Windows 7 / Getting Started

Configuring Power Management Settings Using Group Policy

Power Management policy settings in Windows Vista or later versions are per-computer settings that apply only to computers running Windows Vista or later versions. Each Power Management policy setting may be configured independently for when the computer is plugged in or running on battery power.

Group Policy settings for Power Management are found in the following location:

Computer Management/Policies/Administrative Templates/System/Power Management The subnodes beneath this location are as follows:

  • Button Settings Used to configure the behavior of pressing the power and sleep buttons and the Start menu power button, and the lid switch on laptops.
  • Hard Disk Settings Used to specify the period of inactivity after which the hard drive will turn off.
  • Notification Settings Used to specify low and critical battery levels and behaviors.
  • Sleep Settings Used to specify sleep and hibernation time-outs and behaviors.
  • Video and Display Settings Used to configure the display time-out. The display time-out controls the length of the period of inactivity before the display automatically turns off.

Table below lists all Power Management policy settings for Windows 7, showing only the "On Battery" setting whenever a corresponding "Plugged In" setting also exists. The table also indicates the policy settings that are new in Windows 7 by prefixing them with an asterisk (*).

Selected Power Management Policy Settings for Windows Vista
Policy NameDescription
found under /System /Power Mana gement
Select An Active Power Plan

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this setting, you can specify the active power plan from a list of default Windows Vista power plans. To specify a custom power plan, use the Custom Active Power Plan setting.
If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Specify A Custom Active Power Plan
(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you use this policy, you can specify a custom active power plan when you enter a power plan's GUID. Retrieve the custom power plan GUID by using Powercfg, the power configuration commandline tool. Enter the GUID using the following format:
XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX
(For example, enter 103eea6e-9fcd-4544-a713-c282d8e50083.) If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Note that this is a general setting that is not specific to mobile computers. Also, a plan corresponding to the GUID-specified power plan must exist on the target computer.
found under /System /Power Mana gement /button settings
Select The Lid Switch Action (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy, you can specify the action that Windows Vista takes when a user closes the lid on a mobile PC. Possible actions include:
  • Take No Action
  • Sleep
  • Hibernate
  • Shut Down
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Select The Power Button Action (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy setting, you can specify the action that Windows Vista takes when a user presses the power button. Possible actions include:
  • Take No Action
  • Sleep
  • Hibernate
  • Shut Down
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Select The Sleep Button Action (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy setting, you can specify the action that Windows Vista takes when a user presses the sleep button. Possible actions include:
  • Take No Action
  • Sleep
  • Hibernate
  • Shut Down
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Select The Start Menu Power Button Action (On Battery)

(Applies only to Windows Vista)		If you enable this policy setting, you can specify the action that Windows takes when a user presses the UI sleep button. Possible actions include:
  • Take No Action
  • Sleep
  • Hibernate
  • Shut Down
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
found under /System /Power Mana gement /hard disk settings
Turn Off The Hard Disk (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy, you can specify, in seconds, how much idle time should elapse before Windows Vista turns off the hard disk.
If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Note that this is a general setting that is not specific to mobile computers.
found under /System /Power Mana gement /notification settin gs
Critical Battery Notification Action

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy setting, you can specify the action that Windows takes when battery capacity reaches the critical-battery notification level. Possible actions include:
  • Take No Action
  • Sleep
  • Hibernate
  • Shut Down
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Critical Battery Notification Level

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		Specifies the percentage of battery capacity remaining that triggers the critical-battery notification action.
If you enable this policy, you must enter a numeric value (as a percentage) to set the battery level that triggers the criticalbattery notification. To set the action that is triggered, see the Critical Battery Notification Action policy setting.

If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Low Battery Notification Action

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy setting, you can specify the action that Windows takes when battery capacity reaches the low-battery notification level. Possible actions include:
  • Take No Action
  • Sleep
  • Hibernate
  • Shut Down
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Low Battery Notification Level

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		Specifies the percentage of battery capacity remaining that triggers the low-battery notification action.
If you enable this policy, you must enter a numeric value (as a percentage) that triggers the low-battery notification. To set the action that is triggered, see the Low Battery Notification Action policy setting.
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
*Reserve Battery Notification Level

(Applies only to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)		Specifies the percentage of battery capacity remaining that triggers the reserve power mode.
If you enable this policy setting, you must enter a numeric value (as a percentage) to set the battery level that triggers the reserve power notification.
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Turn Off Low Battery User Notification

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		Disables a user notification when the battery capacity remaining equals the low-battery notification level.
If you enable this policy, Windows will not show a notification when the battery capacity remaining equals the low-battery notification level. To configure the low-battery notification level, see the Low Battery Notification Level policy setting. The notification will be shown only if you configure the Low Battery Notification Action policy setting to No Action.
If you do not configure this policy setting, users can see and change this setting.
found under /System /sleep settin gs
*Allow Applications To Prevent Automatic Sleep (On Battery)

