There are many ways to shut down your PC—you can turn the PC off completely, you can make it sleep, or you can hibernate the PC.
Windows 11Windows 10Windows 8.1Windows 7
Turn your PC off completely
To shut down,select Start and then select Power> Shut down.
Sleep
Sleep uses very little power, your PC starts up faster, and you’re instantly back to where you left off. You don’t have to worry that you'll lose your work because of your battery drainingbecause Windows automatically saves all your work and turns off the PC if the battery is too low. Use Sleep when you’re going to be away from your PC for just a little while—like when you’re taking a coffee break.
For a lot of PCs (especially laptops and tablets), your PC goes to sleep when you close your lid or press the power button.
To setyour PC so it goes to sleep when you close the lid or press the power button:
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Select Searchon the taskbar, type control panel, and select it from the results.
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Select System and Security.
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In thePower Options section, selectChange what the power buttonsdo.
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Select Change settings that are currently unavailable.
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Select options based on how you want Sleep to work:
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For a laptop, expand the list for When I close the lidin the On battery column and select Sleep. Repeat for the Plugged in column, if desired.
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Fora desktop, tablet, or laptop, expand the list forWhen I press the power button in the On battery column and select Sleep. Repeat for the Plugged in column, if desired.
(Video) Sleep vs Hibernate vs Shutdown | What to Use and When?
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Select Save changes.
When you’re ready to make your PC sleep, just press the power button on your desktop, tablet, or laptop, or close your laptop’s lid.
On most PCs, you can resume working by pressing your PC's power button. However, not all PCs are the same. You might be able to wake it by pressing any key on the keyboard, clicking a mouse button, or opening the lid on a laptop. Check the documentation that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.
Hibernate
This option was designed for laptops and might not be available for all PCs. (For example, PCs with InstantGo don't have the hibernate option.) Hibernate uses less power than sleep and when you start up the PC again, you’re back to where you left off (though not as fast as sleep).
Use hibernation when you know that you won't use your laptop or tablet for an extended period and won't have an opportunity to charge the battery during that time. First check to see if this option is available on your PC and if it is, turn it on.
To setyour PC so it hibernates:
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Select Searchon the taskbar, type control panel, and select it from the results.
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Select System and Security.
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In thePower Options section, selectChange what the power buttonsdo.
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Select Change settings that are currently unavailable.
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In the Shutdown settings section, selectHibernate.
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Select Save changes.
Now you’ll be able to hibernate your PC in a few different ways:
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Select Start, and then select Power> Hibernate.
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Press the Windows logo key + X on your keyboard, and then select Shut down or sign out > Hibernate.
Note:If devices connected to your PC (like monitors, printers, or scanners) aren't working properly after waking up from sleep or hibernate, you might need to disconnect and reconnect your device or restart your PC. You should also make sure that you have the most current drivers for all of your devices.
Turn your PC off completely
To shut down,select Start and then select Power > Shut down.
Sleep
Sleep uses very little power, your PC starts up faster, and you’re instantly back to where you left off. You don’t have to worry that you'll lose your work because of your battery drainingbecause Windows automatically saves all your work and turns off the PC if the battery is too low. Use Sleep when you’re going to be away from your PC for just a little while—like when you’re taking a coffee break.
For a lot of PCs (especially laptops and tablets), your PC goes to sleep when you close your lid or press the power button.
To setyour PC so it goes to sleep when you close the lid or press the power button:
-
Open power options—select Start, then select Settings > System > Power & sleep > Additional power settings.
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Do one of the following:
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If you’re using a desktop, tablet, or laptop, select Choose what the power buttons does. Next to When I press the power button, select Sleep, and then select Save changes.
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If you’re using only a laptop, select Choose what closing the lid does. Next to When I close the lid, select Sleep, and then select Save changes.
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When you’re ready to make your PC sleep, just press the power button on your desktop, tablet, or laptop, or close your laptop’s lid.
On most PCs, you can resume working by pressing your PC's power button. However, not all PCs are the same. You might be able to wake it by pressing any key on the keyboard, clicking a mouse button, or opening the lid on a laptop. Check the documentation that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.
