This is particularly directed at laptop users as most desktop users would have no need for the hibernation feature (or then again, maybe you do? I’m not the boss of you.)

Enabling hibernation

You need to first enable hibernation in order for it to work. This is done via the Power Options icon in the Control Panel.

Once viewing Power Options, click the Hibernate tab and check the box to enable it, then click OK.

Looks like this:

A quick shortcut to hibernate

After enabling hibernation, you go to shut down as you normally do by clicking Start then Turn off computer.

On the next menu that appears you have three icons. Yellow (Stand by), Red (Turn off) and Green (Restart).

Press and hold SHIFT. "Stand by" will change to "Hibernate". While holding SHIFT, click "Hibernate" and your computer will do just that.

There are other ways of getting to the hibernation option but I find that the SHIFT method is the easiest to remember.