powercfg /hibernate off: disabling hibernation and deleting hiberfil.sys
Short answer
UpdatedHibernation 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.
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, and when it hurts
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
Exactly what the switch changes, 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 to print here: it works through a driver's own settings, scheduled tasks or values that differ from PC to PC (per device, per adapter or per installed game). The app reads what your PC has and changes only that.
How to undo it
In the app: Yes
Switching it off turns hibernation back on, if it was on before.
Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks.
Changing several settings at once? The app's Make a restore point button, on every plan, makes a Windows restore point before you start.
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.
In the app
- Switch
- Disable Hibernation
- Category
- Power
- Plan
- Free
- Undo
- Yes
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Written by
Frost LIVEFounder of Frozen Tweaks, based in Hamburg, Germany. Publishes settings guides for competitive games on his YouTube channel, Frost LIVE.
In the app
- Category
- Power
- Plan
- Free
- Undo
- Yes
Frozen Tweaks
Free for Windows 10 and 11
58 tweaks free, each with an undo switch. Never edits game files.
v2.0.0 · 6.4 MB · Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit · free account, no payment details
Or type frozentweaks.com on your PC.
The free Windows app for competitive games.
58 tweaks free, each with an undo switch. Never edits game files.
v2.0.0 · 6.4 MB · Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit · free account, no payment details
Frozen Tweaks runs on Windows. Send the link to your PC and download it there.
Or type frozentweaks.com on your PC.