Run the same terminal as admin and type powercfg /h on . Method 2: Keep Fast Startup But Shrink hiberfil.sys (Recommended for Laptops) If you want to keep Fast Startup but don’t need full Hibernation, you can reduce hiberfil.sys to about 20% of your RAM instead of 100%.
Managing hiberfil.sys is one of the easiest ways to reclaim gigabytes of storage without deleting personal files. Choose the method that matches your workflow, and enjoy the extra space.
For users on SSDs or laptops with limited storage, this file can feel like a luxury you cannot afford. But before you delete it manually (which will fail due to system protection), you need to understand what it does and how to safely remove it—or simply shrink it. hiberfil.sys is a system file created by the Windows Kernel Power Manager. Its primary job is to store a copy of your system memory (RAM) when the computer enters a power-saving state.
If you’ve ever used a disk space analyzer on Windows 11, you’ve likely stumbled upon a hidden file named hiberfil.sys sitting at the root of your C: drive. At first glance, its size can be shocking—often ranging from 3 GB to over 10 GB .
Run the same terminal as admin and type powercfg /h on . Method 2: Keep Fast Startup But Shrink hiberfil.sys (Recommended for Laptops) If you want to keep Fast Startup but don’t need full Hibernation, you can reduce hiberfil.sys to about 20% of your RAM instead of 100%.
Managing hiberfil.sys is one of the easiest ways to reclaim gigabytes of storage without deleting personal files. Choose the method that matches your workflow, and enjoy the extra space.
For users on SSDs or laptops with limited storage, this file can feel like a luxury you cannot afford. But before you delete it manually (which will fail due to system protection), you need to understand what it does and how to safely remove it—or simply shrink it. hiberfil.sys is a system file created by the Windows Kernel Power Manager. Its primary job is to store a copy of your system memory (RAM) when the computer enters a power-saving state.
If you’ve ever used a disk space analyzer on Windows 11, you’ve likely stumbled upon a hidden file named hiberfil.sys sitting at the root of your C: drive. At first glance, its size can be shocking—often ranging from 3 GB to over 10 GB .