Hibernate
This option was designed for laptops and might not be available for all PCs. (For example, PCs with InstantGo don't have the hibernate option.) Hibernate uses less power than sleep and when you start up the PC again, you’re back to where you left off (though not as fast as sleep).
Use hibernation when you know that you won't use your laptop or tablet for an extended period and won't have an opportunity to charge the battery during that time. First check to see if this option is available on your PC and if it is, turn it on.
To hibernate your PC:
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Open power options—select Start, then select Settings > System > Power & sleep > Additional power settings.
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Select Choose what the power button does, and then select Change settings that are currently unavailable. Under Shutdown settings, select the Hibernate checkbox (if it's available), and then select Save changes.
Now you’ll be able to hibernate your PC in a few different ways:
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Select Start, and then select Power > Hibernate.
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Press the Windows logo key + X on your keyboard, and then select Shut down or sign out > Hibernate.
Note:If devices connected to your PC (like monitors, printers, or scanners) aren't working properly after waking up from sleep or hibernate, you might need to disconnect and reconnect your device or restart your PC. You should also make sure that you have the most current drivers for all of your devices.
Turn your PC off completely
To shut down Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, move your mouse to the lower left-hand corner of the screen and right-click Start or press the Windows logo key + X on your keyboard. Tap or selectShut down or sign out and choose Shut down.
Sleep
Sleep uses very little power, your PC starts up faster, and you’re instantly back to where you left off. You don’t have to worry that you'll lose your work because of your battery drainingbecause Windows automatically saves all your work and turns off the PC if the battery is too low. Use Sleep when you’re going to be away from your PC for just a little while—like when you’re taking a coffee break.
For a lot of PCs (especially laptops and tablets), your PC goes to sleep when you close your lid or press the power button.
To setyour PC so it goes to sleep when you close the lid or press the power button:
-
Open power options—swipe in from the edge of the screen, tap Search (or if you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then selectSearch), typePower options in the search box, and then tap or selectPower options.
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Do one of the following:
-
If you’re using a desktop, tablet, or laptop, select Choose what the power buttons do. Next to When I press the power button, select Sleep, and then select Save changes.
-
If you’re using only a laptop, select Choose what closing the lid does. Next to When I close the lid, select Sleep, and then select Save changes.
-
When you’re ready to make your PC sleep, just press the power button on your desktop, tablet, or laptop, or close your laptop’s lid.
On most PCs, you can resume working by pressing your PC's power button. However, not all PCs are the same. You might be able to wake it by pressing any key on the keyboard, clicking a mouse button, or opening the lid on a laptop. Check the documentation that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.
Hibernate
This option was designed for laptops and might not be available for all PCs. (For example, PCs with InstantGo don't have the hibernate option.) Hibernate uses less power than sleep and when you start up the PC again, you’re back to where you left off (though not as fast as sleep).
Use hibernation when you know that you won't use your laptop or tablet for an extended period and won't have an opportunity to charge the battery during that time. First check to see if this option is available on your PC and if it is, turn it on.
To hibernate your PC:
-
Open power options—swipe in from the edge of the screen, tap Search (or if you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then selectSearch), typePower options in the search box, and then tap or selectPower options.
-
Select Choose what the power button does, and then select Change settings that are currently unavailable. Under Shutdown settings, select the Hibernate checkbox (if it's available), and then select Save changes.
Now you’ll be able to hibernate your PC in a few different ways:
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Move your mouse to the lower left-hand corner of the screen and right-click Startor press Windows logo key + X on your keyboard. Tap or selectShut down or sign out and choose Hibernate.
(Video) Don't SHUT DOWN your computer! -
Swipe in from the right edge of the screen and then tap Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then selectSettings.) Tap or selectPower > Hibernate.
Note:If devices connected to your PC (like monitors, printers, or scanners) aren't working properly after waking up from sleep or hibernate, you might need to disconnect and reconnect your device or restart your PC. You should also make sure that you have the most current drivers for all of your devices.
Turn your PC off completely
To shut down, select Start 
and then selectShut down.
