The Windows 11 development team is actively enhancing power consumption by introducing updates to the energy settings. These improvements can be found in build 23506 from the Dev Channel and signify Microsoft’s dedication to providing energy statistics for all device types, even traditional desktop computers, not just laptops and tablets.
With the latest update, the “Battery usage” settings on the “Power & battery” page are undergoing a name change to “Energy & battery usage“. Additionally, this section now displays both energy usage data and battery levels. Users of desktop computers and battery-powered devices will have access to the “Energy usage” information, while laptop and tablet users will be able to view both “Energy usage” and “Battery level” details. Moreover, the settings also provide comprehensive data on total energy usage and emissions impact, allowing for a more thorough understanding of device power consumption.
As per usual, the “Energy & battery usage” (or simply “Energy usage”) feature encompasses detailed information on screen and sleep usage, as well as energy consumption data for each individual application. Users can easily access and review these important metrics to gain insights into how their devices are utilizing energy, making it easier to manage and optimize power consumption effectively.
Currently, the updates for the “Power & battery” page on Windows 11 are still in development, and Twitter user @PhantomOfEarth has noticed and shared their discovery. If you’re eager to try out these new settings before their official release, there is a third-party tool available called “ViveTool,” developed by Rafael Rivera and Lucas on GitHub. By using ViveTool, you can enable and experience the upcoming changes on your computer. However, it’s important to exercise caution when using third-party tools, as they may have limitations or potential risks associated with them. Always ensure you download such tools from trusted sources and take the necessary precautions while experimenting with software modifications.
Enable New Energy and Battery Usage Settings on Windows 11
To activate the new Energy & battery usage settings on Windows 11, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Open GitHub website.
- Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to enable the new energy settings.
- Right-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.
- Click the Extract all button.
- Copy the path to the folder.
- Begin by opening the Start menu and then proceed to search for Command Prompt. Once the search results appear, right-click on the top entry and choose the “Run as administrator” function.
- Execute the command provided in order to move to the ViveTool folder, and then press Enter:
cd C:\Users\guidvus\Desktop\ViVeTool-v0.3.3Don’t forget to alter the folder path to match your intended destination when entering the command.
- To enable the Energy & battery usage settings on Windows 11, simply type in the command provided and press the Enter key.
vivetool /enable /id:44663396,44663406- Restart the computer.
After successfully completing the process, the next time you access the Settings app, you’ll notice the newly added Energy & battery usage settings located within the “Power” or “Power & battery” page.
Apart from the enhancements mentioned earlier, the “Energy recommendations” options now offer two additional suggestions for enabling dark mode and optimizing the dynamic refresh rate (where applicable) in order to save energy. These updates are incorporated into build 23506 and will be readily accessible without the need for any extra setup.
On the power consumption page, you can access a comprehensive report that displays energy usage data for either the last 24 hours or the past seven days.
Microsoft also recommends deactivating the screensaver, halting USB devices when the screen is inactive to preserve battery longevity, and employing a dynamic refresh rate. By following these steps, users can efficiently manage power consumption without compromising the seamless performance of their devices.