Basics

10 reasons why Hibernation doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

by Jonathan Dudamel
9 min read

Hibernation doesn’t work in Windows 10 — that’s frustrating, but usually fixable. Hibernation can fail because it’s disabled, blocked by drivers or settings, corrupted system files, insufficient disk space, BIOS/UEFI settings, or third‑party software. This article walks through 10 common reasons hibernation doesn’t work in Windows 10 and gives clear, step‑by‑step fixes so you can restore hibernate reliably.

Contents show

Key Takeaway

Most hibernation problems are solved by re-enabling hibernate with powercfg -h on, checking what Windows reports with powercfg /requests or powercfg /energy, and fixing driver or disk issues; if that fails, repair system files with sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.

Quick Fix Guide

Quick Fix Guide

Reason for the Problem Quick Solution
Hibernation is disabled Run PowerShell (Admin) and execute powercfg -h on.
Fast Startup conflicts Disable Fast Startup in Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.
Not enough disk space / corrupt hiberfil.sys Turn hibernate off and on (powercfg -h off then powercfg -h on) and free space on C:.
Drivers or devices preventing hibernate Run powercfg /requests and update or disable the listed drivers/devices.
Hybrid Sleep or power plan settings Disable Allow hybrid sleep under Power Options > Advanced settings.
BIOS/UEFI sleep states disabled Enable S3 sleep in UEFI or update firmware; restore default power settings in BIOS.
Group Policy or Registry disabled hibernation Check gpedit.msc or HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power and re-enable.
Windows Update or pending reboot Install updates and restart Windows.
Corrupted system files Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Third‑party software or peripherals Do a Clean Boot, disconnect USB devices, and test hibernate.

Detailed Fixes for “Hibernation doesn’t work in Windows 10”

1) Hibernation is disabled

Why it causes the problem:

  • Hibernation can be turned off by Windows, a script, or a power policy; if disabled, the system won’t create or use hiberfil.sys and the hibernate option disappears.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Open Start, type PowerShell, right‑click Windows PowerShell, and choose Run as administrator.
  2. Run: powercfg -h on
  3. Check that Hibernate appears in Start > Power > menu or in Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.
    Note: To rebuild the hibernation file if it’s corrupted, run powercfg -h off then powercfg -h on; this deletes and recreates C:\hiberfil.sys.
See also  14 reasons why Windows Update doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

Tip: If you get “Access denied”, make sure you used an elevated PowerShell.

2) Fast Startup conflicts

Why it causes the problem:

  • Fast Startup uses a partial hibernate on shutdown and sometimes hides/changes available hibernate options or conflicts with hibernation on certain hardware.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Open Control Panel, go to Power Options.
  2. Click Choose what the power buttons do on the left.
  3. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
  4. Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended) and click Save changes.
  5. Reboot and test hibernate.

Note: Fast Startup is helpful for boot times but can interfere with device initialization or dual-boot setups.

3) Not enough disk space or corrupted hiberfil.sys

Why it causes the problem:

  • Hibernation writes RAM contents to hiberfil.sys on the system drive; if the C: drive lacks free space or the file is corrupted, hibernation can fail.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Check free space in This PC > Local Disk (C:).
  2. If low, free space by deleting temp files: open Run (Win+R) → type %temp% and delete safe files, or use Settings > System > Storage and Temporary files cleanup.
  3. Recreate the hibernation file: open elevated PowerShell and run powercfg -h off then powercfg -h on.
  4. Verify C:\hiberfil.sys exists (it is hidden; enable View > Hidden items in File Explorer).

Tip: On disks with limited space (e.g., small SSDs), consider setting hiberfil size: powercfg /hibernate /size 50 (percent) — but be cautious; size must be >= RAM usage for full hibernate.

4) Drivers or devices preventing hibernation

Why it causes the problem:

  • A device driver (network, GPU, USB) may prevent sleep/hibernate or wake immediately. Windows will refuse to hibernate if a driver requests the system remain awake.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Open Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Run powercfg /requests — note anything under DISPLAY, SYSTEM, AWAYMODE, or EXECUTION.
  3. To see wake-armed devices, run powercfg -devicequery wake_armed.
  4. Open Device Manager (Win+X → Device Manager), find devices listed in step 2/3.
  5. For problem devices: right‑click → Properties > Power Management, uncheck Allow this device to wake the computer.
  6. Update drivers: right‑click device → Update driver → Search automatically or download latest from manufacturer.
  7. Reboot and test hibernation.

Tip: Use powercfg /energy to generate a detailed energy report (save path shown in output) and review for problematic drivers.

5) Hybrid Sleep or power plan settings

Why it causes the problem:

  • Hybrid Sleep combines sleep + hibernate and can cause confusion or prevent a pure hibernation action depending on settings.
See also  13 reasons why Windows Search doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Open Control Panel > Power Options.
  2. Click Change plan settings next to your active plan, then Change advanced power settings.
  3. Expand Sleep > Allow hybrid sleep and set to Off.
  4. Also set Sleep after and Hibernate after to desired values (for testing set Hibernate after to 10 minutes).
  5. Click Apply and OK, then try hibernate manually.

Note: Laptops use hybrid sleep less often; desktops sometimes need hybrid sleep on for quick resume. Test both ways.

