What is the difference between sleep and hibernation in Windows?

Windows, as one of the most widely used operating systems in the world, provides various functions to manage the power consumption of computers.

Among these options, Sleep and Hibernate are introduced as features designed to conserve power and improve user accessibility.

Although their purposes are similar, these functions work differently and have specific applications depending on the user’s needs.

In Windows, sleep and hibernation are power-saving modes that allow users to pause their activities on the computer without turning it off completely.

Sleep mode, also known as standby mode, reduces computer power consumption by pausing all activity and saving the current system state (open documents, running applications) in random access memory (RAM).

In this mode, the computer can wake up quickly because it only needs to have RAM running during the process, allowing users to get back to work almost immediately.

Hibernation is a power saving feature available in operating systems like Windowsdesigned to conserve power by shutting down the computer while maintaining the current system state, including all open programs and documents saved on the hard drive.

When the user reactivates the computer, the system resumes from the same point at which it left off, allowing work to continue without losing progress.

The main difference between these two modes is the power consumption and wake-up time. While sleep consumes a small amount of energy and allows for almost immediate awakeningHibernation mode conserves more power by turning off the computer completely, although it requires more time to restore the system to the previous state.

Windows Sleep mode is recommended in situations where the user needs to be away from his or her computer for a short to medium period of time, such as on lunch breaks, short meetings, or while performing other tasks that do not require use of the computer.

Hibernation mode is best suited for long periods of inactivity when the computer will not be used for several hours or even days, such as at the end of the work day, overnight, or before a trip.

Microsoft has officially stated that Office 2016 and Office 2019 suites will stop receiving updates after October 14, 2025.This action will be carried out in parallel with the cessation of technical support for Windows 10, an operating system that has already been in operation for more than nine years.

According to the company started by Bill Gates, these versions of its suite of office applications have reached the end of their useful lives, which means the end of issuing security updates, software improvements, and technical support to anyone.

To prevent risks associated with an end of support, Microsoft suggests moving to Microsoft 365 E3, a cloud-based option that includes tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and others, and also provides online services like SharePoint and Exchange.

People using this operating system will need to consider upgrading to newer versions or may face the need to purchase specific security patches to keep their systems secure.

For those considering an option other than the extended support model, Microsoft recommends moving to Windows 11the latest version of its operating system, was released with the goal of providing greater compatibility and stronger security.

The Redmond-based company highlights the threats and risks that both organizations and individual users are exposed to by continuing to use software that no longer has adequate technical support.