(Applies only to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)		Allows applications and services to prevent Windows from automatically transitioning to sleep after a period of user inactivity.
If you disable this policy setting, applications, services, or drivers may not prevent Windows from automatically transitioning to sleep. Only user input will be used to determine whether Windows should sleep automatically.
*Allow Automatic Sleep With Open Network Files (On Battery)
(Applies only to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)		If you enable this policy setting, the computer will sleep automatically when network files are open.
If you disable this policy setting, the computer will not automatically sleep when network files are open.
Allow Standby States (S1-S3) When Sleeping (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		When this policy is enabled, Windows may use Stand By states to sleep the computer.
If this policy is disabled, the only Sleep state a computer may enter is Hibernate.
Require A Password When A Computer Wakes (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy or if this policy is not configured, the user is prompted for a password when the system resumes from sleep.
If you disable this policy, the user is not prompted for a password when the system resumes from sleep.
Specify The System Hibernate Timeout (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy setting, you must provide a value, in seconds, indicating how much idle time should elapse before Windows transitions to Hibernate.
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Specify The System Sleep Timeout (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy setting, you must provide a value, in seconds, indicating how much idle time should elapse before Windows transitions to sleep.
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
*Specify The Unattended Sleep Timeout (On Battery)

(Applies only to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)		If you enable this policy setting, you must provide a value, in seconds, indicating how much idle time should elapse before Windows automatically transitions to sleep when the user leaves the computer unattended. If you specify 0 seconds, Windows will not transition to sleep automatically.
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Turn Off Hybrid Sleep (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		Disables Hybrid Sleep, which refers to the use of hibernation during sleep to store the contents of the computer's memory.
If you enable this policy setting, a hibernation file (Hiberfile.sys) is not generated when the system transitions to sleep (Stand By).
If you do not configure this policy setting, users can see and change this setting.
Turn Off The Ability For Applications To Prevent Sleep Transitions (On Battery)
(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy setting, an application or service may prevent the system from sleeping (using the Hybrid Sleep, Stand By, or Hibernate setting).
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
found under /System /Video and disp lay settin gs
*Reduce Display Brightness (On Battery)

(Applies only to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)		If you enable this policy setting, you must provide a value, in seconds, indicating how much idle time should elapse before Windows automatically reduces the brightness of the display.
Windows will reduce the brightness of only the primary display integrated into the computer.
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
*Specify The Display Dim Brightness (On Battery)

(Applies only to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)		If you enable this policy setting, you must provide a value, as a percentage, indicating the level at which Windows automatically reduces the brightness of the display.
If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
Turn Off Adaptive Display Timeout (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		Manages how Windows controls the setting that specifies how long a computer must be inactive before Windows Vista turns off the computer's display.
If you enable this policy, Windows automatically adjusts the setting based on what the user does with the keyboard or mouse to keep the display turned on.
If you disable this policy, Windows uses the same setting regardless of the user's keyboard or mouse behavior.
If you don't configure this setting, users can see and change this setting.
Turn Off The Display (On Battery)

(Applies to Windows Vista or later versions)		If you enable this policy, you must provide a value, in seconds, indicating how much idle time should elapse before Windows turns off the display.
If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can see and change this setting.
*Turn Off Desktop Background Slideshow (On Battery)

(Applies only to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)		If you enable this policy setting, the desktop background slideshow is enabled.
If you disable this policy setting, the desktop background slideshow is disabled.
if you do not configure this setting, users can see and change this setting.
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In this tutorial:

  1. Managing Devices and Services
  2. Understanding Device Installation and Management
  3. Device Enhancements in Windows 7
  4. Display Enhancements in Windows 7
  5. Understanding Device Installation
  6. Driver Store and Driver Packaging
  7. Driver Staging vs Installation
  8. Driver Staging and Installation Process
  9. Detailed Installation Process
  10. Managing Driver Packages
  11. Using PnPutil.exe
  12. Using Dism.exe
  13. Driver Signing
  14. Driver Ranking
  15. Installing and Using Devices
  16. Enhancements to the Device Installation Experience in Windows 7
  17. Scenario 1: Driver found in Driver Store
  18. Scenario 2: Driver found on Windows Update
  19. Scenario 3: Driver in Driver Store, But Better Driver on Windows Update
  20. Scenario 5: No Driver Can Be Found for the device
  21. Scenario 6: Vendor -supplied media is available
  22. Scenario 7: Additional Device Software is Available For Download from vendor
  23. Configuring Device Installation Settings
  24. Using the Devices And Printers Folder
  25. Understanding Device Stage
  26. Understanding the Device Experience Architecture
  27. Device Containers
  28. Device display object
  29. Device Metadata System
  30. Managing Device Installation Using Group Policy
  31. Managing Device Installation Behavior
  32. Managing Driver Installation Behavior
  33. Blocking Installation of Removable Devices
  34. Managing Device Redirection Behavior
  35. Troubleshooting Device Installation
  36. Using Windows Error Reporting
  37. Using the SetupAPI Log File
  38. Using Driver INF Files
  39. Using Device Manager Error Codes
  40. Using Driver Verifier
  41. Repairing Driver Store Corruption
  42. Repairing Index File Corruption
  43. Understanding Power Management
  44. Power Management Enhancements in Windows 7
  45. New Power Policies in Windows 7
  46. Configuring Power Management Settings
  47. Configuring Power Management Settings Using the Power Options Utility in Control Panel
  48. Configuring Power Management Settings Using Group Policy
  49. Configuring Power Management Settings Using the Powercfg Utility
  50. Understanding Services
  51. Service Enhancements in Windows 7
  52. Managing Services
  53. Managing Services Using Task Manager
  54. Managing Services Using the Sc.exe Command