How to Restore Power Plans in Windows 10/11 with Ease

Why Windows Power Plans Missing?

Power plans in Windows are essential for controlling how your system uses power. Whether you want to conserve battery life on a laptop or boost performance on a desktop, the power plan settings are a vital part of managing your system's energy consumption. However, sometimes users encounter a situation where their power plans are missing or not showing up in the Power Options menu.

There are several common reasons why you may find your power plans missing in Windows 10/11. Some of the main causes include:

• Power Settings Configuration Issues: If you’ve recently made changes to your system’s power settings or installed new software, this can mess with your power plan options.
• Changes in Group Policy: In some cases, group policy settings (often set by system administrators in a corporate environment) can disable access to certain power plans.
• Windows Updates: Occasionally, a Windows update might disrupt system settings, including power plans.
• Incorrect Registry Settings: Windows registry keys that control power plans can become corrupted or modified, causing the power plans to disappear.
• Corrupted System Files: Sometimes, your Windows files might get corrupted due to software conflicts or improper system shutdowns, causing power plans to disappear.

How to Restore Power Plans in Windows 10/11

Restoring missing power plans on Windows 10 and 11 doesn't have to be difficult. Below are some effective methods.

Way 1. Restore Missing Power Plans via Command Prompt

Command Prompt is a powerful tool in Windows that allows you to execute advanced commands to manage system settings. Here’s how you can use it to fix Windows 10 power plans missing:

Step 1. Press Windows Key + S and type CMD in the Windows search box.

Step 2. Right click Command Prompt and choose Run as Administrator.

Step 3. Type the commands below to restore missing power plans on Windows 11/10 one by one, followed with Enter:

• powercfg -duplicatescheme a1841308-3541-4fab-bc81-f71556f20b4a (for Power saver）
• powercfg -duplicatescheme 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e (for Balanced)
• powercfg -duplicatescheme 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c (for High Performance)
• powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61 (for Ultimate Performance)

Step 4. After executing these commands, go back to Control Panel > Power Options and check if the missing plans are now available.

Way 2. Restore Default Power Plans using Configuration Files

If you have a backup or access to default power plan files for your power plans, you can fix Windows power plans missing by restoring them manually with the following guidelines.

Step 1. Download the power plan ZIP file containing Windows power plan files and extract it.

Step 2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and use the powercfg -import "\.pow" command to import them. Here’s an example of the command:

powercfg -import "C:\Users\Sam\Downloads\Default_Power_Plans\High performance.pow"

Step 3. Repeat the step to import other power plan files and then restart your computer and check if the power plans are back.

Way 3. Create Custom Power Plans

If the default power plans are still missing, you can create a custom power plan to restore default power plans on Windows 11 and 10.

Step 1. Right-click the Start button and select Power Options.

Step 2. On the left side of the Power Options window, click Create a power plan.

Step 3. You will be prompted to choose a plan type (Balanced, Power Saver, or High Performance). Select one, and then customize the settings according to your preferences.

Step 4. Give your custom plan a name, and click Next. Customize sleep and display settings, then click Create.

Way 4. Restore Missing Power Plans by Registry

In some cases, missing power plans are caused by incorrect or corrupt registry entries. Restoring these registry settings manually can help bring the power plans back to life. However, before modifying the registry, always ensure your important data are backed-up.

Step 1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and hit Enter.

Step 2. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power

Step 3. Click on the Power folder, and double-click CsEnabled on the right side.

Step 4. Enter 0 under the Value data box and make sure the Base is set to Hexadecimal. Then, click OK.

Backup Windows PC to Keep Everything Safe and Sound

It is always a good idea to back up your system, especially when making changes to system settings or the registry. Having a backup ensures that if anything goes wrong, you can restore computer to its previous date.

One excellent tool to backup your Windows PC is AOMEI Backupper Standard. It is a free, easy-to-use backup solution that allows you to create backups of your files, OS system, disks, and partitions.

Step 1. Open the AOMEI Backupper software and click Backup > System Backup.

Step 2. You just need to select a destination, as it will select system partition and boot-related partitions automatically.

Step 3. Click Start Backup to backup your Windows system.

Verdict

Restoring missing power plans in Windows 10/11 is relatively easy, and you have several methods at your disposal. Whether you're using PowerShell, modifying registry settings, or creating custom power plans, you can get your system back to its optimal performance in no time. Additionally, always ensure that you back up your system to protect your data before making any changes.