Solved Registry power plans - changing Attributes value vs adding key to user plan

fruh · Sep 25, 2022

Hi, I'm exploring the Registry

I have noticed that the usual procedure for enabling hidden advanced power settings involves changing (or adding) the Attributes Dword value to 0 or 2 (1 for hidden). In this case, the Attributes Dword is added to the PowerSetting key of interest under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\PowerSettings, where it seems like all the possible advanced power settings keys are stored independently from power plans (or schemes).

The actual user power plans are located under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\User\PowerSchemes (where the windows energy saver overlay and active power plan are specified too). Here though, under the keys of every specific user PowerScheme, not every PowerSetting key is present for every PowerScheme.

So, is there a difference between un-hiding PowerSettings using the Attributes Dword under Power\PowerSettings and directly adding a PowerSetting key to a PowerScheme under Power\User\PowerSchemes? Could it be that Attributes defines the general un/hiding of the PowerSettings while adding a specific key to a specific power plan is the specific way to do the same thing?

Also, some keys which have both AC and DC Dword values specified under Power\PowerSettings only actually have one of them under \Power\User\PowerSchemes (for example, the energy saver setting which is enabled only when the PC is running on battery); could it be possible to add the missing Dword directly under the desired power scheme?

Attached is a screenshot of regedit showing how one of the user PowerSchemes keys refer to the PowerSettings above; the PowerSettings keys under Power\User\PowerSchemes are only there for storing the user-set values, while the keys in their complete form (description etc) are stored under Power\PowerSettings

Thanks to anyone who will reply :)

TM21 · Sep 25, 2022

WELL, I'm totally lost! What are you actually trying to do? And, WHY?

If I just wait to see what others have to say, maybe I'll understand it better.
Y'all have a nice day now,
TM

fruh · Sep 25, 2022

@TechnoMage2021 tryna find out if there is actual public knowledge about the registry

PerpetualCycle · Sep 25, 2022

Yes, I do this registry hack to reveal hidden "expert" power settings in the power plans that I wish to change. I don't have a laptop, so am not concerned about AC/DC. However, I would think that Microsoft would handle that automatically. Personally I wouldn't mess with that, but just the attribute keyword. to expose the settings.

Just so people understand what we are talking about:

fruh · Sep 26, 2022

Alright then, I decided to try myself. At first I added Energy Saver settings to Power Options following this tutorial, then I added the missing ACSettingIndex Dword to the Energy Saver - Charge level key in my user power plan. Then,the missing AC setting was shown by editing its Attributes Dword to 2, but was not adjustable in Control Panel; manually adding the ACSettingIndex Dword to its registry key under ...\User\PowerSchemes made the AC setting actually adjustable in Control Panel, so now I can enable Energy Saver also when my laptop is plugged in. (clarified on 2024/10/24)

Through Control panel I have also set the Energy Saver behaviour to aggressive for plugged-in state, which automatically created the missing key in my user power plan, since this one was actually editable. (As of 2024/10/24 I don't remember what I meant by this statement lol)

Here's what I've found about power schemes (or power plans) in the registry (my own understanding) (updated 2024/10/24)
(for readability I'll abbreviate the "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power" path as "...")
- default power plan dword values are stored under ...\PowerSettings\"settingscategory"\"setting"\DefaultPowerSchemesValues\"powerscheme"
- non-default dwords values are stored under ...\User\PowerSchemes\"powerscheme"\"settingscategory"\"setting"
- setting the attributes dword value=2 only makes the correspondent keys visible in Control Panel
- for a key to be effective it must be present under ...\User\PowerSchemes
- for a key to be both effective and editable from Control Panel it needs both ...\User\PowerSchemes and attributes=2 conditions to be true

It looks like if there already is a Dword specified for a key under \User\PowerSchemes, setting the Attributes Dword to 2 under \PowerSettings will just show it, but not override it by making the missing Dwords editable; instead, if the keys made available through Attributes under \PowerSettings were completely missing, the registry will automatically add them if the user modifies them through control panel.

In the end, it had to make sense in some way I guess

Attached is a screenshot of my custom power plan with Energy Saver enabled for AC too; comparisons can be made with standard user power plans too, since not everyone will have exactly my custom power plan key

fruh · Oct 3, 2024

Happy to see that with 24H2 microsoft decided to allow enabling Energy Saver on AC too. You're welcome MS lol xD

Only had to momentarily switch power plan to make the new settings work properly but oh well

Solved Registry power plans - changing Attributes value vs adding key to user plan

fruh

Well-known member

Attachments

My Computer

System One

TM21

Banned

My Computer

System One

fruh

Well-known member

My Computer

System One

PerpetualCycle

Syzygy

My Computers

System One System Two

fruh

Well-known member

Attachments

My Computer

System One

fruh

Well-known member

My Computer

System One

Latest Support Threads

Latest Tutorials