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Windows 11

How to adjust power and sleep settings in Windows 11

How to Adjust Power and Sleep Settings in Windows 11: A Comprehensive Guide

Properly managing your PC’s power and sleep settings in Windows 11 can significantly impact its energy consumption, battery life (for laptops), and even performance. Whether you want to save energy, ensure your device stays awake longer, or fine-tune how it behaves when idle, Windows 11 offers a range of options. This guide will walk you through how to adjust power and sleep settings in Windows 11 effectively.

Why Adjust Power and Sleep Settings?

Tweaking these settings offers several benefits:

  • Energy Conservation: Reducing the time before your screen turns off or your PC goes to sleep can save a considerable amount of electricity.
  • Extended Battery Life: For laptop users, optimizing power settings is crucial for maximizing time away from a power outlet.
  • Performance Tuning: Certain power modes can prioritize performance when you need it, or efficiency when you don’t.
  • Convenience: You can prevent your PC from sleeping انرژیtoo quickly during presentations or when downloading large files.

Accessing Power and Sleep Settings in Windows 11

The primary way to manage these settings is through the Windows 11 Settings app.

Through the Settings App

  1. Click on the Start button on your taskbar.
  2. Select Settings (the gear icon). Alternatively, you can press the Windows key + I shortcut.
  3. In the Settings window, ensure System is selected in the left-hand pane.
  4. Click on Power & battery from the options on the right.

Customizing Basic Screen and Sleep Settings

Once in the “Power & battery” menu, you’ll find the main options under the Screen and sleep section. Click to expand it if it’s not already.

Setting ‘Turn off my screen after’

This setting determines how long your screen stays on when your PC is idle.

  • On battery power, turn off my screen after: Use the dropdown menu to select a duration (e.g., 1 minute, 5 minutes, Never). This applies when your laptop is running on battery.
  • When plugged in, turn off my screen after: Use the dropdown menu to select a duration. This applies when your device is connected to a power source.

Setting ‘Put my device to sleep after’

This setting controls when your entire PC enters a low-power sleep mode after a period of inactivity.

  • On battery power, put my device to sleep after: Choose a time from the dropdown menu for when your laptop is on battery.
  • When plugged in, put my device to sleep after: Choose a time for when your device is plugged in.

Selecting “Never” for sleep can be useful in some cases, but be mindful of energy consumption, especially on battery.

Understanding and Changing Power Modes

Windows 11 offers power modes to help you balance energy consumption with performance.

Accessing Power Modes

Still within Settings > System > Power & battery, you’ll find the Power mode option.

Explaining Power Mode Options

Click the dropdown menu next to “Power mode” to choose from options like:

  • Best power efficiency: Saves the most energy by reducing system performance. Ideal for maximizing battery life.
  • Balanced: Automatically balances performance with energy consumption. This is the default and suitable for most users.
  • Best performance: Favors performance over energy saving and may use more energy. Best for demanding tasks when plugged in.

Note: The available power modes might vary slightly depending on your hardware.

Exploring Additional Power Settings (Control Panel)

For more granular control, Windows 11 retains the classic Control Panel power options.

How to Access Additional Power Settings

  1. In Settings > System > Power & battery, scroll down to the “Related settings” section.
  2. Click on Additional power settings. This will open the Power Options window from the Control Panel. (Alternatively, you can search for “Control Panel” in the Start menu, open it, navigate to “Hardware and Sound,” and then “Power Options.”)

Understanding Power Plans

In the Power Options window, you’ll see different “power plans” such as:

  • Balanced (recommended): Offers full performance when you need it and saves power during periods of inactivity.
  • Power saver: Saves power by reducing PC performance where possible.
  • High performance: Maximizes PC performance and brightness; may use more energy. You might also see custom plans created by your PC manufacturer.

Modifying a Power Plan

For any selected plan:

Change plan settings
  1. Click on Change plan settings next to the power plan you wish to modify.
  2. Here, you can again adjust the “Turn off the display” and “Put the computer to sleep” times for when on battery and plugged in, specific to this plan.
Change advanced power settings

  1. From the “Edit Plan Settings” window, click on Change advanced power settings.

  2. A new dialog box will appear with a list of settings you can fine-tune. Some key options include:

    • Hard disk > Turn off hard disk after: Specifies when to power down the hard drive.
    • Sleep > Sleep after: Another place to set sleep timers.
    • Sleep > Allow hybrid sleep: Combines sleep and hibernation.
    • Sleep > Hibernate after: Sets a timer for hibernation (if enabled).
    • Sleep > Allow wake timers: Lets scheduled tasks wake your PC.
    • Power buttons and lid > Lid close action / Power button action / Sleep button action: Define what happens when you close the lid or press these buttons (e.g., Do nothing, Sleep, Hibernate, Shut down).
    • Display > Turn off display after: Another access point for this setting.
    • Processor power management > Minimum/Maximum processor state: Allows advanced users to control CPU performance scaling.

    Click OK and then Save changes to apply any modifications.

Tips for Optimizing Power Usage

  • Lower screen brightness: One of the most effective ways to save battery.
  • Disconnect unused peripherals: USB devices can draw power.
  • Enable Hibernation: If you don’t use your PC for extended periods, hibernation saves more power than sleep. You might need to enable it via “Choose what the power buttons do” in Power Options.
  • Keep Windows Updated: Updates often include power efficiency improvements.

Conclusion

Knowing how to adjust power and sleep settings in Windows 11 gives you control over your PC’s energy use and operational behavior. By using the Settings app for quick adjustments and the more detailed Power Options in the Control Panel for fine-tuning, you can create a setup that perfectly matches your needs, whether you prioritize battery longevity, peak performance, or a balance of both.