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Powercfg

Updated: April 17, 2012

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

Control power settings and configure computers to default to Hibernate or Standby modes.

The Powercfg.exe tool is installed with Windows.

Syntax

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][/?]

Parameters

Parameter Description

/list

/l

Lists all power schemes in the current user's environment.

/q[uery] [<Scheme_GUID>] [<Sub_GUID>]

Displays the contents of the specified power scheme.

<SCHEME_GUID>

(Optional) Specifies the GUID of the power scheme to display. Can be obtained by using the powercfg /l command.

<SUB_GUID>

(Optional) Specifies the GUID of the subgroup to display. Requires a <SCHEME_GUID> to be provided.

If neither <SCHEME_GUID> or <SUB_GUID> are provided, the settings of the current user's active power scheme are displayed.

If <SUB_GUID> is not specified, all settings in the specified power scheme are displayed.

<Scheme_GUID>

Specifies the GUID of the power scheme to display.

<Sub_GUID>

Specifies the GUID of the subgroup to display.

/change <setting> <value>

/x <setting> <value>

Modifies a setting value in the current power scheme.

<setting>

Specifies one of the following settings:

/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>

<value>

Specifies the value in minutes.

/changename <GUID> <name> [<scheme_description>]

Modifies the name of a power scheme and, optionally, the scheme description.

 

Value Description

<GUID>

Specifies the GUID of the power scheme

<name>

Specifies the name of the power scheme.

<scheme_description>

Describes the power scheme.

If the description is omitted, then only the name will be changed.

/duplicatescheme <GUID> [<DestinationGUID>]

Duplicates the specified power scheme. The resulting GUID which represents the new scheme will be displayed.

 

Value Description

<GUID>

Specifies a scheme GUID. Obtained by using the powercfg /l command.

<DestinationGUID>

Specifies the GUID where the scheme will be copied.

If <DestinationGUID> is omitted, then a new GUID will be created for the duplicated scheme.

/d[elete] <GUID>

Deletes the power scheme with the specified GUID.

<GUID>

Specifies the GUID of the scheme. Obtained by using the powercfg /l command.

/deletesetting <Sub_GUID> <Setting_GUID>

Deletes a power setting.

 

Value Description

<Sub_GUID>

Specifies the subgroup GUID.

<Setting_GUID>

Specifies the power setting GUID.

/s[etactive] <Scheme_GUID>

Makes the specified power scheme active on the computer.

<Scheme_GUID>

Specifies the scheme GUID.

/getactivescheme

Retrieves the currently active power scheme.

/setacvalueindex <Scheme_GUID> <Sub_GUID> <Setting_GUID> <SettingIndex>

Sets a value associated with a specified power setting while the computer is powered by AC power.

 

Value Description

<Scheme_GUID>

Specifies a power scheme GUID. Obtained by using the powercfg /l command.

<Sub_GUID>

Specifies a subgroup of power setting GUID. Obtained by using the powercfg /q command.

<Setting_GUID>

Specifies an individual power setting GUID. Obtained by using the powercfg /q command.

<SettingIndex>

Specifies which of the list of possible values this power setting will be set to.

/setdcvalueindex <Scheme_GUID> <Sub_GUID> <Setting_GUID> <SettingIndex>

Sets a value associated with a specified power setting while the computer is powered by DC power.

 

Value Description

<Scheme_GUID>

Specifies a power scheme GUID. Obtained by using the powercfg /l command.

<Sub_GUID>

Specifies a subgroup of power setting GUID. Obtained by using the powercfg /q command.

<Setting_GUID>

Specifies an individual power setting GUID. Obtained by using the powercfg /q command.

<SettingIndex>

Specifies which of the list of possible values this power setting will be set to.

/h[ibernate] [on|off]

Enables or disables the hibernate feature. Hibernate timeout is not supported on all computers.

/a[vailablesleepstates]

Reports the sleep states available on the computer. Attempts to report reasons why sleep states are unavailable.

/devicequery <query_flags>

Returns a list of devices that meet the specified criteria.

<query_flags>

Specifies one of the following criteria:

 

Value Description

wake_from_S1_supported

Returns all devices that support waking the computer from a light sleep state.

wake_from_S2_supported

Returns all devices that support waking the computer from a deeper sleep state.

wake_from_S3_supported

Returns all devices that support waking the computer from the deepest sleep state.

wake_from_any

Returns all devices that support waking the computer from any sleep state.

S1_supported

Lists devices supporting light sleep.

S2_supported

Lists devices supporting deeper sleep.

S3_supported

Lists devices supporting deepest sleep.

