"Respect power settings when indexing" in Windows 11. Respect power settings when indexing is an important control in Windows 11. It helps you decide when the search indexer should run, and it can reduce power use on laptops and other mobile devices. Let's walk through how the feature works and the different ways you can manage it. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Why this setting matters. Next, let's look at why this option exists. Search indexing scans your files and catalogs their contents so Windows can return results quickly. This process benefits performance, but it can draw noticeable power during heavy indexing cycles. When a device switches to a power-saving mode, pausing indexing prevents unnecessary battery drain. This gives users smoother performance on low power and helps administrators ensure consistent behavior across their environments. How to configure the setting as an individual user. After that, individual users can manage the feature through the Settings app. Open the Start menu, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, and select Searching Windows. Under Indexing Status, toggle Respect power settings when indexing. Windows applies the change immediately. At the same time, advanced users can set the value in the registry. Open Registry Editor and navigate to HKeyLocalMachine\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsSearch\Gather\Windows\SystemIndex. Set the RespectPowerModes DWORD to one to enable the feature or zero to disable it. Restart Windows when finished. How administrators can manage it at scale. Meanwhile, administrators can use Group Policy in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Open the Local Group Policy Editor and go to Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Search. Set Prevent indexing when running on battery power to the preferred value. This enforces consistent behavior on managed devices and helps avoid accidental changes. For more information, check out our official blog post on respect power settings when indexing linked in the description below.