Sleep
Sleep uses very little power, your PC starts up faster, and you’re instantly back to where you left off. You don’t have to worry that you'll lose your work because of your battery drainingbecause Windows automatically saves all your work and turns off the PC if the battery is too low. Use Sleep when you’re going to be away from your PC for just a little while—like when you’re taking a coffee break.
For a lot of PCs (especially laptops and tablets), your PC goes to sleep when you close your lid or press the power button.
To setyour PC so it goes to sleep when you close the lid or press the power button:
-
Open power options—select Start
, then selectControl Panel >System and Security >Power Options. -
Do one of the following:
-
If you’re using a desktop, tablet, or laptop, select Choose what the power buttons do. Next to When I press the power button, select Sleep, and then select Save changes.
-
If you’re using only a laptop, select Choose what closing the lid does. Next to When I close the lid, select Sleep, and then select Save changes.
-
-
When you’re ready to make your PC sleep, just press the power button on your desktop, tablet, or laptop, or close your laptop’s lid.
On most PCs, you can resume working by pressing your PC's power button. However, not all PCs are the same. You might be able to wake it by pressing any key on the keyboard, clicking a mouse button, or opening the lid on a laptop. Check the documentation that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.
Hibernate
This option was designed for laptops and might not be available for all PCs. (For example, PCs with InstantGo don't have the hibernate option.) Hibernate uses less power than sleep and when you start up the PC again, you’re back to where you left off (though not as fast as sleep).
Use hibernation when you know that you won't use your laptop or tablet for an extended period and won't have an opportunity to charge the battery during that time. First check to see if this option is available on your PC and if it is, turn it on.
To hibernate your PC:
-
Open power options—select Start
, then selectControl Panel>System and Security> Power Options. -
Select Choose what the power button does, and then select Change settings that are currently unavailable. Under Shutdown settings, select the Hibernate checkbox (if it's available), and then select Save changes.
(Video) Sleep vs Hibernate vs Shutdown - Which one is better? What do they do? Which to choose?
Now you’ll be able to hibernate your PC—select Start , select the arrow next toShut down, and then selectHibernate.
Note:If devices connected to your PC (like monitors, printers, or scanners) aren't working properly after waking up from sleep or hibernate, you might need to disconnect and reconnect your device or restart your PC. You should also make sure that you have the most current drivers for all of your devices.
FAQs
Should I shutdown or sleep my PC? ›
Your PC hardware – including RAM, motherboard, and battery – doesn't get much rest during sleep. Therefore, if you want to prolong your device's hardware life cycle, it is better to shut it down rather than use the sleep settings.
Does hibernate hurt the PC? ›The use case varies based on users; however, the bottom line is, the hibernate mode is safe to use. That said, a proper shutdown periodically helps your computer clear RAM and free up resources to optimize performance. It can also help you reduce power consumption and protect your system against power surges.
What is the difference between sleep shut down and restart? ›Shutting down turns off your system completely until it is turned on again. Restart, on the other hand, only turns off the computer momentarily.
What is the difference between computer sleep and hibernate? ›Sleep mode stores the documents and files you are operating into the RAM, using a small amount of power in the process. Hibernate mode essentially does the same thing, but saves the information to your hard disk, which allows your computer to be turned off completely and use no energy.
Does shutting down a PC damage it? ›Powering off your PC has minimal effects on it's performance and longevity. For older computers, regular shutdowns could affect the hard disk drive, but that's now a problem of the past. Today, it's better to switch your computer off each night to conserve power and reduce heat damage to internal components.
What is difference between hibernate and shutdown? ›Hibernation mode is a 'deeper' sleep. It essentially saves the contents of RAM to disk and then shuts down, so it uses no power. However, it takes longer to wake up and get going again. Shutting down your PC means that it uses no power.
Which is safer hibernate or sleep? ›Risk of data loss: Higher in sleep mode. During hibernation, data is automatically stored in a non-volatile memory before the hardware shuts down. In sleep mode, the data is still in the RAM, which is volatile. In case of a power outage, any unsaved data is lost and cannot be recovered.
What are the disadvantages of hibernation? ›Step 3: Disadvantages of hibernation
They do not quickly respond to stimuli due to poor memory retention. Immunocompetence is considerably decreased during hibernation. Therefore, after hibernation, animals tend to affect by diseases. After hibernation, it takes a lot of time to adjust to the temperature.
