A method is provided for operating a hybrid vehicle (1) having an internal combustion engine (2) and an electric machine (4) that can be used individually or jointly to drive at least one axle (9, 10) of the hybrid vehicle (1) by connecting a clutch (15), and having a regeneratable filter device that takes up fuel vapors from a fuel tank of the internal combustion engine (2). To improve the comfort in a purely electric driving mode and/or to improve the reproducible operation of a hybrid vehicle during a special exhaust gas test, in a purely electric driving mode in which the hybrid vehicle (1) is driven only by the electric machine (4), the internal combustion engine (2) is switched on with the clutch (15) open to regenerate the filter device.