Turn Off Fast Startup Windows 11: When and How to Do It

Fast startup is one of those Windows features that works quietly for most people and causes puzzling problems for a few. It makes your PC start faster after Shut down, but it also means Shut down is not quite a full shutdown. This guide explains what fast startup does, how to turn off fast startup in Windows 11 using the supported Power Options setting, why Restart already gives you a clean boot, and the situations where turning it off is genuinely worth it.

The steps apply to Windows 11 version 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2. There is no switch for fast startup in the Settings app; it lives in the classic Control Panel, which is still part of Windows 11.

What fast startup does

Microsoft’s hardware documentation describes fast startup as the default shutdown and startup behaviour since Windows 8. When you select Shut down:

1. Your user session is signed out, as in a normal shutdown.
2. The rest of the system state, mainly the Windows kernel and loaded drivers, is written to the hibernation file.
3. On the next power-on, Windows reads that state back instead of running the full boot process.

Because the user session is closed first, the hibernation file is much smaller than in a real hibernate, so both shutdown and startup are fast. Microsoft’s power states documentation adds that the PC appears to the user as fully shut down even though it has actually gone through a hibernate-style state.

The side effect is that the kernel, drivers and services are preserved across a Shut down rather than restarted. Microsoft notes that the uptime between kernel reboots can be much longer than people expect for this reason.

Restart is always a full boot

Microsoft’s documentation states that a full shutdown occurs when a restart is requested, and the fast startup setting does not apply to Restart. So:

• After installing updates or drivers, use Restart.
• When something is misbehaving, Restart gives a clean kernel and driver start, with fast startup still on.

For many problems, simply choosing Restart instead of Shut down is enough, and you can leave fast startup alone.

How to turn off fast startup

You need an administrator account.

1. Select Start, type Control Panel and open it.
2. Set View by to Large icons and select Power Options.
3. In the left pane, select Choose what the power buttons do.
4. Select Change settings that are currently unavailable at the top. This unlocks the greyed-out options.
5. Under Shutdown settings, untick Turn on fast startup (recommended).
6. Select Save changes.

The next time you use Shut down, Windows performs a full shutdown. To turn fast startup back on, repeat the steps and tick the box again.

Fast startup option missing

If the Turn on fast startup box is not there at all, hibernation is almost certainly switched off. Fast startup uses the hibernation file, so it disappears when hibernation is disabled. Our guide to enable hibernate in Windows 11 shows the powercfg /hibernate on command from Microsoft’s documentation; after running it, the fast startup option returns.

Some PCs managed by work or school have fast startup controlled by policy. If the option is locked with a message about your organization, ask the IT department.

A one-off full shutdown

You do not have to change the setting to get a full shutdown now and then:

• Restart and then shut down from the sign-in screen once the PC is back up.
• From Terminal, shutdown /s /t 0 shuts down immediately. Microsoft’s shutdown reference lists /hybrid as the option that prepares the device for fast startup, and Microsoft’s startup documentation says applications calling the standard shutdown functions get a full shutdown, so the command without /hybrid is a full one.

When turning it off makes sense

Situation	Why fast startup matters
Dual boot with Linux or another Windows	The Windows drive stays in a hibernated state, so other systems may refuse to mount it or risk damaging data
Firmware (BIOS/UEFI) hard to reach	A full shutdown gives the firmware a normal cold start, which can make the setup key easier to catch
A device works only after Restart	Drivers are restored rather than reinitialised after Shut down
Task Manager uptime never resets	The kernel is not restarted by Shut down

A note on Wake-on-LAN: Microsoft’s power states page says it is supported from sleep (S3) and hibernate (S4), but not from fast startup or a full shutdown, although some firmware can arm the network card itself. Turning fast startup off is therefore not a reliable way to get Wake-on-LAN working; use sleep or hibernate instead.

If none of the situations in the table apply, leave fast startup on. Microsoft labels it recommended, and the faster start is real on most PCs.

Fast startup vs firmware Fast Boot

Many PCs also have a Fast Boot option in the BIOS or UEFI settings. That is a separate firmware feature that skips some hardware checks during power-on. Turning off Windows fast startup does not change it. If you need firmware settings, the reliable route is from Windows: Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings. Our BIOS and UEFI settings checklist has more.

Fast startup, sleep and hibernate compared

Option	What is saved	Power use	Start time
Shut down with fast startup	Kernel and drivers to disk; apps closed	None	Fast
Full shutdown	Nothing	None	Slower
Sleep	Everything in memory	Low	Seconds
Hibernate	Everything to disk; apps stay open	None	Slower than sleep

For which to use when, see Microsoft’s page on shutting down, sleeping or hibernating, our enable hibernate guide and change screen timeout in Windows 11 for the sleep timers.

Related problems

If the PC will not start properly at all, fast startup is rarely the cause; start with Windows 11 won’t turn on or black screen. If it turns itself off unexpectedly, see random shutdown. Avoid registry tweaks and “boot optimiser” tools that promise faster startup; managing startup apps makes a much bigger difference.