warm boot

Reset without powering

A warm boot restarts a computer without fully powering it off—the system reloads the operating system while keeping some components energized.

Contrasted with a cold boot, which starts from a completely powered-down state.

Warm boots are faster but may not clear all hardware states: Try a cold boot if the warm boot doesn't fix it.

computing

restart

Commence anew

initializationPreparing system for operation
BIOSBoot-up initialization firmware
POSTStartup hardware verification

bootloader · firmware · operating system · UEFI · memory preservation · soft reset · drivers · services · processes · login prompt

Categories

activateturn on, switch on, power on, power up, start
boot actionslace, unlace, tie, buckle, pull on
boot processbootloader, BIOS, UEFI, POST, startup
CP/MCCP, PIP, STAT, ERA, command line
computer actionsclick, typing, clicking, browsing, save
firmwareBIOS, bootloader, UEFI, ROM, EPROM

Opposites

system restart type

warm bootcold boot

Starting from powered-off state

cold start · power cycle · hard reset

power state transition

warm bootcold boot

Starting from powered-off state

power off · shutdown

Family

warm, boot, warmer, warmest, warmly, warmth, warms, warmed, warming

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G