Turning off Fast Startup in Windows 10 isn’t exactly rocket science, but it’s one of those things you need to do when your system’s acting weird—like failing to shut down properly or messing with updates. Sometimes, that speedy boot feature ends up causing more trouble than it’s worth. The good news is, the process itself is pretty straightforward — just a few clicks, and your machine will perform a full shutdown every time. That’s handy if you’re troubleshooting hardware issues or stuck with stubborn updates. But kind of weird, because on some setups, toggling this off doesn’t always seem to work right away, or you need to restart after changing the setting to see results. Windows has a way of making simple things slightly annoying.
How to Turn Off Fast Startup in Windows 10
Check if Fast Startup is giving you issues before diving in
If your PC is waking up faster than it should, or updates don’t seem to install right, that’s a strong sign Fast Startup might be the culprit. It’s also worth noting, if you’re dual-booting or using virtual machines, turning this feature off can avoid file system hiccups. So, here’s what to do:
Open the Control Panel
- Type Control Panel in the Windows search bar, then open it. If it doesn’t show up, try clicking Windows + R, typing
control, and hit Enter. - This is where all those system tweaks hide, so don’t be afraid to poke around.
Go to Power Options
- Find and click on Power Options. On some Windows 10 builds, you might see it under Hardware and Sound first, then Power Options.
Click on “Choose what the power buttons do”
- On the left sidebar, you’ll see this option. Clicking it gives you control over what happens when you press that physical power button or close your laptop lid.
Unlock full control by enabling “Change settings that are currently unavailable”
- Click that link. Some options are greyed out by default because of Windows’ security, but this step unlocks them.
Turn off Fast Startup
- Scroll down to find the “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” checkbox. Uncheck it. Honestly, on some systems, the checkmark is stubborn and won’t go away until you reboot or even disable the hibernation file manually.
- If it doesn’t uncheck, open a Command Prompt as admin (right-click start > choose Command Prompt (Admin)), then type
powercfg -h offand press Enter. That disables hibernation, which often ties into fast startup.
Save your settings and restart
- Hit Save changes. For some folks, the setting sticks immediately, but on other setups, you might need to restart once or twice for it to kick in.
- Once done, shut down and start back up to see if your full shutdown is working as intended. This should clear up all kinds of weird hardware, update, or startup headaches.
Tips for Turning Off Fast Startup in Windows 10
- Disabling Fast Startup can slightly increase your boot time, but if you’re troubleshooting hardware or OS update issues, it’s worth the trade-off.
- If you notice your PC isn’t really shutting down and is fast-booting right back up, double-check that settings — sometimes Windows re-enables things after updates.
- For dual-boot setups, it’s a good idea to turn this off, to prevent corrupting shared system files or causing boot issues.
- If Windows updates are being stubborn or not installing correctly, try disabling Fast Startup and then manually installing updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s actually happening when I turn off Fast Startup?
Well, Windows then fully shuts down instead of hibernating the kernel session, which is what Fast Startup does. Kind of weird, but that prevents some issues with hardware recognition and file system corruption.
Will this slow down my boot times?
Usually, yes. Expect your startup to take a few seconds longer, but honestly, it’s a small price for a more stable shutdown process—especially if you’ve been fighting hardware or update bugs.
Is turning it off risky?
Not at all. It’s a safe setting to toggle and won’t damage anything. It’s just about whether you value faster boots or more reliable shutdowns.
My PC still doesn’t shut down properly even after turning off Fast Startup — why?
Could be other things, but worth checking if hibernation is fully disabled (via powercfg -h off) or if BIOS settings related to fast boot need tweaking.
Summary
- Open Control Panel
- Navigate to Power Options
- Choose “Change what the power buttons do”
- Click “Change settings that are currently unavailable”
- Uncheck “Turn on fast startup”
Wrap-up
Turning off Fast Startup sounds simple, but it can be a lifesaver when Windows gets stubborn, especially during updates or hardware troubleshooting. Just keep in mind, this trade-off means slightly longer boot times — but fewer weird quirks to deal with. Might be worth it if your system’s been acting up, or if you’re dual-booting. Ultimately, it’s about finding the right balance between speed and stability.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. If this gets one update moving, mission accomplished. Just keep in mind it’s not the fix-all, but definitely one of those tweaks that’s worth trying when stuff isn’t working quite right.