Fast Startup is a feature of Windows that was added in 2012 when Windows 8 was released. The idea is that when you turn off your computer, it will shut down as it usually does, closing your programs, logging you out, et cetera. Except right before everything goes off, the computer will save the core running state of Windows to your computer’s storage, which the computer will resume from when you next turn it on. The goal is to make your computer start up quicker than it would normally. It’s like a partial hibernation for the computer, except it only saves Windows itself; Fast Startup won’t save your open programs.
Do I need it?
Short answer: No.
The problem with Fast Startup is almost all modern computers will not see benefit from this. If your computer was made after 2015, chances are it’s already fast enough to load Windows as fast as or quicker than Fast Startup can make it. It also means that your computer won’t fully switch off, meaning that those little issues that crop up over time will stay, even if you try turning it off and on again. Only choosing a restart will actually get Windows to clear itself up
Some computers may benefit from it, but these are usually very old computers at 10+ years old. Do get in touch if you’re unsure if Fast Startup is right for you.
How to turn it on or off
If you’re not at all confident in following this guide, please stop and get in touch with us or to your preferred support person for help.
This guide modifies settings that affect all users of the computer, so you’ll need permission from the administrator first (this is usually the computer’s owner).
This guide is applicable to computers running:
- Windows 11 (All versions to date) - jump to steps
- Windows 10 (All versions) - jump to steps
- Windows 8.1 - jump to steps
- Windows 8 - jump to steps
Steps for Windows 11 computers
First, open the Start Menu and search for the “Control Panel” (do not open Settings instead).
Click Control Panel to open it when it appears in the list.
Once Control Panel is open, navigate to Hardware and sound.
Then underneath “Power Options”, open the link for “Change what the power buttons do”. I know, it’s a weird place for these settings.
You should now be able to see if Fast Startup is enabled or disabled near the bottom of the window.
If you want to change it and the checkbox for “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” is greyed out, you might need to provide administrative permission first by clicking “Change settings that are currently unavailable”.
When you’re happy with the changes you’ve made, press “Save changes” in the lower right of the window. If you’d prefer not to save changes and keep everything the way it was, press “Cancel” instead.
Steps for Windows 10 computers
First, open the Start Menu or the Search Bar and search for the “Control Panel” (do not open Settings instead).
If it looks like there’s nowhere to type if you opened the Start Menu, start typing anyway and the computer should should understand what you’re trying to do. Click Control Panel to open it when it appears in the list.
Once Control Panel is open, navigate to Hardware and sound.
Then underneath “Power Options”, open the link for “Change what the power buttons do”. I know, it’s an odd place for these settings.
You should now be able to see if Fast Startup is enabled or disabled near the bottom of the window.
If you want to change it and the checkbox for “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” is greyed out, you might need to provide administrative permission first by clicking “Change settings that are currently unavailable”.
When you’re happy with the changes you’ve made, press “Save changes” in the lower right of the window. If you’d prefer not to save changes and keep everything the way it was, press “Cancel” instead.
Steps for Windows 8/8.1 computers
Windows 8 and 8.1 are no longer supported by Microsoft. We’ll keep giving tech support for it anyway, but we strongly recommend that you upgrade to a newer version of Windows. We can help with this, just get in touch!
This section covers both Windows 8 and 8.1 computers - the screenshots below use Windows 8.1, so there may be very minor differences to Windows 8.
First, open the Start Screen and search for the “Control Panel” (do not open the new Settings app instead).
If it looks like there’s nowhere to type when the Start Menu is open, start typing anyway and the computer should should understand what you’re trying to do. Click Control Panel to open it when it appears in the list.
Alternatively: If you were in Desktop mode already, you may also press Windows + I on your keyboard and select Control Panel from the flyout menu to get there as well.
Once Control Panel is open, navigate to Hardware and sound.
Then underneath “Power Options”, open the link for “Change what the power buttons do”. I know, it’s a strange place for these settings.
You should now be able to see if Fast Startup is enabled or disabled near the bottom of the window.
If you want to change it and the checkbox for “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” is greyed out, you might need to provide administrative permission first by clicking “Change settings that are currently unavailable”.
When you’re happy with the changes you’ve made, press “Save changes” in the lower right of the window. If you’d prefer not to save changes and keep everything the way it was, press “Cancel” instead.
