---
title: "powercfg /hibernate off: disabling hibernation and deleting hiberfil.sys"
description: "Hibernation saves the contents of memory to hiberfil.sys on the Windows drive so the PC can power off and resume later. What it changes and how to undo it."
url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-hibernation
author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks
published: 2026-10-08
updated: 2026-10-08
category: "Power"
source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com)
---

# powercfg /hibernate off: disabling hibernation and deleting hiberfil.sys

**Short answer:** Hibernation saves the contents of memory to hiberfil.sys on the Windows drive so the PC can power off and resume later. The file is sized in proportion to your memory. powercfg /hibernate off removes the feature and the file.

## In the app

- Switch: Disable Hibernation (Power, Free, Standard)
- Undo: Yes. Switching it off turns hibernation back on, if it was on before.
- Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1177

## What it does

Hibernation saves the contents of memory to hiberfil.sys on the Windows drive so the PC can power off and resume later. The file is sized in proportion to your memory. powercfg /hibernate off removes the feature and the file.

In the app the switch is called "Disable Hibernation", described there as: Turns hibernation off, so Windows deletes hiberfil.sys and frees several gigabytes on the Windows drive.

## When it helps

- Getting back several gigabytes on the Windows drive, which matters on a small SSD.

## When it hurts

- Hibernate disappears from the power menu, and Fast Startup stops working because it depends on the same file.
- A laptop can no longer hibernate when the battery runs low.

## What it writes

Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

This tweak has no fixed list of registry values: it works through a driver's own settings, scheduled tasks or values that differ from PC to PC. The app reads what your PC has and changes only that.

## How to undo it

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks.

## Verdict

Recommended on a desktop. On a laptop, keep hibernation.

## Questions

### Is "Disable Hibernation" safe to switch on?

Recommended on a desktop. On a laptop, keep hibernation. The main cost: Hibernate disappears from the power menu, and Fast Startup stops working because it depends on the same file.

### How do I undo it?

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. Switching it off turns hibernation back on, if it was on before.

### Is "Disable Hibernation" free in Frozen Tweaks?

Yes. It is one of the free tweaks, with no time limit.

## Related guides

- [How to Fix Stuttering and Frame Drops: Diagnose Before You Tweak](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/fix-stuttering-frame-drops)
- [Windows 11 Gaming Optimization: What Still Works in 2026](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/windows-11-gaming-optimization)

## More tweak explainers

- [High performance power plan](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/high-performance-power-plan)
- [USB selective suspend](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-usb-selective-suspend)
- [Modern Standby (S0)](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-modern-standby)

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Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-hibernation