Power options in the Control Panel can be adjusted to conserve energy, extend battery life, and customize settings for individual users or multiple users. Depending on your version of Windows, you may find the Power Options icon in one of several places:
1. In the Start menu: If you are using Windows 10, 8.1, or 8, search for “Power Options” and select the matching result. If you are using Windows 7, go to the Start Menu, select “Control Panel,” and then choose “System and Security,” and then “Power Options.”
2. In the System Settings: Press the Windows key + I to open the System Settings. Select “System” and then “Power & Sleep.” Under the “Related Settings” section, click “Additional power settings” to open the Power Options window.
Once in the Power Options window, you can choose any of the available power plans or create a custom one. The available power plans are Balanced, Recommended, Power Saver, and High Performance. Each plan is designed to optimize performance and energy efficiency.
You can also adjust the individual settings for each power plan. To do this, select “Change plan settings” next to the plan you wish to modify, and then select “Change advanced power settings.” This will open a dialogue box with two tabs: “Advanced Settings” and “Hardware Settings.”
In the Advanced Settings tab, you can adjust settings for display, sleep, processor, USB settings, network adapters, storage, and more. For example, you can adjust the time after which the display turns off, the time it takes for the computer to enter sleep mode, and the amount of time before the hard drive turns off.
The Hardware Settings tab contains settings related to specific hardware such as hard drives, video cards, and USB controllers. You can adjust settings such as power profiles, PCI Express link state power management, and SATA link power management.
Once you adjust the individual settings, click “OK” to save the changes. You can also create a custom power plan by clicking “Create a power plan” at the top left of the Power Options window.
By adjusting the power options in the Control Panel, you can customize settings to conserve energy and extend battery life, or create a power plan that meets your individual needs.