How to Change Power Modes in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to change the power mode for your account in Windows 11.

What is Power Mode?

Power mode lets you optimize your Windows 11 device based on how much power it uses and how fast it runs. Why would you want to do this? Because you can choose what matters most to you—saving battery life, getting the best performance, or finding a good balance between the two.

The Three Power Modes

Windows 11 gives you three choices:

• Best Power Efficiency — Saves power by reducing how fast your PC runs and making the screen dimmer. If you’re using a laptop, this mode helps you get the most from a single battery charge.
• Balanced (this is the default) — Gives you full performance when you need it and saves power when you don’t. This is the best mode for most people.
• Best Performance — Makes the screen brighter and might speed up your PC. This mode uses a lot more energy, so your laptop battery won’t last as long between charges.

AC Power vs. Battery Power

You can set a different power mode for when your PC is plugged in (AC power) and when it’s running on battery (DC power). The power mode will automatically switch when you plug in or unplug your device.

New Features in Recent Windows 11 Updates

Microsoft has made improvements to power settings. Starting with Windows 11 build 27686.1000 (Canary) and build 26100.1876 (RP), you can now set your power mode separately for when your PC is plugged in and when it’s on battery. This gives you more control.

In even newer builds (26200.5603 Dev 24H2 and 26120.4151 Beta 24H2), Windows now includes User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management. What does this do? It watches when you’re not using your PC. After a period of inactivity, Windows automatically applies efficient power management to save energy. The moment you start using your PC again, full performance is instantly restored.

Note: Actual power savings depend on your device type, power mode, whether you’re plugged in or on battery, and your manufacturer’s Processor Power Management settings.

Important Things to Know

• Power mode is only available when you’re using the Balanced power plan on a PC with a battery.
• Power mode is set automatically and cannot be changed while using Game mode.

Learn More

Change the power mode for your Windows PC – Microsoft Support — Learn how to change the power mode on your Windows PC to preserve your battery, limit notifications, and background activity.

Power settings in Windows 11 – Microsoft Support — You can use Screen and sleep settings to save energy and make your battery last longer.

How to Change Your Power Mode

1. Open Settings by pressing Win+I on your keyboard.
2. Click or tap System on the left side, then click or tap Power & battery on the right side.
3. Click or tap Power Mode to expand it open.
4. Under Power Mode, select Best Power Efficiency, Balanced (default), or Best Performance in the dropdown menus for Plugged in (AC) and/or On battery (DC). Choose what works best for you.
5. You can now close Settings if you like.

Where Windows Stores This Setting

The Power Mode setting is saved in the Windows registry. The setting is stored in the ActiveOverlayAcPowerScheme (Plugged in) and ActiveOverlayDcPowerScheme (On battery) values (REG_SZ) in this registry path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\User\PowerSchemes

Here’s what the registry values mean:

• 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 = Balanced (default)
• ded574b5-45a0-4f42-8737-46345c09c238 = Best Performance
• 961cc777-2547-4f9d-8174-7d86181b8a7a = Best Power Efficiency

Summary

Power mode in Windows 11 helps you control how your PC uses power and performs. You can choose between three options: Best Power Efficiency (saves battery but runs slower), Balanced (the default, recommended for most users), or Best Performance (fastest but uses more power). You can set different modes for when your PC is plugged in versus running on battery. Simply open Settings, go to System > Power & battery, expand Power Mode, and select your preferred option from the dropdown menus. Windows 11’s newer updates also include automatic power management that kicks in when you’re not actively using your PC, helping extend your battery life.