How to change power modes for performance or battery on Windows 11
You can change the power mode for performance or battery, and in this guide, we’ll show you three different ways to complete this task on Windows 11.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
OnWindows 11, power modes (“power plans” or “power schemes”) are collections of settings to manage the power usage of a device. The system, by default, uses the “balanced” mode that optimizes the power for performance and battery. However, you can always change the setting to “best power efficiency” to prolong the battery life as much as possible, or “best performance” to get the most performance out of the device but increasing the power usage.
In this Windows 11 guide, we will walk you through the steps to change the power mode to improve performance or battery life on your laptop or desktop computer.
How to adjust power modes on Windows 11
To change the default power more on Windows 11, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the new power scheme will apply to the computer.
OnWindows 10, you had the option to cycle through the power modes from the Taskbar, but starting on Windows 11, you can only do this from the Power settings or using the legacy settings or Command Prompt.
How to adjust power modes through Control Panel
To change the power mode for battery life or high performance, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the Windows 11 device will start using the power mode you specified to improve battery or performance.
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
How to adjust power modes with Command Prompt
To choose between balanced, high performance, or power saver modes with Command Prompt, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the command will apply the new power mode on Windows 11.
While you can change the power modes in several different ways, when setting the “High performance” or “Power Saver” modes using Control Panel or Command Prompt, you won’t be able to change the modes from the Settings app. If this is the case, you’ll need to select the “Balanced” mode, and only then, will the option be available in the Power settings page.
More Windows resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
