powercfg (executable name powercfg.exe) is a command-line utility that is used from an elevated Windows Command Prompt to control all configurable power system settings, including hardware-specific configurations that are not configurable through the Control Panel, on a per-user basis. It was first introduced by Microsoft in Windows XP SP2 in 2004.^[1][2]

powercfg must be run from an elevated command prompt, and, under Windows XP, it requires workstation Administrator or power user rights. Power Schemes are configured on a per-user basis. The most common cause of problems with power saving and hibernation on Windows systems is an incompatible device driver. This can be diagnosed by disabling each device in turn (with powercfg /devicedisablewake). When activating power saving across a local area network, it is important to ensure that software updates, security patches and antivirus updates in particular, are not disrupted. Microsoft recommends that its Windows Server Update Services be configured to install updates when workstations are available and Windows Task Scheduler can be set to wake the machine when needed.

XP

POWERCFG [/LIST | /QUERY [name] | /CREATE name | /DELETE name | /SETACTIVE name | /CHANGE name settings | /HIBERNATE {ON|OFF} | /NUMERICAL int | /EXPORT name [/FILE filename] | /IMPORT name [/FILE filename] | /GLOBALPOWERFLAG {ON|OFF} /OPTION flag | /BATTERYALARM {LOW|CRITICAL} [settings] | /DEVICEQUERY flagquery | /DEVICEENABLEWAKE devicename | /DEVICEDISABLEWAKE devicename | /?]

Vista, Server 2008, 7

powercfg [/l[ist]] [/q[uery] [Scheme_GUID] [Sub_GUID]] ] [/x setting value] [/changename GUID name [scheme_description]] [/duplicatescheme GUID [DestinationGUID]] [/d[elete] GUID] [/deletesetting Sub_GUID Setting_GUID] [/s[etactive] Scheme_GUID] [/getactivescheme] [/setacvalueindex Scheme_GUID Sub_GUID Setting_GUID SettingIndex] [/setdcvalueindex Scheme_GUID Sub_GUID Setting_GUID SettingIndex] [/h[ibernate] [on|off]] [/a[vailablesleepstates]] [/devicequery query_flags] [/deviceenablewake devicename] [/devicedisablewake devicename] [/import filename [GUID]] [/export filename [GUID]] [/lastwake] [/aliases] [/setsecuritydescriptor [GUID|Action] SDDL] [/getsecuritydescriptor [GUID|Action]] [/requests] [/requestsoverride Caller_type Name Request] [/energy [/output filename] [/xml] [/duration seconds] [/trace [/d filepath]] [/waketimers] [/?]

monitor-timeout-ac minutes
monitor-timeout-dc minutes
disk-timeout-ac minutes
disk-timeout-dc minutes
standby-timeout-ac minutes
standby-timeout-dc minutes
hibernate-timeout-ac minutes
hibernate-timeout-dc minutes
processor-throttle-ac throttle
processor-throttle-dc throttle

Power scheme GUIDs

The use of GUIDs avoids any problems with internationalisation when applying Power Saving to non-English versions of Windows. The three built-in power schemes have the aliases listed below, which can be used instead of the GUIDs:

• SCHEME_MAX = Power saver (Max power saving)
• SCHEME_BALANCED = Balanced (Typical)
• SCHEME_MIN = High performance (Min power saving)

The other GUIDs have aliases as well.

Lists all power schemes

powercfg /l

List all Aliases

powercfg -aliases

Retrieve the currently active power scheme

powercfg -getactivescheme

Set the Monitor and disc timeouts for the current Power saver scheme

powercfg -Change -monitor-timeout-ac 20
powercfg -Change -disk-timeout-ac 30

Enable the mouse to wake from sleep

powercfg -deviceEnableWake "Microsoft USB IntelliMouse Explorer"

Set the 'Power saver' scheme

powercfg -SETACTIVE SCHEME_MAX

Create a Custom Power scheme and set it as active

Set _Custom_Power=B1234567-SS64-SS64-SS64-F00000111AAA
powercfg -DUPLICATESCHEME SCHEME_MAX %_Custom_Power%
powercfg -CHANGENAME %_Custom_Power% "SS64 Power Scheme "
powercfg -SETACTIVE %_Custom_Power%

Disable the sleep button (for the users current power scheme)

For /f "tokens=2 delims=:(" %%G in ('powercfg -getActiveScheme') do (
  powercfg -setAcValueIndex %%G sub_buttons sButtonAction 0
  powercfg -setActive %%G
)

Disable the sleep button (for all available power schemes)

For /f "skip=2 tokens=2,4 delims=:()" %%G in ('powercfg -list') do (
  powercfg -setAcValueIndex %%G sub_buttons sButtonAction 0
  if "%%H" == " *" powercfg -setActive %%G
)

• List of Control Panel applets (Windows)#Standard applets

• John Paul Mueller (2007). Windows Administration at the Command Line for Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0470165799.

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Guide to Windows Commands

• "Powercfg command-line options". Microsoft. 27 October 2017.
• "How to use Powercfg.exe to create a Group Policy object for power schemes in Windows XP". Microsoft. 12 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-06-21.