S4_supported

Lists devices supporting hibernation.

wake_programmable

Lists devices that are user/configurable to wake the computer from a sleep state.

wake_armed

Lists devices that are currently configured to wake the computer from any sleep state.

all_devices

Returns all devices present in the computer.

all_devices_verbose

Returns a verbose list of devices.

/deviceenablewake <devicename>

Enables the device to wake the computer from a sleep state.

<devicename>

Specifies a device retrieved by using the powercfg /devicequery wake_programmable command.

Example:

/devicedisablewake <devicename>

Disables the device from waking the computer from a sleep state.

<devicename>

Specifies a device retrieved by using the powercfg /devicequery wake_armed command.

/import <filename> [<GUID>]

Imports all power settings from the specified file.

<filename>

Specifies a fully qualified path to a file generated by using the /export command-line option.

<GUID>

(optional) Represents the settings loaded into a power scheme. If not supplied, Powercfg will generate and use a new GUID

/export <filename> [<GUID>]

Exports a power scheme, represented by the specified GUID, to the specified file.

<filename>

Specifies a fully qualified path to a destination file.

<GUID>

Specifies a power scheme GUID. Obtained by using the /l command-line option.

/lastwake

Reports information about the event that woke the computer from the last sleep transition.

/aliases

Displays all aliases and their corresponding GUIDs. The user may use these aliases in place of any GUID at the command prompt

/setsecruitydescriptor [<GUID>|<Action>] <SDDL>

Sets a security descriptor associated with a specified power setting, power scheme, or action.

<GUID>

Specifies a power scheme or a power setting GUID.

<Action>

Specifies one of the following strings: ActionSetActive, ActionCreate, ActionDefault

<SDDL>

Specifies a valid security descriptor string in SDD format. Use powercfg /getsecuritydescriptor to see an example SDDL STRING.

/getsecuritydescriptor [<GUID>|<Action>]

Gets a security descriptor associated with a specified power setting, power scheme, or action.

<GUID>

Specifies a power scheme or a power setting GUID.

<Action>

Specifies one of the following strings: ActionSetActive, ActionCreate, ActionDefault

/requests

Enumerate application and driver Power Requests. Power requests prevent the computer from automatically powering off the display or entering a low-power sleep mode.

/requestsoverride <Caller_type> <Name> <Request>

Sets a Power Request override for a particular Process, Service, or Driver. If no parameters are specified, this command displays the current list of Power Request Overrides.

 

Value Description

<Caller_type>

Specifies one of the following caller types: PROCESS, SERVICE, DRIVER. This is obtained by calling the powercfg /requests command.

<Name>

Specifies the caller name. This is the name returned from calling powercfg /requests command.

<Request>

Specifies one or more of the following Power Request Types: Display, System, Awaymode.

/energy

Analyzes the system for common energy-efficiency and battery life problems. The /energy command should be used when the computer is idle and with no open programs or documents. The /energy command will generate an HTML report file in the current path.

 

Value Description

/output <filename>

Specifies the path and filename to store the energy report HTML file.

/xml

Formats the report file as XML.

/trace

Records system behavior and does not perform analysis. Trace files will be generated in the current path unless the /d parameter is specified.

/d <filepath>

Specifies the directory to store trace data. May only be used with the /trace parameter.

/duration <seconds>

Specifies the number of seconds to observe system behavior. Default is 60 seconds

/waketimers

Enumerates the active wake timers. If enabled, the expiration of a wake timer wakes the system from sleep and hibernate states.

/?

Displays Help at the command prompt.

Examples

To set the monitor idle timeout value to five minutes when operating on AC power:

powercfg /change /monitor/timeout/ac 5

To set the power setting's AC value to the fifth entry in the list of possible values for this power setting:

powercfg /setacvalueindex <Scheme_GUID> <Sub_GUID> <Setting_GUID> 5

To set the power setting's DC value to the fifth entry in the list of possible values for this power setting:

powercfg /setdcvalueindex <Scheme_GUID> <Sub_GUID> <Setting_GUID> 5

To enable the Microsoft USB IntelliMouse Explorer device to wake the computer from a sleep state:

powercfg /deviceenablewake "Microsoft USB IntelliMouse Explorer"

To import all power settings from the scheme.pow file:

powercfg /import c:\scheme.pow

To export a power scheme, represented by the GUID 381b4222/f694/41f0/9685/ff5bb260df2e to the scheme.pow file:

powercfg /export c:\scheme.pow 381b4222/f694/41f0/9685/ff5bb260df2e

Additional references