Power Button - Start Menu

How to Change the Default Windows 7 Start Menu Power Button Action​

   Information

This will show you how to change the Windows 7 Start Menu power button default action for the current user account or all user accounts to be either Switch User, Log Off, Lock, Restart, Sleep, Hibernate, or Shutdown when clicked on.

   Tip

The Hibernate option will not be available in the Start Menu Power Button unless you have hibernate enabled and have hybrid sleep turned off in your Power Plan Options.

EXAMPLE: Start Menu Power Button

OPTION ONE

Through Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

NOTE: This option will let you change the default action for the Start Menu power button only in the user account that you are currently logged on.
1. Right click on the Start button and click on Properties.

2. To the right of Power button action, select the action that you want for the Start Menu power button and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The Hibernate option will not be listed unless you enable hibernate and have turned off the Hybrid sleep option in the Power Plan Settings. If you are using Hybrid sleep, then you would select Sleep from below.

OPTION TWO

Through Advanced Power Options

NOTE: This option will let you change the default action for the Start Menu power button only in the user account that you are currently logged on.
1. Open Advanced Power Options for your power plan.

2. Scroll down, and expand the Power buttons and lid and Power button action options. (see screenshot below step 3)

3. To the right of the Power button action Setting, select the action you would like for the Start Menu power button and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The Hibernate option will not be listed unless you enable hibernate and have turned off the Hybrid sleep option in the Power Plan Settings. If you are using Hybrid sleep, then you would select Sleep from below.

OPTION THREE

Through System Settings

NOTE: This option will let you change the default action for the Start Menu power button only in the user account that you are currently logged on. This will also change the Power button setting in all power plans in your user account.
1. Open the Control Panel (Icons View), and click on the Power Options icon.

2. In the left pane, click on the Choose what the power buttons do link. (see screenshot below)

3. To the right of When I press the power button, select the action that you want for the Start Menu power button in the drop down box and click on the Save changes button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The Save changes button will remain grayed out until you make a change in the settings. The Hibernate option will not be listed unless you enable hibernate and have turned off the Hybrid sleep option in the Power Plan Settings. If you are using Hybrid sleep, then you would select Sleep from below.

4. You can close the Power Options window when done. (see screenshot below step 2)

OPTION FOUR

Manually in Registry Editor

NOTE: This option will let you change the default action for the Start Menu power button only in the user account that you are currently logged on.
1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (if administrator) or enter administrator's password (if standard user).

3. Do step 4 or 5 below for how you want to set this.

4. Same as OPTION 1, 2, or 3 above
A) In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

B) In the right pane of Advanced, double click on Start_PowerButtonAction to modify it, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot above)
5. Same as OPTION FIVE below with Group Policy for All Users
NOTE: You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this step.
A) In regedit, navigate to the location below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
B) In the right pane of Advanced, double click on Start_PowerButtonAction to modify it, and go to step 6 below.
NOTE: If Start_PowerButtonAction doesn't exist, then right click on an empty area in the right pane of Explorer, click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value, type Start_PowerButtonAction, and press Enter.
6. Type in the Hexadecimal Value data number below for the Power Button option that you want, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The Hibernate option will not be available unless you enable hibernate and have turned off the Hybrid sleep option in the Power Plan Settings. If you are using Hybrid sleep, then you would select Sleep from below.

Power Button | Hex Value data
Switch User |100

Log Off |1

Lock|200

Restart|4

Sleep|10

Hibernate|40

Shutdown|2

7. Close regedit.

8. If open, close and reopen Taskbar and Start Menu Properties (Option One) to see the changes.
NOTE: If you used step 5, then you may need to log off and on to apply first.

OPTION FIVE

Through Local Group Policy Editor

NOTE: You can only do this option while logged in an administrator account.
1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2. In the left pane, double click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and click on Start Menu and Taskbar. (see screenshot below)

3. In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, right click on Change Start Menu power button and click on Edit. (See screenshot below)

