Edit Power Plan? powercfg.cpl? WTF Windows 11?!
OMG Microsoft
I’m beginning to think that the UX/UI designers at Microsoft are just messing with us. I mean, we’re talking about the company that brought us Clippy — the original harbinger of machine-induced frustration. But here we are in 2024, and I can’t even search for something as simple as *power settings* in Windows 11 without being accosted by PowerPoint.
Like, is this some kind of joke? How is it that I’m just trying to adjust when my screen goes dark, but every time I type “power” into the bottom search bar, Bill Gates’ lovechild, PowerPoint, comes strutting in like it’s the star of the show? Spoiler alert: it’s not. All I want to do is tweak the settings so my display doesn’t sleep when I get up to grab a coffee, not craft a slideshow about why Windows is slowly driving me insane.
How hard can it be for these software engineers and information architects to get this right? We’re in the 21st century, people. These are the same folks who are probably working on AI killer robots, mind you. Yeah, that’s comforting. If they can’t figure out how to differentiate between “power settings” and “PowerPoint,” we’re really in trouble when Skynet inevitably goes live. Do we even stand a chance?
Instead of logical, easy access to the very settings that control my device’s energy consumption — something fundamental, right? So what’s the solution? Do I hire a hacker? Enroll in some sort of advanced user interface course just to figure out where they’ve hidden the power settings? Nope, the answer is simpler than that, just ask ChatGPT how to find this fucking Windows setting:
Prompt
Windows 11 is so annoying, in the bottom bar, when I want to go to the computer’s power settings, when I type “power” it only brings up PowerPoint. What’s the most efficient way to bring up the power/energy menu in Windows 11 bottom search bar?
Response
Windows 11’s search bar can sometimes prioritize apps over system settings, but here’s an efficient way to quickly get to the power/energy settings:
- Type “powercfg.cpl” directly in the search bar. This command will immediately bring up the Power Options panel.
- Alternatively, you can type “edit power plan” instead of just “power.” This will bypass PowerPoint and take you straight to the power settings menu.
Either option should get you there quickly without PowerPoint getting in the way.
