your hard disk might get corrupted.
  • You may not be able to access the system’s BIOS settings. Since, when a computer hibernates, it does not enter a fully powered down mode. Some settings of BIOS doesn’t work while the computer is hybernated.

7 thoughts on “How to Enable or Disable Fast Startup in Windows 10?”

  1. I wonder if enabling Fast startup would indeed be something helpful? I mean, what could this be used for? I don’t mind waiting a few seconds more for the PC to startup so…

    Reply

  4. I have an oldish Dell M6600 the camera was working yesterday but could not be found today 13/04/2020 I was doubtful about the fast startup fix. Have just tried it and it works!
    Many thanks

    Reply

  5. I have a Lattitude 5491, camera has not worked after upgrading to Windows 10. Disabling fast boot did not fix it. I’ve tried about everything but no luck, there is no driver in device manager and it doesn’t update with a driver for the system webcam. It’s like it doesn’t know the camera is there.

    Reply

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