How To Add Or Remove The “System Cooling Policy” From Power Options In Windows Windows gives you control over how your device handles cooling. If you want to optimize performance or battery life, knowing how to access or remove the system cooling policy in Power Options is essential. In this video, we'll walk through exactly how to manage that setting in Windows 10 and 11. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne’s IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Changing the system cooling policy helps you balance your PC's performance with battery life. You can enable active cooling, which increases fan usage, or passive cooling, which slows the CPU to reduce heat. If you want to prevent changes or simplify power settings, you can also remove the option entirely. Ways to Add/Remove System Cooling Policy Let's walk through three ways to do that. Using Command Prompt Open Command Prompt as an administrator. To add the cooling policy option, type the following command: “REG ADD” followed by the full registry path for the system cooling policy. Then add the Attributes key, set its value type to DWORD, and set the value to 2. This reveals the option in power options. To remove it, use the “power configuration” command with the “attributes” flag. Specify the processor settings and add the “hide attribute” option. This hides the cooling policy from your Power Options. Using the Registry Editor Open the Registry Editor. Navigate to the registry path that controls the system cooling policy under Power Settings. Find the entry called “Attributes,” hen double-click to edit it. To show the option, change the value to 2. To remove it, change it to 1. Click OK and restart your system to apply the change. Resetting The Power Plan Third, if the option is missing entirely, you can reset your power plan. Go to the Control Panel, then Power Options. Click on “Change plan settings,” then “Change advanced power settings.” Choose “Restore plan defaults,” then confirm. Troubleshooting Tips If the option disappears after a Windows update, go back to the Registry and reset the Attributes value to 2. If the setting won’t stay enabled, run a System File Checker scan by typing “sfc scan now” in an elevated Command Prompt. Still seeing performance issues? Make sure your drivers are up to date, close background apps, and clean your device’s vents for better airflow. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to manage the System Cooling Policy linked in the description below.