Microsoft drops new details on Windows 11 24H2’s improved power-saving mode that could help prolong your laptop’s battery life

A woman sitting at a table, looking at her laptop on the table and writing something down on paper, while in a dark room

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Antonio Guillem)

As the Windows 11 24H2 update draws nearer we’re learning more details about the upgrade, and some fresh info has popped up regarding a power-saving feature.

This is Energy Saver, which is a new, more potent version of the existing Battery Saver, although the idea is naturally the same - to conserve power.

We’ve seen Energy Saver previously in testing, where it became clear that one major benefit over and above Battery Saver is that you can use the former when your PC is plugged in. (That means even with a desktop PC, you can choose to save some Watts - as long as you’re happy with reduced performance - to knock a bit of money off your power bill).

The new details about Energy Saver were spotted by Windows Latest, and they come courtesy of a support document that Microsoft recently updated to show us exactly what Energy Saver will do when it arrives with Windows 11 24H2.

Like Battery Saver - which has been a Windows staple for some time and is also available for Windows 10 - Energy Saver is a mode that can kick in when your laptop’s battery charge gets down to a specified low level, to help the battery last a bit longer (or you can switch it on manually).

A woman laying on the floor and using a computer while drinking a coffee — (Image credit: Shutterstock/Spectral-Design)

How Energy Saver outdoes Battery Saver

Windows Latest distilled the support document published by Microsoft into a handy table laying out all of the differences between Battery Saver and Energy Saver.

One notable change is that when you turn on Energy Saver, you won’t be able to toggle the power mode of your device and adjust it for, say, the best performance or best battery life (presumably because Energy Saver is overriding whatever you choose here). If you want to adjust the power mode, you’ll have to turn off Energy Saver first - otherwise, the power mode slider will be greyed out, according to Windows Latest.

Another difference is that Energy Saver will also turn off transparency effects in windows (Battery Saver doesn’t), and the new feature will curtail more in the way of background app syncing (including switching off OneNote, OneDrive, and Phone Link syncing).

All of these measures help to preserve even more in the way of battery longevity than the past Battery Saver capability - although, in other respects, these two takes on power-saving features are the same (except for the already mentioned ability to use Energy Saver when you're plugged in to the mains).

As someone who likes to challenge my laptops (sometimes unintentionally) in terms of their longevity, I welcome this change as it certainly seems to give users more control over how their devices use up their battery charge.

We should see exactly how Energy Saver works when the 24H2 update debuts, which may not be too far away - though some recent rumors have suggested the upgrade might turn up a bit later than earlier chatter from the grapevine indicated.

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Kristina is a UK-based Computing Writer, and is interested in all things computing, software, tech, mathematics and science. Previously, she has written articles about popular culture, economics, and miscellaneous other topics.

She has a personal interest in the history of mathematics, science, and technology; in particular, she closely follows AI and philosophically-motivated discussions.