How to Add a “Change Power Plan” Submenu to the Context Menu in Windows 10 & 11

Want to change Windows power plans on the fly? Add a context menu option with these tweaks.

You can change your PC’s power plan with energy saver, Balanced, high performanceand Ultimate performance Options in Windows 11 and 10. However, these options are not particularly accessible in the Control Panel.

A good way to set up shortcuts for these options is to add one Choose power plan Submenu to context menu in Windows 11/10. Then you can access those plan settings from your desktop with just a click or two. Here are two ways you can add a submenu containing power plan options to the context menu in Windows 11/10.

In order to customize the context menu in Windows 11 and 10, we need to tweak the registry in one way or another. You can add one Choose power plan submenu entry into your context menu by creating and running a registry script for this purpose. Here is how you can set up such a registry script using Notepad in Windows 11/10:

1. Open the Windows Notepad app. Our guide includes different methods to open Notepad in Windows.
2. Select this script text and press ctrl + C.

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00	 
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan]
   "Icon"="powercpl.dll"
   "MUIVerb"="Choose Power Plan"
   "Position"="Middle"
   "SubCommands"=""
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\01menu]
   "MUIVerb"="Power Saver"
   "Icon"="powercpl.dll"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\01menu\command]
   @="powercfg.exe /setactive a1841308-3541-4fab-bc81-f71556f20b4a"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\02menu]
   "MUIVerb"="Balanced"
   "Icon"="powercpl.dll"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\02menu\command]
   @="powercfg.exe /setactive 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\03menu]
   "MUIVerb"="High Performance"
   "Icon"="powercpl.dll"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\03menu\command]
   @="powercfg.exe /setactive 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\04menu]
   "MUIVerb"="Ultimate Performance"
   "Icon"="powercpl.dll"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\04menu\command]
   @="powercfg.exe /setactive e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61"
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\05menu]
   "MUIVerb"="Power Options"
   "Icon"="powercpl.dll"
   "CommandFlags"=dword:00000020
   	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan\Shell\05menu\command]
   @="control.exe powercfg.cpl"

3. Paste this script into Notepad by pressing ctrl + v keyboard shortcut.

4. Choose file in the Notepad menu bar.
5. press the file menus Save as Possibility.

6. Next click along the Save as Enter drop down menu and select All files from there. Type power plan script in which filename Crate.
8. click writing desk on the left side of the Save as window to select this location for the file, and then press Save on computer to Add the script to the Windows desktop area.
9. Close Notepad after saving the file.
10. Double-click the power plan script file on the desktop.
11. Choose Yes in the Registry Editor dialog box that appears.
12. click OK in the next dialog box that appears.

Now you can see the new Choose power plan Submenu in the context menu. You need to right click on the desktop and select Show more options to find this submenu in the classic context menu in Windows 11. Hover your cursor over it Choose power plan select one power plan, Balanced, high performanceor Ultimate performance Possibility.

You can remove this submenu by deleting its registry key. Access the registry editor app using a method in our guide to opening Regedit. Then clear the address bar from there to enter this path:

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\PowerPlan

Right click on the power plan button and select the Extinguish Possibility. A dialog window will open asking for confirmation. Choose Yes option there.

The freeware Winaero Tweaker offers another way to add power saving options to the context menu in Windows 11/10. This software includes an Add power options checkbox that you can select to add a Switch power plan submenu to the context menu. These are the steps to add power plan options to the desktop right-click menu with Winaero Tweaker:

1. Go to the Winaero Tweaker download page.
2. Choose Download Winaero Tweaker on the software’s website.
3. Install the downloaded software as described in our guide on how to customize Windows 11 with Winaero Tweaker.
4. Launch the Winaero Tweaker software.
5. Double-click Winaero context menu category to select it.

6. click Change power plan to display the setting shown directly below.
7. Then select the Add switching power Context menu on the desktop check box.

You see now Change power plan Submenu in the context menu of the desktop in Windows 11/10. This submenu is slightly different from the one added by the script as it doesn’t include an Ultimate Performance option. However, you can still choose energy saver, Balancedand high performance options.

Winaero Tweaker also has an alternative customization option that adds a Power Options submenu to the context menu. This submenu provides shortcuts to open the Control Panel Power Settings. You can add it to the context menu by selecting it power options > Add power options to desktop context menu in the Winaero Tweaker.

Make the power plan settings in Windows more accessible

Now you don’t have to rummage around the control panel to change power plan settings. Adding a Power Plan submenu to the context menu makes these options more directly accessible from the desktop area in Windows 11/10. It provides handy shortcuts for users who regularly change their PC’s power plan settings.