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I recently updated my HP Laptop from Windows 7 to Windows 8 Pro.

When running Win 7 I had the option to hibernate my machine but that option is missing in Win 8. Selecting the 'Power' button from the 'Settings' option in the Charms Bar only gives me the option to 'Sleep', 'Shutdown' or 'Restart'.

How do I get the Hibernate option to appear?

Windows 8 Power Options

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  • Have you installed the display drivers for your laptop? If not then install them and restart the laptop and you will see the option of Hibernate there.
    – avirk
    Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 3:57
  • I did have some devices in device manager without drivers including the GFX card, and I thought that was the cause. But the Hibernate option was still missing even after installing the correct drivers and restarting.
    – mcqwerty
    Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 15:31
  • I don't think you'll need hibernation in Windows 8. Fast Startup is basically Hibernation.
    – pratnala
    Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 15:39
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    @PratyushNalam Have you tried it? Shutdown only hibernates the kernal session but all user application sessions are closed. Hibernate hibernates the whole session and allows you to pick up where you left off exactly like hibernate in Win 7.
    – mcqwerty
    Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 15:57
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    Hibernate should be slower than fast startup because it is restoring the state of all the active applications. Some people externalize their brain's state by using the computer's open apps/windows/tabs aggressively. Having to restore all of that state after a "fast startup" would still involve a loss of time overall and/or lost information/tasks.
    – Malachi
    Commented Oct 29, 2012 at 18:56

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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Hibernation is disabled by default in Windows 8.

In Windows 8, Microsoft has introduced the feature of fast startup (fast boot) which can boot up Windows in 1/10th time as compared to earlier versions and disabled the option to hibernate from the default power options. - Guiding Tech

However, you can enable display of the hibernate option easily. To do this:

  1. Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options or search Power Options in the Metro search box or, from the system tray battery icon, select More power options

  2. Select Change What Power Buttons Do on the left panel

  3. Then click Change settings that are currently unavailable.

    enter image description here

  4. Then check the Show Hibernate option:

    enter image description here

Note: Shut-down hibernates the kernel session, but not user session (which is closed).

Sources:

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    I find the justification of Microsoft deceiving. With very little testing one one can derive "shut down" is not shut down at all, it's a form of actual hibernation. This is easily proven by noticing devices that can operate only after a full reboot do not after a shut down. I personally see no difference from a full hibernation other than being slower. i.e. no technical advantages since it does not allow proper updating.
    – j riv
    Commented Jan 25, 2013 at 21:11
  • The "show hibernate" option doesn't exist for me in windows 8.1 home edition.
    – B T
    Commented Jan 15, 2017 at 12:04
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Disabled by Default. You can enable it by the following steps :

  1. Go to Control Panel -> Power Options -> System Settings.
  2. Then click on the blue area to unlock the below options

Click on the Blue area

Then check the hibernate option and click Save Changes. That's it..

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    Slightly wrong, shut down does not hibernate the user session. Only the kernel session is hibernated. Thus, the shut down option is not the same as the hibernation option!
    – ronalchn
    Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 11:54
  • ronalchn, be that as it may, the end result is almost the same. Devices or drivers that require a full reboot do not operate properly after a "shut down". I've known to call it 'hibernation light' since it offers no full advantages of hinernation since it's slower than it and it offers no full updating of services relying on a full shut down.
    – j riv
    Commented Jan 25, 2013 at 21:13
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If Hibernate option is not included, you need to enable it as I did:

  • Open cmd as administrator.

  • Use this command:

cd \
powercfg /hibernate on
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As an alternative but equally as effective:

Simply install HotShut. It is a very useful app for Windows 8 users which will allow the user to not only Hibernate but to also Shutdown, Restart, Log Off and Lock the PC from the system notification area.

enter image description here

More info & to download:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/quickly-shutdown-restart-lock-logoff-windows-computer-hotshut

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