The Windows hibernation file, hiberfil.sys, is managed by Windows. The supported way to remove it is to turn hibernation off with the powercfg command rather than trying to delete the protected file manually.
How to Remove the Hibernation File in Windows 11
- Save your work.
- Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt as administrator using an account you are authorized to manage.
- Enter powercfg /hibernate off and press Enter.
- Restart Windows if necessary and check the system drive for the reclaimed space.
Windows should disable hibernation and remove the hibernation file it manages.
What You Lose When Hibernation Is Disabled
You will no longer be able to use normal Hibernate until you enable it again. Features that rely on the hibernation infrastructure, including Fast Startup on many systems, can also be affected.
Turn Hibernation Back On
Open an elevated terminal again and run powercfg /hibernate on. Windows recreates the required hibernation file.
Do Not Force-Delete hiberfil.sys
Changing ownership or permissions to manually delete the file is unnecessary and can interfere with Windows power features. Let powercfg manage it.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
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