In Windows 10, open Settings > System > Battery, enable Turn battery saver on automatically if my battery falls below, and choose the percentage you want. In Windows 11 version 24H2 and later, open Settings > System > Power & battery > Energy saver and change Turn energy saver on when battery level is at.
The threshold is the remaining-charge level that triggers the saver automatically. Choosing a higher percentage makes power-saving behavior start earlier while the battery is discharging. Choosing a lower percentage lets you work longer before those restrictions begin.
These settings do not limit how far the battery charges, repair an aging battery, or determine when the computer goes to sleep. Use the instructions for the Windows version and feature name actually shown on your PC.
Choose the correct Windows instructions
Microsoft replaced Battery saver with Energy saver in Windows 11 24H2 and later. Earlier Windows 11 installations use Battery saver, with a different layout from Windows 10. The names are similar, but their plugged-in behavior is not identical.
| What your PC shows | Settings route |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 Battery saver | System > Battery |
| Earlier Windows 11 Battery saver | System > Power & battery > Battery saver |
| Windows 11 24H2 or later Energy saver | System > Power & battery > Energy saver |
If you do not know your Windows version, press Windows + R, type winver, and press Enter. Read the version in the About Windows dialog, then close it. Use the feature name in Settings to confirm which instructions fit.
Before changing anything, record the current threshold and whether the saver is already on. Save open work before testing on battery power. You can inspect the selected threshold without deliberately draining the battery to a low level.
Change the automatic threshold in Windows 10
The Windows 10 section of Microsoft's battery-saving tips documents the automatic setting and the separate temporary switch.
- Open Settings with Windows + I. Select System, then Battery. This page contains the battery level and Battery saver controls.
- Find the Battery saver section. Enable Turn battery saver on automatically if my battery falls below if its checkbox is currently cleared.
- Choose the trigger percentage. Use the control beside that setting and select the available level you want. Record the selected value so you can compare it with the current battery charge.
- Check the result in Settings. The automatic option should remain enabled and show your chosen percentage. Close Settings when the choice is correct.
Windows 10 Battery saver normally operates while the PC is running on battery. Plugging in can make its manual control unavailable or turn it off. That does not mean your saved automatic threshold was discarded.
To turn it on immediately for the current battery session, use Battery saver status until next charge on the same page. This temporary action is separate from deciding the automatic threshold for future use.
Change the threshold in earlier Windows 11
Use this method if Power & battery contains a section named Battery saver.
- Open Settings > System > Power & battery. The current battery level appears on the page.
- Expand Battery saver. Its automatic trigger and manual controls appear.
- Change Turn battery saver on automatically at. Choose an available percentage from the menu. Some builds also offer choices such as Never or Always.
- Recheck the selected value. Close Settings once the intended trigger is displayed.
Turn on now starts the saver manually when it is available. Turn off now ends the current manual session. Neither action is a substitute for checking the automatic menu if your goal is to change when it starts on future discharges.
Do not expect every Windows build to offer an unrestricted percentage slider. Choose from the controls actually provided on your computer.
Change the threshold in Windows 11 Energy saver
Use this method on Windows 11 24H2 or later when the section is named Energy saver.
- Press Windows + I, then select System > Power & battery. This opens the page with your device's power controls.
- Expand Energy saver. Look for the automatic battery-level setting.
- Choose a level beside Turn energy saver on when battery level is at. Select the available trigger that matches your needs.
- Inspect Always use energy saver separately. If it is on, the saver may remain active independently of the battery threshold. Leave it off when you want to observe the percentage-based behavior alone.
- Check the selected threshold and close Settings. You have changed the automatic trigger; the current on/off state also depends on charge level and any manual or always-on choice.
Microsoft's Energy Saver documentation confirms that it can also be configured for plugged-in use. Therefore, “it always stops when you plug in” is not a reliable rule for this newer feature.
What percentage should you choose?
There is no single threshold that is best for every laptop or workload. Start with the existing setting, then decide whether you need the saver to begin earlier or later. Make one change at a time so you can tell what helped.
For example, suppose your computer offers 20% and 40%. With a 40% trigger, the saver can begin while you still have roughly two-fifths of the displayed charge remaining. At 20%, it waits until the battery is lower. The higher choice gives power-saving behavior more time to affect the session, but also extends the period when background activity or performance may be restricted.
If you often finish the day with plenty of charge, the existing threshold may be sufficient. If you need to keep working far from an outlet, an earlier trigger can be useful. If a demanding task becomes noticeably slower, compare its behavior with the saver off before deciding whether to use a lower trigger.
A percentage is not a promise of minutes remaining. Two laptops at 30% can have very different runtime because their battery capacity, display brightness, hardware, and current workloads differ. Do not rely on a threshold as a guarantee that a long download or meeting will finish before shutdown.
Check whether the new threshold works
You do not need to run the battery down to zero to test this setting. Start by confirming the saved value, current charge, power source, and saver status.
- Reopen the relevant Battery saver or Energy saver section. Confirm that the automatic setting still shows the value you selected.