- Since hibernate generates lots of SQL statements at runtime so it is slower than pure JDBC.
- Hibernate is not much flexible in case of composite mapping. ...
- Hibernate does not support some type of queries which are supported by JDBC.
Hibernation is a mid-way between shutting down your machine and putting it to sleep. I would call it shutting down, but while saving data of whatever is going on. Because hibernating uses a negligible amount of power, it is also impervious to power cuts as the data is saved to the hard disk.
How do I shut down my computer properly? ›
To turn off your PC in Windows 10, select the Start button, select the Power button, and then select Shut down.
How long can I leave my computer in sleep mode? ›Its perfectly safe to keep your laptop in sleep mode. In reality, you can keep your computer in an on, off, or suspend mode indefinitely, with no adverse effects.
Should I shut down my PC every night? ›While frequent restarts do cause more wear on components, it's fine to shut your machine down daily. From a maintenance standpoint, shut down at least once a week. From a green energy saving standpoint, shutdown and unplug or turn off surge protectors and power strips.
Is it good to put your computer in sleep mode? ›According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it's recommended that you put your computer into sleep mode if you're not going to be using it for more than 20 minutes. It's also recommended that you shut down your computer if you're not going to use it for more than two hours.
What does sleep do on PC? ›Sleep mode is a power saving state that stops all actions on the computer. Any open documents and applications are moved to the system memory (RAM) and the computer goes to a low-power state. This is similar to pausing a movie DVD. The computer is still powered on, but uses less power.
How long should you shutdown your PC? ›“It depends on how often you use it,” explains Geek Squad agent Steven Leslie. “If you use your computer multiple times per day, it's best to leave it on. If you use it for a short time — say an hour or two — just once a day, or even less, then turn it off.”
Is it OK to leave your PC on forever? ›Ultimately, it depends on your needs. If you're going a few days without using it, then by all means power it down. But if you need it to be up and ready to go at all times, there's little harm in leaving it on for as long as you need it.
Why should we shut down computers properly? ›You Want To Enhance Your Device's Performance
If you shut down or reboot your computer, it can stop the programs running in the background and fix the crashes while rebooting the drivers properly, helping you enhance your device's performance.
No, Hibernate is not deprecated.
Is it OK to turn off hibernation? ›Hibernate is enabled by default, and it doesn't really hurt your computer, so it's not necessary that you disable it even if you don't use it. However, when hibernate is enabled it reserves some of your disk for its file -- the hiberfil. sys file -- which is allocated at 75 percent of your computer's installed RAM.
Why should I use hibernate? ›
Why use Hibernate? Hibernate reduces lines of code by maintaining object-table mapping itself and returns result to application in form of Java objects. It relieves programmer from manual handling of persistent data, hence reducing the development time and maintenance cost.
Does hibernate damage RAM? ›No, hibernate mode will not damage your RAM. In general, you can't damage your RAM with any common software level operation. This is true for other hardware parts of your computer/laptop as well.
Does hibernate damage SSD? ›No, the time you hibernated your computer for is totally irrelevant. Hibernate = Shutdown + Copy of your RAM on your Hard Drive.. so it's just going to use the HDD more while shutting down and booting up. That's all.
Why do people not hibernate? ›According to Martin, humans probably do not hibernate because it was not to our evolutionary advantage. It would not have promoted survival and reproduction. Here are some reasons why: Being in torpor (shutting down your metabolism) or hibernation (prolonged torpor) would mean you are unable to reproduce.
Is hibernate the best? ›Hibernate is one of the essential frameworks for Java and Java EE or JEE programmers, especially if you are working on the server-side of a Java web development project. It's an ORM tool or a framework that allows you to deal with only objects while Hibernate takes care of your data on your behalf.
Is hibernate a security risk? ›When you put the system in hibernation the entire memory is stored on disk (hiberfil. sys). This always poses a security threat because the memory can contain private data, passwords, keys and so on. Approaching the storage with another systems gains you access to the entire memory dump.
