Fast Startup is a Windows feature that speeds up boot time by not fully shutting down the PC. Although it is generally beneficial as it shortens booting time, it may sometimes lead to issues, including problems with Windows updates, errors during dual-boot setups, or even the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors. Luckily, disabling Fast Startup in Windows 11 is easy, and here are several methods to help you accomplish this.

Disabling Fast Startup in Windows 11

Method 1: Through Control Panel

  1. Open the Start Menu and search for "Control Panel". Click on the 'Control Panel' app from the search results.
  2. In the Control Panel window, click on 'System and Security'.
  3. Under the 'Power Options' section, click on the 'Choose what the power buttons do' link.
  1. In the 'Power Options' window, click on the 'Change settings that are currently unavailable' link at the top.
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  1. A UAC prompt will appear. Click 'Yes' to provide admin access if required.
  2. Scroll down and locate the 'Shutdown settings' section. Uncheck the box next to the option "Turn on fast startup (recommended)".
  3. Click the "Save changes" button at the bottom of the window to disable Fast Startup.
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  1. Close the Control Panel window. The Fast Startup feature is now disabled on your Windows 11 computer.
  2. For the changes to take effect, restart your computer. Once your system has booted back up, Fast Startup will be disabled.

Method 2: Using Registry Editor

  1. Open the Start menu and search for "Registry Editor". Click on the 'Registry Editor' app from the search results.
  2. A User Account Control (UAC) prompt may appear, click 'Yes' to provide admin access.
  3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Power

  1. On the left pane, expand the folders until you reach 'Power'. On the right pane, locate a DWORD value named 'HiberbootEnabled'.
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  1. Right-click on "HiberbootEnabled" and select "Modify" from the context menu.
  2. In the "Edit DWORD Value" window, change the Value data field to "0" to disable Fast Startup.
  3. Click "OK" to save the changes made to the DWORD value.
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  1. Close the Registry Editor window.
  2. For changes to take effect, restart your Windows 11 computer.

Once your system boots back up, Fast Startup will now be disabled.

Method 3: Using the Group Policy Editor

  1. Open the Start menu, search for "gpedit.msc" or "Group Policy," and click to open the Group Policy Editor.
  2. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click "Yes" to provide admin access.
  3. In the left pane of the Group Policy Editor, navigate to the following path:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Shutdown

  1. In the right pane, scroll down and locate the "Require use of fast startup" policy. Double-click to open it.
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  1. In the "Require use of fast startup" window, click the radio button option for "Disabled" to turn off the feature.
  2. Click the "Apply" button at the bottom of the window and then click "OK" to save the changes.
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  1. Close the Group Policy Editor window.
  2. Restart your Windows 11 computer for changes to take effect.
  3. Once the system boots back up, Fast Startup will now be disabled.

Method 4: Using Command Prompt

  1. Open the Start menu and search for "Command Prompt".
  2. Right-click on the "Command Prompt" search result and select "Run as administrator" from the context menu.
  3. A User Account Control (UAC) prompt will appear, click "Yes" to confirm the elevation.
  4. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

powercfg -h off

  1. This will disable hibernation and Fast Startup on your Windows 11 system.
  2. Close the Command Prompt window when done. No need to restart.

Fast Startup is now disabled. To confirm, open the Control Panel and check if the option is turned off under 'Choose what power buttons do' (as described in Method 1).

Conclusion. Disabling Fast Startup can help resolve issues related to system updates, dual boot setups, and unexpected errors. However, it may slightly increase boot times. Consider the pros and cons based on your specific needs and system setup before making changes.