- Read the current battery percentage. If it is above the trigger, an inactive saver can be normal. For Windows 11, you can also show the battery percentage on the taskbar on supported builds.
- Check whether the charger is connected. For the older Battery saver feature, compare behavior during ordinary unplugged use. Save work before disconnecting the charger.
- Check manual and always-on controls. A manually enabled saver or Always use energy saver can explain why it is active above the selected threshold.
- Observe the next normal discharge. When the battery reaches the selected trigger, check the saver status in Settings. Use the status shown there instead of treating a dimmer screen as conclusive proof.
If you already need the saver now, use its manual control rather than waiting for the automatic trigger. Avoid repeated deep-discharge tests just to validate a preference.
Understand the tradeoffs
Battery saver and Energy saver reduce power consumption by changing some system behavior. Microsoft's Battery Saver reference describes restrictions on background apps, synchronization, and some scheduled activity. The exact effects depend on the feature, app, hardware, and Windows version.
The display may dim if the saver’s brightness option is enabled. Background updates or synchronization can be delayed, so an app that was previously updating while closed may need to be opened. This does not mean every notification or every background program is blocked.
Newer Energy saver also prevents changing Power mode while it is active, according to Microsoft's documentation. If that control is unavailable, check the saver state before trying unrelated fixes.
No fixed runtime improvement applies to every computer. A video export, game, or other demanding workload can still use substantial power with a saver enabled. Think of the threshold as a preference for when Windows begins conserving energy.
Troubleshoot missing or unexpected behavior
The setting has a different name
Look for Energy saver on current Windows 11 or Battery saver on older installations. Windows 10 uses System > Battery; Windows 11 uses System > Power & battery. Do not search for a Windows 10 checkbox on a newer page that uses a menu.
Battery saver is grayed out
Check whether the laptop is plugged in. Older Battery saver is intended for battery operation, so its current-state control may be unavailable while charging. Inspect the saved automatic value separately.
A computer without a battery may not offer a battery percentage trigger. Newer Energy saver can still be useful on desktop systems, but a desktop does not acquire a battery threshold simply because it has an energy-saving feature.
The saver is on above the threshold
Check Always use energy saver, a manually activated saver, and any additional energy-saving behavior offered by your build. A percentage trigger is only one way to enable the feature.
Turn off the manual or always-on choice if you specifically want to test automatic activation. Keep a note of your previous choice so you can restore it afterward.
The selected percentage changes back
On a work or school computer, power policies can determine the available settings. Contact the administrator if the choice is locked or repeatedly restored. Avoid changing registry entries or managed policies to work around an organizational setting.
Microsoft has a technical battery threshold setting with a 0–100 range. That reference does not mean every consumer Settings menu exposes every number. The ordinary Settings route is the appropriate starting point for this task.
The laptop still drains quickly
Confirm whether a demanding app, bright display, or sustained background task explains the usage. Changing the trigger cannot compensate for every workload or restore lost battery capacity.
For a broader review, use our guide to extending battery life in Windows 11. Compare changes under similar conditions instead of measuring one session with light browsing against another with intensive gaming.
Keep these other battery settings separate
Power mode balances performance and energy use. It is different from the percentage that triggers a saver. Microsoft describes its choices in the Windows power mode guide. Hardware and configuration affect which modes appear.
Screen and sleep timeouts determine what happens when the computer is idle. A saver can work while you are actively using the PC. If your goal is to reduce wasted power while away, adjust power and sleep settings separately.
Charging limits control how far a supported laptop charges. An 80% charge limit and a 40% saver threshold can coexist: one concerns charging, while the other concerns power-saving behavior during use. Our 80% charge-limit guide explains manufacturer controls.
Low-battery warnings and critical-battery actions are also separate. Changing a saver trigger is not the same as changing a warning or shutdown action. If the laptop unexpectedly shuts down with substantial charge remaining, save your work and investigate that problem rather than assuming a different saver percentage will repair it.
Undo the threshold change
Return to the same Settings section and restore the percentage you recorded earlier. In Windows 10, restore the automatic checkbox state too. In Windows 11, restore any manual or Always use energy saver choice you changed during testing.
If you changed the brightness option or Power mode as well, restore those individually. Turning off a saver does not necessarily reverse every separate preference you adjusted on the power page.
Frequently asked questions
Does a higher threshold charge the battery sooner?
No. It makes the saver begin at a higher remaining-charge percentage during use. It does not set a charging start level or charging limit.
Is 20% always the default?
Microsoft documents 20% for the older Battery saver feature. Check the value actually configured on your device, especially with newer Energy saver, manufacturer customization, or managed settings. Record that value before changing it.
Can I use the saver all day?
Use the manual or always-on choice offered by your version. Expect the documented power-saving tradeoffs, and check the setting again if an app’s background behavior or a demanding task is affected.
Does plugging in always turn it off?
That describes the older Battery saver behavior. Newer Energy saver can be configured for plugged-in use, so inspect its controls instead of assuming the charger must disable it.
Choose one available threshold, confirm it in Settings, and observe it during normal use. Keep your original value handy so you can easily return to it if the earlier power-saving behavior does not suit your work.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.