4. To Allow All Users to Change Power Button
NOTE: This option will allow all users to be able to change their Start Menu power button to what they like using OPTION ONE above.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled. (see screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.
5. To Change Start Menu Power Button for All Users
NOTE: This option will let you change the Start Menu power button to what you want for all users accounts on the computer. After applied, the Power button action option in the Start Menu will be grayed out for all users and cannot be changed (see step 7).
A) Select (dot) Enabled, then under Options, select the action you want for the Start Menu power button in the drop down menu. (see screenshot below step 6)
NOTE: The Hibernate option will not be listed unless you enable hibernate and have turned off the Hybrid sleep option in thePower Plan Settings. If you are using Hybrid sleep, then you would select Sleep from below.
6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. If you check Start Menu and Taskbar Properties using the OPTION ONE section above, you will now notice that the option to change the Start Menu power button is grayed out and set to what you have it set to in step 5A above. (see screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Default Action of the Windows 7 Alt+F4 Shut Down Window
• How to Change the Power Plan Settings in Windows 7
• How to Customize the Windows 7 Start Menu
• Download a Shortcut that Opens the Start Menu in Windows
• How to Create a Start Menu Properties Shortcut in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Enable or Disable "Log off" in the Start Menu of Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate Commands in Windows 7
• How to Allow or Prevent Users and Groups to Shut Down the Computer
• How to Enable or Disable "Install Updates and Shut Down" Option in Windows 7
• How to Change "Install Updates and Shut Down" as Default Choice in Shut Down Windows Dialog

 

[Barman58]

Hi Shawn,

Just one thing I've noticed in Build 7000.

The Hibernate option for the button only shows when the hybrid sleep mode is disabled via the power options

This applies on my system anyway

 

[Brink]

Thank you Nigel. Nice find. I have updated the tutorial to include this.

Also here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/819-hibernate-enable-disable.html

 

[meteorolog0]

But how will you make it to icon instead of a text Shut Down. Just like in vista instead of text Shut Down, you will only see an icon. Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello Meteorolog0, and welcome to Seven Forums,

I'm sorry, but there is no way that I know of in Windows 7.

You could use the shutdown shortcut from the link below to have a icon that you can pin to the Start menu and use instead.

Shutdown shortcut - Vista Forums

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[meteorolog0]

ok, anyway thanks for this wonderful forum. more power

 

[bug]

Thanks so much Barman58! I was trying to figure out why hibernate wasn't an option just about forever! (meaning 1-2 hours) Finally! Thanks again!

 

[kaunhaiye]

Confirm before shutdown

Is there any way that windows 7 confirms the shut down.

I vividly remember that windows xp used to confirm and that makes more sense to me.

Any way to do this?

 

[Brink]

Hello Kaunhaiye, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sorry, but no.

You could create a Shut Down shortcut that has a time delay on it with a notice. This way you can use the Abort shortcut before the time delay runs out in case you accidentally clicked on the Shut Down shortcut.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jake66]

Is there any way of changing back to the two icons like in vista?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jake,

Sorry, but no. You might try the free program Vista Start Menu for this option and more though to see if it may work for you instead.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jake66]

ok, thanks

 

[JOC]

I know it is possible to click on the Start Power button and then to click on the arrow to get all the options, but the arrow is the smaller physical option to click on and I find myself clicking the first default option more often than not. Which results in the computer either shutting down or sleeping or whatever I have the default set to with no other option or chance to do otherwise. I don't want it do to this I want it do what Windows XP used to and to give me the options as the default first click - I don't want the default click to activate anyone of the other options. How do I make it do this please? The choices are still there - you can get them on the arrow click - I want the arrow click choices to become the defaults rather than one of the single actions. Is this possible please?

 

[Brink]

Hello Joc, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm not sure of what you mean. You would only need to hover the mouse pointer over the arrow to the right of the power button for the menu to open to then click on whatever option you like.

Did you want a shortcut for one of these options to use where you like instead?

You might look at these tutorials to see if they may help.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/16801-shut-down-windows-shortcut.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/779-shut-down-windows-alt-f4-window-change-default-action.html

 

[JOC]

Hi Brink

Hovering over the arrow was a nuisance - I kept clicking by default and instinct and hitting the mail shutdown button as I used to in XP when I might have wanted to do something different. The trouble with the new button is once you are clicked you are committed to the default action. However, that link you provided to the shut down windows shortcut will be more than suitable as a work around - with that on the desktop and the task bar and anywhere else I fancy lobbing I won't need to find my way to the arrow to get my choice of action. Many thanks for the suggestion and it is already implemented

mail shutdown button should of course be 'main shutdown button'

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Joc. I'm happy to hear that will work for you.

 

[Mitch656]

if i use sleep as my power button will it change like vista to shutdown when there are updates?

 

[Brink]

That's a good question Mitch. I don't remember ever seing it change to shutdown on my system.

 

[Britton30]

My default is set to Restart and will show shutdown when some updates need to install.

 

[mandinga09]

Deploy changes to the enterprise?

Hi All,

Is there a way to push the power button changes to multiple PCs? By that I mean, can I set the power button to "Log Off" on multiple machines with a script? We prefer to log off in our domain instead of shutdown, and it would be nice to set the 'Shut Down' button to 'Log off' on all my PCs (and all my users) in the domain without visiting each machine...

Thanks guys,

M