With every new version of its operating system, Microsoft has made improvements to the user experience, and Windows 11 is no exception. It is brimming with features that are intended to increase both performance and usability. Fast Startup is one such function that combines the hibernation and shutdown processes to reduce boot times. For many users, this capability can be helpful, but in some situations, including with dual-boot systems, hardware incompatibilities, or when you want to make changes that necessitate a full shutdown, it might cause problems. You might want to turn off Fast Startup if you find yourself in such circumstances. This post offers a thorough explanation of how to turn off Fast Startup in Windows 11, as well as information about the feature’s characteristics, troubleshooting techniques, and other factors to take into account.
Understanding Fast Startup
A hybrid feature called Fast Startup makes it take less time for your computer to start up. Windows stores your operating system’s current state to a file called hiberfil.sys before shutting down your machine as part of the shutdown procedure when you have Fast Startup enabled. Instead of having to start up all of your system files from zero, Windows loads that saved state when you restart your machine. Although this speeds up boot time, there may be some issues as a result.
Fast Startup, for instance, may cause read/write problems with the partitions used by both systems if you dual-boot Windows with another OS because they may be in a hybrid state. Additionally, the regular shutdown procedure—which Fast Startup does not facilitate—may be necessary if you need to update drivers or carry out certain maintenance chores.
Why Disable Fast Startup?
You may want to disable Windows 11’s Fast Startup for a number of reasons:
Dual Boot Systems: Fast Startup may cause issues if you’re running several operating systems because Windows doesn’t fully shut down, leaving the file system locked.
Hardware Compatibility Problems: Occasionally, certain hardware parts may not react well to Fast Startup, which might result in problems like USB devices not being detected when the computer boots up.
Performance Problems: Although Fast Startup is meant to speed up startup times, some customers have discovered that it actually creates latency or slows down their machine.
Troubleshooting: By enabling a full shutdown, turning off Fast Startup may assist identify and isolate problems if you’re having trouble installing Windows.
Driver Updates and Modifications: When Fast Startup is enabled, some updates and system modifications might not take effect until the system has been completely shut down.
How to Disable Fast Startup in Windows 11
Although turning off Fast Startup is simple, there are a few procedures you must follow, which are listed below. To make sure the feature is turned off correctly, please follow these instructions.
Launch the Control Panel:
- Click on the Start button (Windows icon) in the Taskbar.
- Type “Control Panel” and select it from the search results.
Go to Power Options:
- In the Control Panel, look for “Hardware and Sound” and click on it.
- Under that section, click on “Power Options.”
Choose Select the function of the power buttons:
- In the left sidebar, click on “Choose what the power buttons do.”
Modify the Currently Unavailable Settings:
- At the top of the window, you ll find a link that says “Change settings that are currently unavailable.” Click on it to unlock the settings that need administrator privileges.
Locate a Quick Startup Choice:
- Scroll down to the “Shutdown settings” section. This section lists various options related to powering off your system.
Turn on rapid startup (recommended) should be unchecked.
- Look for the checkbox labeled Turn on fast startup (recommended) and uncheck it.
Keep Your Modifications:
- After unchecking the box, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “Save changes” button to apply the changes.
Restarting your computer will verify that Fast Startup has been successfully turned off. Your system is no longer using the Fast Startup feature, so you should observe the normal boot up procedure, which can take longer than it used to.
Verifying Fast Startup is Disabled
Verifying your settings after making changes is always a smart practice. You may make sure that Fast Startup is turned off in Windows 11 by doing the following:
Launch the Command Prompt:
- Right-click the Start button and select “Windows Terminal (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin).”
Execute the Powercfg command.
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Type the following command and press Enter:
powercfg /a - This command will show you the sleep states available on your system. Look for “Fast Startup” in the output. If it is not listed as available under the Standby States section, it indicates that Fast Startup has been successfully disabled.
Additional Troubleshooting
Try the following troubleshooting actions if your system still doesn’t boot up properly or if you continue to experience problems even after turning off Fast Startup:
Update Drivers: Outdated drivers frequently cause boot problems, so make sure all of your hardware drivers are current, especially the graphics and chipset drivers.
Run Windows Update: Verify that the most recent updates are installed on your operating system. Microsoft frequently releases updates that address identified problems.
Examine any corrupt files: To check for corruption in system files, run the System File Checker. As an administrator, launch Command Prompt and type:
Restore Default Power Settings: You may wish to go back to the original power settings if you’re still having problems. Locate the “Restore Default Settings” option under the Power Options and follow the instructions.
To reset the power plan, return to Power Options and choose “Create a power plan.” If you haven’t already, make a balanced strategy and adhere to any instructions.
Conclusion
In Windows 11, turning off Fast Startup can help fix a variety of compatibility and performance concerns for consumers who encounter troubles when their machine boots up. This guide’s detailed instructions and troubleshooting advice make it simple to customize this functionality to your own computer environment.
When choosing whether to enable or disable Fast Startup, consider the intricacies of dual-booting systems, hardware compatibility, and driver upgrades. It’s important to adjust settings to suit your needs because your experience may differ. Whether you’re worried about stability or performance, controlling this feature is essential to getting the most out of Windows 11.