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A warm boot, or soft reboot, is the process of restarting a computer while it is already on, without completely shutting off the power. This method is typically initiated through the operating system's "Restart" command and is a quicker way to resolve software issues by reloading the operating system and its components. Unlike a cold boot, a warm boot does not involve powering the hardware down completely and skipping the full power-on self-test (POST).

Key characteristics

No power interruption: The computer stays powered on, with only the operating system and software components being reset.

Faster restart: It is generally faster than a cold boot because some hardware initializations are skipped.

Operating system-initiated: You typically perform a warm boot by selecting "Restart" from the Start menu in Windows or the Apple menu on a Mac.

Addresses software problems: It is useful for resolving software-related issues, such as a frozen application or after installing updates.

Does not affect hardware: A warm boot is not designed to fix hardware problems. If your computer has a hardware issue, a warm boot is unlikely to solve it.