How to specify a default active power plan. In Windows, everyone uses their device for different purposes at different frequencies. That's why your battery power plan should match your device's performance and energy needs. In this video, we'll show you how to specify a default active power plan in Windows. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to Ninja One's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel. For more tech content like this, windows Power Plans. Setting a default power plan in Windows helps optimize performance, conserve energy, and maintain system consistency, especially across multiple devices or users. Windows offers several built-in power plans, balanced default power plan, balancing performance and energy use. Power Saver reduces power consumption to extend battery life high performance maximizes system performance, but consumes more energy. Ultimate performance designed for high-end workstations. Available on Windows 10 Pro for workstations and Windows 11. Each plan adjusts how your system manages power, balancing speed, battery life, and energy usage. You can also create custom power plans tailored to your needs as you'll see in the next section, customize your power plan to set a default plan using control panel press Windows plus R type control and press enter. Go to hardware and sound power options, then choose your preferred plan. Under choose a power plan, close the window to apply the changes. For more control, use command prompt. Open it as administrator type power CFG slash list to view available power plans. Copy the GUID of the plan you want. Type power CFG slash set active GUID to set it as the default. Confirm the change with power CFG slash get active scheme. PowerShell offers the same functionality. Open PowerShell as administrator. Retrieve available power plans. Type the following command power CFG slash list and press enter. Set a default power plan type the following command Power CFG slash set active GUID. Replace GUID with the GUID of the preferred Power plan. Press enter. Verify the change. Type the following command Power CFG slash get active scheme. Press enter Close. PowerShell group policy is a powerful tool in enterprise environments. Open group policy editor, press win plus R type GP edit dot msc, and click okay. Navigate to the policy setting. Go to computer configuration administrative templates, system power management. Modify the policy in the right pane, double click select and active power plan, select enabled. Then choose the preferred power plan from the dropdown menu. Apply and save. Click okay. Close group policy editor and restart the computer if necessary. For domain wide management, use the group policy management console to apply these settings across organizational units. Open group, policy management console, press, win plus R type G, PC dot msc, and click okay. Navigate to the policy object. Expand the domain or organizational unit ou, where the policy is applied. Edit the group policy object, GPO. Right. Click the relevant GPO and select edit. Go to computer configuration policies, administrative templates, system power management. Double click select an active power plan. Enable it and choose the desired plan. Apply the policy, save changes, and ensure the GPO is applied to the target devices. You can also edit the Windows registry. Retrieve the power plan, GUID, open command prompt type the following command power CFG slash list. Note the GUID of the power plan. You want to specify Open registry editor, press win plus R type reg edit and click okay. Navigate to the registry key. Go to H key local machine software policies, Microsoft Power, power settings. Modify the registry key. If the power settings key does not exist, create it in the right pane. Create a string value named active power scheme. Set its value to the GUID of the selected power plan. Save and restart close registry editor, and restart the computer. Specifying a default active power plan ensures consistent performance, energy savings, and easier system management. Whether you're optimizing a single laptop or managing a corporate network, choosing the right method will help you maintain control and efficiency. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to specify a default active power plan in Windows linked in the description below.