Is it OK to leave your computer on 24 7? ›Windows Desktop users
If you're using a desktop computer manufactured in the past five years, there's really no need to shut down your PC every time after use on a daily basis. The manufacturer will have configured sleep mode to engage full hibernation of your PC or laptop components.
Is Java Hibernate still used? Yes, because Hibernate is not yet depreciated. There's the JPA – a persistence specification – and as an implementation, Hibernate offers features that JPA does not have.
Why does my PC stay on when I shut it down? ›If you shut down your computer properly from the Window's start menu or by pressing the power button and you notice that your screen is off but some internal parts still remain powered on such as the fans or lights, then there is a chance that the fast startup setting in Windows could be interfering with your computer ...
Does holding down the power button damage your computer? ›It doesn't cause any issues; it simply shuts down your computer. If you were taught to never turn your PC off by pressing the power button, that's because older computers couldn't handle the sudden shutdown. Hitting the button would shut off all the power flowing to the computer's hardware.
What are the three keys to shutdown a computer? ›
The first combo to shut down a laptop with keys is by pressing Alt+F4 together.
Is hibernation the same as sleep? ›Despite what you may have heard, species that hibernate don't “sleep” during the winter. Hibernation is an extended form of torpor, a state where metabolism is depressed to less than five percent of normal.
How much does leaving a computer on affect your electric bill? ›Using a computer for 8 hours per day will use about 12.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month and 146 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. A computer costs an average of $1.73 to use for a month and $20.72 to use for a year.
How long can a computer stay on before overheating? ›How long can a computer stay on before overheating? Any reasonably designed computer should be able to run indefinitely without being turned off. This include laptops, desktops, towers, servers, etc.
How do I wake up my computer from hibernation? ›- Press the SLEEP keyboard shortcut.
- Press a standard key on the keyboard.
- Move the mouse.
- Quickly press the power button on the computer. Note If you use Bluetooth devices, the keyboard may be unable to wake the system.
There's really no reason to. You're not really preserving anything or adding any longevity by doing so, and you're adding an additional step to power on/off the computer. Best base case scenario, you save $5 per year on your electric bill.
How do I properly shut down my computer? ›To shut down, select Start and then select Power > Shut down.
What happens if you don t shut down your computer for a long time? ›Leaving your computer on does little damage to modern computers. However, when the computer is on, the fan is working to cool the machine's components. When it's running consistently, it will shorten the lifespan slightly.
How long can a PC last? ›For most desktop PCs, you can expect a minimum three-year lifespan. However, most computers survive five to eight years, depending on the upgrading components. Maintenance is also critical, as dust is very problematic for PC components.
How often should you restart your computer? ›A Windows computer should be shut down, or even better, restarted, once a week or so with 'fast startup' turned off to ensure it properly shuts down all processes and cleans up. Mac computers tend to be a little more stable and may only need to be restarted with system installs or upgrades.
How long can I leave my PC in sleep mode? ›
Its perfectly safe to keep your laptop in sleep mode. In reality, you can keep your computer in an on, off, or suspend mode indefinitely, with no adverse effects.
Should I turn off my monitor every night? ›“It depends on how often you use it,” explains Geek Squad agent Steven Leslie. “If you use your computer multiple times per day, it's best to leave it on. If you use it for a short time — say an hour or two — just once a day, or even less, then turn it off.”
Why should I shut down my computer? ›Shutting down your computer every night is the more energy-efficient option, as even when you've let your computer go into “sleep mode,” there is still a power drain from the grid for the RAM and storage of open files and programs. A benefit to a regular shutdown is that your system may have fewer temporary issues.
How long should you keep your computer shut down for? ›“It depends on how often you use it,” said Steven Leslie, Geek Squad agent, speaking to Digital Trends. “If you use your computer multiple times per day, it's best to leave it on. If you use it for a short time — say an hour or two — just once a day, or even less, then turn it off.”
How long can PC run without shutting down? ›How long can a PC be kept without shutting down? Providing that the cooling is adequate and you're not over-stressing your Power Supply, a PC should be able to run 24 * 7 without damaging hardware. However, depending on the OS you are running, periodic rebooting may be required.
Does sleep mode damage your computer? ›No because it does no harm to put your computer into sleep mode.