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For a Windows PC that works normally, leave Fast Startup enabled if you want the quicker startup it is designed to provide. Turn it off temporarily if shutdown or hibernation is failing, you need to test a full shutdown, or you are checking Wake-on-LAN behavior. If you simply need Windows to perform a full boot cycle, choose Restart—Fast Startup does not apply to Restart.
What Fast Startup does
Fast Startup is a hybrid shutdown, not a conventional full shutdown and not the same as Sleep or Hibernate. Microsoft Learn describes it as “a type of shutdown that uses a hibernation file to speed up the subsequent boot.” During the shutdown, Windows logs off the user but saves the kernel session and device-driver state to the hibernation file. At the next startup, Windows reloads that saved system state instead of following the same full initialization path. Microsoft Learn: System power states
The intended benefit is a quicker subsequent startup, but Microsoft’s cited documentation does not provide a universal time or percentage saved. Actual results depend on the PC, so do not expect a particular speed increase.
When to leave Fast Startup on—and when to turn it off
Leave it on if the PC behaves normally
If your computer shuts down and starts up without problems, keeping Fast Startup enabled is a reasonable default when you value quicker startup. There is no need to disable it just because the option exists.
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Turn it off while troubleshooting shutdown or hibernation
Try disabling Fast Startup if Windows is failing to shut down or hibernate, or if you need to test whether the hybrid shutdown path is involved. Microsoft documents a troubleshooting case involving Windows 10 and Windows 8.1; that historical case does not establish that the same failure affects every current Windows version or PC. Microsoft Support: Fast startup causes hibernation or shutdown to fail in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1
Check Wake-on-LAN behavior if it matters to you
If you rely on Wake-on-LAN, test the behavior you need before settling on hybrid shutdown. Microsoft explains that hybrid shutdown and hibernation both use the S4 power state, but Windows handles Wake-on-LAN differently between those transitions. Microsoft Learn: Wake on LAN behavior
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Fast Startup, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate are different
| Action | What Windows does | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Shut down with Fast Startup | Saves kernel and device-driver state to the hibernation file; it does not preserve the logged-in user session like Hibernate. | Use for routine shutdown when you want the feature’s intended quicker subsequent startup. |
| Restart | Continues through a full boot cycle; it does not use the Fast Startup improvement. | Choose it when troubleshooting requires a full boot, including after updates. |
| Sleep | Uses very little power and resumes quickly. | Useful for a short break. |
| Hibernate | Uses less power than Sleep and restores the prior session; availability varies by PC. | Useful for a longer period away from power. |
Microsoft’s Windows support guidance distinguishes Sleep, Hibernate, and shutdown, and notes that connected devices may need to be reconnected or have current drivers after Sleep or Hibernate. Microsoft Support: Shut down, sleep, or hibernate your PC
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- Open Control Panel, then go to Power Options.
- Open the page for choosing what the power buttons do or the system shutdown settings. Microsoft documents this location as Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Power Options > System Settings.
- If the settings are locked, select Change settings that are currently unavailable.
- Change Turn on fast startup, then save the changes.
Labels and available options can vary by Windows release and device configuration. If the checkbox is missing, do not assume that the PC is faulty; hibernation support and the device configuration can affect whether the option appears. Microsoft’s troubleshooting documentation also describes shutdown.exe /hybrid as a way to prepare a shutdown for Fast Startup. Microsoft Support: Fast startup causes hibernation or shutdown to fail in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1
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Do not confuse Windows Fast Startup with firmware Fast Boot
This advice concerns the Windows setting called Fast Startup. A motherboard or PC maker may offer a separate firmware setting called Fast Boot in UEFI or BIOS. They are different features; check the exact setting and your computer model before changing a firmware option.
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