How to Delete Hiberfil.sys (Hibernation File) in Windows 10

If you’re looking to free up disk space or troubleshoot hibernation issues on your Windows 10 PC, deleting the hiberfil.sys file can help. This system file is used to store the current state of your PC when you put it into hibernation mode. However, it can take up significant space—sometimes over 4GB—especially on systems with large RAM. Before proceeding, it’s important to understand that deleting this file will disable hibernation, meaning you won’t be able to use the hibernate feature until you re-enable it. Make sure you no longer need hibernation before deleting the file.

What You’ll Need

• Administrator access to your Windows 10 PC
• Basic familiarity with Command Prompt or PowerShell
• Optional: Backup important data before making system changes

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Start menu and type “Command Prompt” or “PowerShell” in the search bar.
2. Right-click on “Command Prompt” or “Windows PowerShell” and select “Run as administrator.” This step is crucial, as deleting system files requires admin privileges.
3. In the command window, type the following command to disable hibernation and delete the hiberfil.sys file:

   powercfg -h off

   and press Enter.

4. Wait for the command to execute. Once completed, the hiberfil.sys file will be deleted automatically, and hibernation will be disabled.
5. To confirm the file has been removed, open File Explorer, navigate to the C:\ drive, and check if hiberfil.sys is no longer present.
6. If you wish to re-enable hibernation in the future, open Command Prompt or PowerShell as administrator again and run:

   powercfg -h on

   to restore the hiberfil.sys file and re-enable hibernation.

Common Mistakes

• Attempting to delete hiberfil.sys manually through File Explorer without disabling hibernation first—this will not work because the file is protected and in use.
• Running Command Prompt or PowerShell without administrator privileges—this will prevent the commands from executing successfully.
• Disabling hibernation unintentionally without understanding that it also affects Fast Startup, which relies on hibernation files.
• Not re-enabling hibernation if needed later, leading to confusion if hibernation or Fast Startup stops working.

Tips

• Always run the command prompt as administrator when executing system commands related to power settings.
• If you want to free up space but still retain the ability to hibernate, consider reducing the size of the hiberfil.sys file instead of deleting it entirely, which is more complex and less straightforward.
• Use disk cleanup tools or storage sense to manage other unnecessary files on your PC.
• Remember that disabling hibernation may slightly improve startup times, but disables the ability to save your session for quick resume.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues after deleting hiberfil.sys or disabling hibernation, try the following:

• Ensure you ran the Command Prompt or PowerShell with administrator privileges.
• If hibernation isn’t disabled, run powercfg -h off again to confirm the command executed properly.
• Check your system’s power settings to verify that hibernation and Fast Startup are disabled.
• If you need hibernation later, re-enable it with powercfg -h on.
• Restart your PC after making these changes to ensure they take effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does deleting hiberfil.sys delete my data?

No, deleting hiberfil.sys only removes the file used for hibernation. Your personal files and data remain unaffected.

2. Will I lose any features by deleting hiberfil.sys?

Yes, you will no longer be able to use the hibernate feature or Fast Startup, which relies on the hibernation file for quick boot times.

3. Is it safe to delete hiberfil.sys?

Yes, as long as you disable hibernation first using the proper commands. Manually deleting the file without disabling hibernation can cause errors.

4. How much space can I save by deleting hiberfil.sys?

The amount of space saved is roughly equal to your system’s RAM size. For example, on a 8GB RAM system, you might free up about 8GB of disk space.

5. Can I delete hiberfil.sys on a SSD drive?

Yes, but be aware that disabling hibernation also disables Fast Startup, which can affect boot times on SSDs.

6. How do I re-enable hibernation later?

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as administrator and run powercfg -h on. This will recreate the hiberfil.sys file and restore hibernation functionality.

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