Large technology companies are very environmentally conscious. All of these companies have plans in place to work with a carbon footprint neutral, or negative. They are very committed to renewable and green energy, and they plant trees to offset the impact they have on the environment. But the measures do not stop there, and some, like Microsoft, also seek to bring energy savings to users’ homes.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 have several features of energy saving. These measures were originally intended for laptop users, as even their name (Battery Saver) indicated this. This function was only available for laptops, and was activated automatically when the battery charge reached 20%. The aim was to extend the battery life as much as possible without users having to connect the charger.
Now, Microsoft has created a new feature for Windows 11 that will allow us reduce the power consumption of any PCnot just for laptops anymore. And we can also activate it whenever we want. This is the new energy-saving function.
Power saving in Windows 11
This new feature is set to roll out alongside the next Windows 11 update, 24H2. And it won’t be available on any other versions of Windows 11, or even Windows 10, at first.
One of its main features is that we will be able to activate this function of energy saving whenever we want, as well as configuring it to activate when the battery reaches a specific percentage, or having it always activated, even when we have the PC connected to the power.
When activated, the screen brightness will be set to 30%, although you can adjust it manually. All transparencies and system effects will also be disabled, most apps running in the background will be blocked (except for some categories, such as VOIP), non-critical Windows updates will not be installed, and will block system telemetry when this mode is enabled, many apps that sync in the background will also stop syncing.
Finally, for scheduled tasks to be executed, they must meet certain requirements:
- Not being dependent on the background.
- Not configured as automatic maintenance.
- Run only when the user is logged in.
However, once activated we will not be able to change the power mode of the device, so it will operate at a minimum to save as much energy as possible.
24H2 Update Released
As we have already mentioned, this will be one of the many new features that Microsoft is preparing for us with the 24H2 Windows 11. It will undoubtedly be a very complete update that will mark a point of maturity for the operating system and that will prepare the arrival of something bigger in the not too distant future. Windows 12? Who knows.
Microsoft has not yet confirmed the exact date for the release of this new update, but if everything goes according to plan, it should reach all users after the summer, between the months of October and November.