[Answered] Does Disabling Hibernate in Windows 10 Automatically Delete Hiberfil.sys File?

Does disabling hibernate in windows 10 automatically delete Hiberfil.sys file? The answer is yes. Refer to this article to know how to disable hibernate in Windows 10. A recovery way to get lost files is also covered.

Posted by @Hedy September 4, 2025 Updated By @Hedy September 4, 2025

Does disabling hibernate in Windows 10 automatically delete Hiberfil.sys file?

Yes, disabling hibernation in Windows 10 automatically deletes the hiberfil.sys file. The hiberfil.sys file is used by Windows to store the system's memory contents when it enters hibernation mode. When hibernation is turned off, the operating system no longer needs this file, so it is removed to free up disk space. This process occurs automatically without requiring manual intervention.

However, if you want to manually delete the hiberfil.sys file, you can do so by disabling hibernation through the command prompt or by using the power options. After the file is removed, you won't be able to use hibernation until it is enabled again, and the system may also require additional configuration to restore certain power-saving features.

How to disable hibernate in Windows 10

To disable hibernation in Windows 10, follow these steps:

Step 1. Press Windows key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).

Step 2. In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

powercfg.exe / hibernate off

Step 3. Once hibernation is disabled, the hiberfil.sys file (which is used for hibernation) should be deleted automatically. You can verify this by navigating to your *C:* drive and checking if the file is gone.

Optional: How to disable fast startup in Windows 10

Sometimes, disabling Fast Startup can help improve system performance. To do this:

Step 1. Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.

Step 2. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.

Step 3. Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended).

Step 4. Click Save changes.

Bonus: How to recover lost data after disabling hibernate

When hibernate is disabled in Windows, the system automatically deletes the hiberfil.sys file, which may contain unsaved data or even files that were stored in the hibernation state. If you’ve lost important data due to this, a reliable recovery tool can help.

AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery isdesigned to retrieve deleted or lost files from various storage devices, including system drives. Even if the hiberfil.sys file is removed, this tool can scan your disk for residual data and restore documents, images, videos, or other file types that were lost in the process.

✍ Some advantages of using AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery include:

🔹 Comprehensive scanning: Deep scan mode can locate traces of deleted files that are not visible in File Explorer.

🔹 Wide compatibility: Supports NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and other file systems.

🔹 User-friendly interface: Guides users step by step through the recovery process.

🔹 Selective recovery: Allows you to preview and recover only the files you need.

This makes it an effective solution for recovering lost data after disabling hibernate and losing access to hiberfil.sys or related files.

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Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool starts to scan and search. It will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching for other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

Conclusion

Disabling hibernation in Windows 10 automatically removes the hiberfil.sys file to free up disk space. However, if you need to manually delete it, use the Command Prompt. If data is lost during this process, AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery can help recover deleted files, offering deep scans, wide file system compatibility, and selective recovery.