Another day, another Microsoft Insider build. However, besides all the bug fixes, a new feature called the ‘Energy Saver‘ mode has made its entry. The Energy Saver mode comes with the latest Windows 11 Insider Build (26002) in the Canary channel. The new feature should be coming to the stable channel of Windows 11 that everyone uses through an easy update at a later time.
Does this replace the previous ‘Battery Saver‘ mode? Microsoft is actually touting this as a way to enhance it. By limiting the system performance by a small amount (Microsoft specified it as “trading off some system performance”), your PC’s energy consumption will decrease considerably with the new feature.
The new mode isn’t restricted to just Windows 11 laptops, either. Desktop computers will also be able to use it to reduce their device’s energy consumption. The ‘Energy Saver‘ feature can be accessed by heading to System > Power > Energy Saver or through the quick settings panel next to the system tray.
The new UI in the quick settings panel also shows ‘Energy Saver‘ in place of the previous feature. Microsoft has not specified where the previous Battery Saver mode goes. Maybe it will be replaced with a power plan setting instead.
So, the new feature should help considerably reduce unnecessary power consumption that usually happens on high-end desktop systems. For example, the Core i5-14600K consumes ~30W of power in the idle state (181W max when in turbo). But after enabling the ‘Balanced‘ power preset, the power consumption stays in the 10-20W range instead.
As we said, we should see this feature soon on the stable channel of Windows 11; however, for now, it is only available on the latest Insider build via the Canary channel. To experience it now, consider installing Windows 11 beta on your PC. But do remember that running an Insider & relying on it for stability at the same time is not guaranteed.
What are your thoughts on the new ‘Energy Saver’ mode introduced in the insider build 26002? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments
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I think Microsoft could make Windows itself more efficient, rather then trying to throttle my hardware. Microsoft even tries to shame me when I change screen sleep or sleep times as somehow not being green enough. Personally, I do not want to degrade my performance to satisfy some obsession with saving a few watts. I want the performance I paid for and prefer Microsoft to focus on its own poor record of Windows using all the resources it does.