📖Adjust Power Settings

I've got the power!

The power settings in elementary OS help you optimize power usage, control system behavior during different power states, and conserve energy. Laptop owners will find this functionality especially useful.

To enter the power settings, open the System Settings and navigate to the Power section, or type and select Power in the Apps Menu.

Mind that the Power section in the System Settings look different for desktops and laptops due to the hardware technical aspects. For desktops, some options may be missing.

Power Management in elementary OS (Laptop View)

Choose Power Mode

The simplest way to manage power usage is to choose a Power management mode. Open the Power settings, and select one of the following at the bottom of the section:

• Power Saver

  This mode reduces performance and power usage, and thus maximizes battery life. Can be turned on automatically when the battery is low.

• Balanced

  The mode that enables average performance and power usage. Happy middle ground for most cases.

• Performance

  Enables high performance and power usage. Optimal choice if your computer is running on AC power. Good for gaming or working with resource-consuming apps.

Adjust Brightness

Adjusting the display brightness controls the intensity of the screen backlight. Lowering the brightness level reduces power consumption, and thus extending battery life and reducing eye strain.

There are two options to adjust the display brightness:

• Manually

  Open the Power settings, and adjust the brightness level by moving the Display brightness slider. The quicker way is to click the Power indicator in the Panel, and adjust brightness right in the pop-up menu.

• Automatically

  If your device is equipped with an integrated light sensor, you can use the benefit of controlling the screen brightness automatically depending on different ambient light conditions. Enable the Automatically adjust brightness toggle to turn the function on.

Turn Off Display When Inactive

You can specify the period of inactivity after which the display will be turned off, thus helping save energy and prolong battery life.

Navigate to the Power settings, and select the period from the associated drop-down list. You can select from minutes, hours, or set the period to Never if you do not need to care about turning off your display at all.

Specify Power Button Behavior

This setting allows you to speed up the process of suspending or turning off by choosing the action for the system to perform when you press the power button: Prompt to shut down, Suspend, or Do nothing (if you have no peculiar preferences).

It's convenient because you don't have to click the power indicator in the Panel first, and then select the function from the drop-down.

In case of emergency (system frozen, urgent need to turn off, etc.), pressing and holding the power button shuts down the system no matter what option you select for the power button behavior. This is an extreme measure and usually the last resort, so it's not recommended as a daily practice in order not to harm your system or hardware.

Lid Close Function

The following settings can be useful for laptop owners. You can choose the action for the system to perform when you close the laptop lid.

• When lid is closed

  Choose whether the system should suspend, shut down, lock, halt, or do nothing (if you want it to be on all the time).

• When lid is closed with external monitor

  You can choose from the same options as above but for the case when you plugged in an external monitor to your laptop.

Changes will take effect after you restart the computer.

Changing the lid close function requires administrator rights. First, click Unlock in the top-right, enter the administrator password, and then proceed with the settings.

Suspend When Inactive

Suspend mode, also known as sleep or standby mode, is a power-saving state where your computer consumes minimal power while maintaining the current session.

You can specify the period of inactivity after which the system suspends automatically. For laptops, you can configure independent settings for Plugged In and On Battery states.

1. Open the System Settings and navigate to the Power section.

2. Click the Plugged In button.

3. From the drop-down below, select the period of inactivity after which the system should suspend.

4. Click the On Battery button.

5. From the drop-down below, select the period of inactivity after which the system should suspend.

Done. The period of inactivity for the system to suspend is configured for both power states independently.