6) BIOS/UEFI sleep states disabled or outdated firmware

Why it causes the problem:

  • The motherboard/UEFI must expose appropriate ACPI sleep states (S3) for Windows hibernate to work. If S3 is disabled or firmware is old, hibernation can fail or be absent.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Reboot and enter UEFI/BIOS (common keys: F2, Del, Esc — check your PC manual).
  2. Look for power or ACPI settings; ensure S3 Sleep or “Suspend to RAM” is enabled.
  3. Restore defaults if unsure, save and exit.
  4. Check the manufacturer’s website for BIOS/UEFI updates and follow their update instructions carefully.
  5. After update, test hibernation.

Warning: BIOS updates carry risk; follow manufacturer instructions and ensure power stability during update.

7) Group Policy or Registry disabling hibernation

Why it causes the problem:

  • Administrators can disable hibernation via Group Policy or the registry, particularly on domain-joined machines.

Step-by-step solution (Local Group Policy):

  1. Press Win+R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Sleep Settings.
  3. Look for policies that disable hibernate or modify behavior; set them to Not Configured or as required, then run gpupdate /force in elevated Command Prompt.

Step-by-step solution (Registry):

  1. Press Win+R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power.
  3. Find HibernateEnabled (DWORD) and set to 1. If absent, create a DWORD HibernateEnabled = 1.
  4. Reboot.

Caution: Back up the registry before editing.

8) Windows Update or pending reboot

Why it causes the problem:

  • Pending updates or a half-applied update can change power behavior or block hibernation until a reboot finishes installation.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
  2. Install any updates and then Restart now.
  3. If problems persist after updates, check View update history and uninstall recent updates that coincide with the problem (only if necessary).

Tip: Sometimes a clean boot (see section 10) is useful after updates.

9) Corrupted system files

Why it causes the problem:

  • System corruption may prevent Windows from creating or using the hibernation file or executing the hibernate operation.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Open Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Run: sfc /scannow and wait for completion.
  3. If SFC finds issues it can’t fix, run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
  4. After DISM finishes, run sfc /scannow again.
  5. Reboot and test hibernate.
See also  9 reasons why Task Manager doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

Note: These commands can take time; run them before making other complex changes.

10) Third‑party software or peripherals (antivirus, power managers)

Why it causes the problem:

  • Some antivirus tools, OEM power management suites, or peripherals (USB devices, docking stations) interfere with hibernation.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Disconnect external devices (USB drives, hubs, docking station) and try hibernating.
  2. Perform a Clean Boot:
    • Press Win+R → type msconfig → Enter.
    • Under Services, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
    • Under Startup tab, click Open Task Manager and disable startup items.
    • Reboot and test hibernate.
  3. If hibernation works, re-enable services/startup items one-by-one to find the culprit.
  4. Consider temporarily disabling third‑party antivirus or uninstalling OEM power utilities and using Windows’ native power options.

Tip: Always re-enable security software after testing.

Preventive maintenance and tips

  • Keep drivers up to date: use Device Manager or manufacturer tools for GPU, chipset, and network drivers.
  • Maintain at least 10–15% free space on the system drive to allow power files and updates to work.
  • Periodically run powercfg /energy to preempt power-related issues.
  • Create a system restore point before making registry or BIOS changes.
  • For laptops, check OEM power settings and documentation; manufacturers sometimes provide utilities that replace Windows behavior.

FAQ

Q: How do I manually force Windows to hibernate now?
A: Open an elevated command prompt and run shutdown /h. That immediately attempts to hibernate.

Q: Does hibernation wear out an SSD?
A: Hibernation writes the contents of RAM to disk occasionally; modern SSDs handle these writes and it’s not a significant concern for normal use.

Q: Can BitLocker interfere with hibernation?
A: BitLocker can be used with hibernation, but if configured to prompt for a PIN at boot, resuming from hibernate may require authentication. Ensure BitLocker settings match your resume expectations.

Q: What’s the difference between Sleep, Hibernate, and Hybrid Sleep?
A: Sleep stores RAM to power (quick resume), Hibernate writes RAM to disk and powers off (no battery use), Hybrid Sleep writes RAM to disk but keeps RAM powered—useful for desktops with power loss risk.

Q: How can I see why Windows prevented hibernate in logs?
A: Open Event Viewer and check Windows Logs > System for entries from Kernel-Power or Power-Troubleshooter around the time you attempted hibernate.

Conclusion

Most hibernation failures in Windows 10 come down to a disabled hibernate feature, driver/device requests, disk or file corruption, BIOS/UEFI settings, or third‑party interference — each solvable with the steps above. If you follow these checks and repairs you should restore Hibernation doesn’t work in Windows 10 quickly and reliably.

About the author

Jonathan Dudamel

Jonathan Dudamel

I'm Jonathan Dudamel, an experienced IT specialist and network engineer passionate about all things Windows. I have deep expertise in Microsoft project management, virtualization (VMware ESXi and Hyper-V), and Microsoft’s hybrid platform. I'm also skilled with Microsoft O365, Azure ADDS, and Windows Server environments from 2003 through 2022.

My strengths include Microsoft network infrastructure, VMware platforms, CMMS, ERP systems, and server administration (2016/2022).

View all posts

You may also like