Hibernation saves your session to disk, but it uses storage space and can slow down your startup if the file becomes fragmented

Hibernation is a power mode that saves everything in your RAM to a file on your hard drive, then shuts down completely. When you wake the computer, it reads that file back into memory. This is different from sleep mode, which keeps your RAM powered but uses very little electricity.

Disabling hibernation frees up disk space (the hibernation file is usually 50% of your total RAM) and can prevent startup slowdowns on older drives. If you use sleep mode instead, your computer wakes faster and uses almost no power. Most people with SSDs or modern laptops do not need hibernation.

You disable hibernation through the command line or by deleting the hibernation file directly. The process takes about two minutes and requires administrator access.

Key Takeaways

  • Hibernation creates a file on your drive equal to your RAM size, which you can reclaim by disabling it.
  • Sleep mode wakes your computer faster and uses far less power than hibernation, making it the better choice for most users.
  • You disable hibernation by running a single command in Command Prompt as administrator.
  • After disabling hibernation, the file is deleted automatically the next time you shut down.

Disable hibernation using Command Prompt

Open Command Prompt as administrator. Press the Windows key, type cmd, right-click "Command Prompt", and select "Run as administrator". Click "Yes" when Windows asks for permission.

Type this command exactly and press Enter:

powercfg /h off

You will see no confirmation message — that is normal. The command runs silently. Close Command Prompt. Hibernation is now disabled, and Windows will delete the hibernation file the next time you shut down completely.

If you ever want to turn hibernation back on, open Command Prompt as administrator again and type powercfg /h on, then press Enter.

Check your power settings to confirm the change

After disabling hibernation, you can verify the change in your power settings. Press the Windows key, type power settings, and open "Power and battery settings".

Click "Screen and sleep" on the left side. Scroll down and click "Additional power settings". In the window that opens, click "Change plan settings" next to your current power plan, then click "Change advanced power settings".

Look for "Sleep" in the list. Expand it by clicking the plus sign. Under "Sleep", you should see "Hibernate after" set to "Never" or not listed at all. If hibernation is still on, the setting will show a time value like "180 minutes". If you see that, go back and run the command again.

What happens to the hibernation file

When hibernation is enabled, Windows creates a file called hiberfil.sys in your C: drive root directory. This file is hidden by default, so you will not see it in File Explorer unless you turn on the display of hidden files.

After you disable hibernation with the command, the file does not disappear when ready. Windows removes it automatically during your next full shutdown. If you restart or go into sleep mode, the file stays. To force deletion, shut down your computer completely (not restart) and turn it back on.

You can check whether the file is gone by opening File Explorer, clicking the "View" tab at the top, checking "Hidden items", then navigating to your C: drive. If hiberfil.sys is no longer there, the space has been reclaimed.

Sleep mode as an alternative to hibernation

Sleep mode is almost always a better choice than hibernation on modern computers. Your computer stays powered on but uses minimal electricity — typically 1 to 3 watts compared to zero watts when shut down. It wakes in one to three seconds, much faster than reading a hibernation file from disk.

Sleep mode keeps your RAM powered, so all your open programs and files stay in memory exactly as they were. Hibernation saves to disk, which is slower and creates wear on older hard drives. On an SSD, the difference is less noticeable, but sleep mode still wakes faster.

You can set sleep mode to set up after a specific time of inactivity. In Power and battery settings, go to "Screen and sleep" and set "When plugged in, put my device to sleep after" to your preferred time — 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour are common choices. On battery power, you might choose a shorter time to save power.

When you might want to keep hibernation enabled

Hibernation is useful if you have very limited power access or need to preserve battery for extended periods without charging. If you travel frequently and cannot charge your laptop for days, hibernation lets you shut down completely while keeping your session intact. When you power on again, everything returns exactly as it was.

Hibernation is also helpful if you work with very large files or many open programs and want to avoid the time it takes to reload everything. However, this is rare on modern systems with fast SSDs and adequate RAM.

If you have a desktop computer that is always plugged in, or a laptop you charge daily, hibernation provides no real benefit. Sleep mode handles both scenarios better.

Troubleshooting if the command does not work

If you run the command and hibernation is still showing in your power settings, make sure you opened Command Prompt as administrator. Right-click the Command Prompt icon and select "Run as administrator" — straightforward opening it normally will not work.

If you are still having trouble, restart your computer and try the command again. Sometimes Windows locks the hibernation file if it is currently in use, and a restart clears that lock.

On some systems with certain hardware configurations, hibernation cannot be disabled through the standard command. If that happens, you can disable it through Group Policy instead. Press the Windows key, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Sleep Settings. Find "Allow hibernate (S4) state" and set it to "Disabled".

Frequently Asked Questions

How much disk space will I free up by disabling hibernation?

The hibernation file is roughly equal to your total RAM. If you have 16 GB of RAM, the file is about 16 GB. If you have 32 GB, it is about 32 GB. Disabling hibernation removes this file, so you reclaim that space on your drive.

Will disabling hibernation affect my computer's performance?

Disabling hibernation will not hurt performance. Sleep mode wakes faster than hibernation anyway, and you lose nothing by removing a feature you are not using. If anything, you may see a slight improvement because Windows is not maintaining that large file.

Can I disable hibernation just for certain power plans?

No. The powercfg /h off command disables hibernation system-wide for all power plans. If you want hibernation back, you must re-enable it for the entire system.

What is the difference between sleep and hibernation?

Sleep keeps your RAM powered and wakes in seconds. Hibernation saves RAM to disk, shuts down completely, and takes longer to wake. Sleep uses a small amount of power; hibernation uses none. For most users, sleep is faster and more convenient.

Do I need to restart my computer after disabling hibernation?

You do not need to restart, but you should shut down completely at least once so Windows can delete the hibernation file. A restart will not delete it — you must power off and back on.