What is Fast Startup in Windows 10? How to Enable or Disable it?

What is Fast Startup in Windows 10?

Fast Startup in Windows 10 works similar to Fast Boot in Windows 8 and hybrid sleep mode in all previous Windows versions. It is designed to speed up Windows 10 boot process once you shut down the PC. This feature is enabled by default in Windows 10, if applicable. When Fast Startup is enabled, your system enters a hibernation state instead of a full shutdown when you shut down your PC.

How does Fast Startup work?

Fast Startup offers functionality of cold shutdown and the hibernate feature both. When you shut down the PC when Fast Startup is enabled, all apps and user accounts will be closed just like it happens with cold shutdown. It is similar state when your freshly booted up your PC, there are no users logged in or any program that is started.

The only difference here is that, it keeps Windows kernel loaded and the system session working. Here, an alert is sent to device drivers program that is tasked to support preparing for hibernation, where it will save the current system state to the hibernation file and shuts down your PC.

Now that when you reboot your PC, Windows will simply refresh the RAM with the loaded hibernation file image and heads you to the login screen. Here, it will skip steps where it needs to load the kernel, drivers, and system state again. Whole this process is designed to shave off your start up time significantly.

This process is little different when you hibernate your system in general. When you turn on your system from hibernation mode, Windows will open saved apps and opened folders including current logged in users. In hibernation state, you will return to exact state of system when it was turned off. But, with Fast Startup you will find freshly-started Windows.

Reasons Why You Should Disable Fast Startup in Windows 10

Although Fast Startup is useful process, but it has its own limitations. Let’s discuss reasons why you should disable Fast Startup in Windows 10.

• When you perform system updates, it require full shutdown. When Fast Startup is enabled your system will be in dual state of hibernation and cold shutdown. So, full shutdown won’t be possible causing trouble with applying system updates.
• If you are on PC that doesn’t support hibernation, then you can’t apply Fast Startup either.
• If you are using encrypted disk images, then you may find Fast Startup is interfering with the process. You may find encrypted drives are automatically remounted causing trouble.
• With Fast Startup process, the system hard disk will be locked when you shut down your PC. Here, you will be blocked from accessing it when you have configured more than one OS. Furthermore, if you to boot into another OS and try to access your hard disk or try to change it, then it might get corrupted. It is suggested you shouldn’t use Fast Startup if you are multiple booting.
• When you are into Fast Startup mode, your system will not fully shutdown. Thus, you may find trouble accessing BIOS/UEFI settings.

How to enable or disable Fast Startup in Windows 10?

Follow below mentioned steps to enable or disable Fast Startup in Windows 10.

• Search and select Control Panel from the search bar on the taskbar.
• On Control Panel window, select Power Options.
• Select Choose what the power button does from left pane.
• Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.

• Now check the box next to Turn on fast startup (recommended) to enable the Fast Startup and save changes. You can uncheck this box to disable the fast startup.

Conclusion So, this was a quick discussion on what is Fast Startup in Windows 10 and how to enable or disable it. Do try these steps and share your experience in the comments below.